Careers and jobs

Making languages work

UK employers will pay on average 8% more to employees who use languages in their job. (Languages in the Workplace, Reed Multilingual Solutions)

Many people learn languages to get on at work. Others who speak languages are frustrated by the inability to use languages in the course of their job. Either way, you need to know how languages can come into play in business, and what you need to do to make the most of the opportunity. Languages Work is designed to help you here. To find out more about Languages Work resources for teaching and careers advice, click here.

Do I need to be a specialist?

No, in short. The vast majority of opportunities - over 90% - are for people who use languages in the course of their work, like a French-speaking accountant, or a Mandarin-speaking customer service agent. There is room for specialists, such as translators, interpreters and teachers, but they are expected to be professionally qualified. The Languages Work website offers advice on specialist occupations occupations and a factsheet on careers in translation and interpreting.

What sort of employer likes languages, and what would they want me to do?

It's impossible to list all the industries that use languages, but you'll be aware that worldwide communication and travel are easier than ever. That means that many types of business, large and small, and public sector organisations need to communicate with speakers of many different languages at home and abroad. The Languages Work website profiles key industry sectors in the UK where language use is especially prevalent, and provides case studies of people working in those areas. It also presents a range of case studies of individuals using their languages at work, many of whom live and work in London.

How can I benefit from work experience and time abroad?

It's important to build language use into your work experience as early as possible - if you're at university, for example, time abroad or during holidays can be very usefully spent at work in the country using the language you're learning. If you work for an internationally linked employer, they may be able to offer a secondment to an overseas office. Click here for more ideas.

How can I get help finding a job?

There are agencies that specialise in recruiting people with languages, and many of them are based in London. Do be aware that they work on a commission basis, so they may be selective about which languages and experience they need at any one point in time, depending on which employers are recruiting. You can find specialist agencies in London through our Service Finder, as well as organisations that offer placements.

There are ways you can help yourself though. Research goes a long way - you can find out relatively easily which employers might have an interest in your language - the Languages Work website can help you here again.

For general advice on languages and careers, and a reminder of the key points, download this factsheet (PDF format). There is a wider range of Languages Work factsheets if you have a more specialised interest in using languages - covering for example Engineering, and career prospects using Spanish.