In a Global Crisis, Languages can give you the Edge

The current economic crisis is bad news for job prospects and, if you’re thinking about your future career and which path will give you the most opportunities later on, you might want to consider how languages can benefit you, given that the jobs market is now effectively international.

Last February, when British construction workers hit the headlines protesting at the use of foreign workers, we were all reminded that Gordon Brown’s pledge to create ‘British jobs for British workers’ doesn’t work when we’re all part of Europe with equal access to jobs throughout the European Union. As an editorial in the Times pointed out, we have the same rights to jobs in other countries, but unless we can speak another language, we can’t take advantage of these opportunities.

Despite the recession, all the latest surveys show that the jobs market for people with language skills is expected to grow - and become increasingly complex. While the number of jobs in the UK for people with languages had gone down slightly, so has the number of foreigners competing to get those jobs.
The 2008 CBI/Edexcel Education and Skills survey found that 75% of employers want language skills, and most want the conversational ability that builds rapport rather than full fluency. The main demand is still for European languages, with 50% wanting French, 49% German and 41% Spanish. Many ambitious employers hoping to break into new markets are also interested in Mandarin or Cantonese.

Even in the shaky economic environment, four out of five UK businesses plan to grow over the next twelve months and, according to a recent report by HSBC, nearly half of these are looking to international trade to make that a reality. Surveys of employers show that British companies are finally waking up to the need for languages skills, with 9% more saying they value these compared with two years ago.

The more internationally-oriented the employer is, the more likely they are to expect you to have another language on your CV. These employers are fishing in a global jobs pool and they‘ll expect you to have spent some time abroad, gaining knowledge of another culture as well as a foreign language. British job applicants can be at a real disadvantage if they don’t offer a second language.  Employers say that despite the prevalence of English, the ability to ‘build a cultural bridge’ is becoming increasingly important, and that foreign languages are becoming more significant in the global market as people start to understand that the British appear arrogant if they refuse to learn another language – and that’s bad for business.
So what sorts of jobs are available with languages, in which types of organisations? We recently spoke to the following employers who are all seeking graduates with language skills:

HSBC
Two languages including English are required for acceptance on to HSBC’s International Management programme- but not necessarily at graduate level. Any language is acceptable alongside English, but Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish are particularly prized.

Citi
Languages are needed Citibank’s Global Transfer Service, and the more the better. Languages are seen as an indication of intercultural communication skills.

Deloitte and Touche
Looking for Chinese, Japanese and Korean speakers with a high level of fluency.

Clifford Chance
A law firm with a strong international bias, which highly values language skills. Currently has a real need for Polish, German and Hungarian speakers.

Ferrovial Agroman
This major international construction company is looking for Spanish speakers for posts in administration, finance, civil engineering, sales and more.

GCHQ
Urgent need for more ‘rare’ languages, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, French tops their list of 60 languages needed. Senior level recruitment recently focused on Arabic and Russian.

Save the Children
Languages required for their Child Protection Trainee scheme, helping to build relations and intercultural communication. Arabic, French and Portuguese are valued for use in African countries.

Then of course, we have the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012, bringing with it an immense need for language skills not just in London but across the country where teams will be training and competing, and where foreign tourists will go.  An amazing 32 million foreign tourists already visit Britain each year – and the vast majority of them don’t have English as their first language.

Here the range of jobs where languages skills can make a difference is huge, from airport staff, platform assistants at train stations, coach and bus drivers to tour guides and information officers and people working in gift shops or in the hotel and catering industry.  If foreigners feel more comfortable and confident in their surroundings, they’re more likely to spend more money – and come back another day. If you can speak to them in their own language fantastic!  If not, a few words of welcome make all the difference.
For more advice on how language skills can help you find your ideal job, visit www.languagework.org.uk