The hiring process is not an exact science – far from it in fact, and that’s hardly surprising when you consider that an organisation has just 20-30 minutes to find out as much as they can about you. Sure, they can read your CV and scour your social media profiles before the interview, but all that really tells them is what you want them to know. It won’t explain that you’re in a foul mood every morning until you’ve had your 4th cup of coffee, or that you have a real aversion to being told what to do.

The recruiters themselves will also come to the interview with their own opinions, preferences and biases that lead them to be less than objective when making their decision. Interviewers are just as guilty of making snap judgements as the rest of us, and while training and experience can help them put their personal opinions to one side, there’s no such thing as a completely objective interview.

Over the last decade, competency based interview questions have become increasingly popular as a way of negating these biases and cutting through the self-promotional spiel found in most CVs. They aim to dig beneath the interviewee’s pre-prepared answers to reveal the real behaviours of a candidate at work. And, if you’re a bilingual job seeker, this is almost certainly the kind of question you’re likely to face in your interview.

What are competency based questions?

The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development defines competencies as:

“Demonstrable performance outputs as well as behaviour inputs that may relate to a system or set of minimum standards required for effective performance at work.”

Competency based questions ask candidates to provide real-life examples as the basis for their answers. Candidates should explain why they made certain decisions, how they implemented solutions and why certain outcomes took place.

The fact is that past behaviour is a good indicator of future performance. By asking a candidate how they handled a particular situation in the past – how they performed, what they learnt etc. – it will give them a better understanding of a candidate’s capability in future work situations.

Examples of competency based questions

These are examples of the type of competency based questions a bilingual job seeker should expect:

• Tell me about a time when you failed to complete a task or project on time, despite intending to do so;
• Tell me about a time you led a group to achieve an objective;
• Tell me about a time when your work or an idea was challenged;
• Describe a situation where you got people to work together;
• When did you work the hardest and feel the greatest sense of achievement?

How should you answer competency based questions?

In order to give clear, effective and varied answers to competency based interview questions, we advise all our bilingual candidates to adopt the well known STAR technique to describe:

• The Situation or event succinctly
• The Task required as a result
• The Action you took and your participation in the task
• The Result of your action

When answering competency questions, you can usually give examples from your work, study and personal life. You should not provide too much background information as the interviewer will only be interested in the behaviours exhibited. You should also use the most relevant examples to the questions you have been asked, rather than what you think are the most elaborate or impressive. Finally, it’s essential you do not make your answers up. It’s fine to take a little time think of the most relevant example. The interviewer would much rather you do that than saying the first thing that pops into your head.

How can we help?

At Linguistica Recruitment, we not only help bilingual job seekers find their next great role, but we also provide application and interview assistance to give you the very best chance of landing the job. Take a look at our latest vacancies and send us your CV today.

If you’ve set your sights on new markets overseas, the skills offered by a bilingual worker can help to overcome many of the obstacles you’ll face when increasing the reach of your business. However, the benefits of employing bilingual speakers are not limited to the additional linguistic skills they inevitably bring. There are also other advantages associated with the multitasking, information processing and communication skills of bilingual employees.

So, next time you’re thinking about hiring a new team member, consider the many benefits a bilingual employee could bring to your business…

1. They can help you reach international customers

A bilingual employee can be an extremely valuable resource, particularly in a business which is expanding overseas. Ideally, your bilingual recruit will speak the language of the target market, but if not, simply speaking two languages has been shown to boost their communication skills and their understanding of other cultures.

When it comes to generating content for overseas buyers, or simply interacting with them via social media or over the phone, the benefits of a bilingual employee are obvious. Studies have shown consumers are much more likely to buy from a business when product information is available in their language. It engenders trust, and to snag that all important sale, that’s exactly what brands need to do.

2. Localisation is easier than ever before

While simple translation of your English website and supporting content might be better than no foreign language content at all, what you really need is to localise these critical assets. Localisation goes one step further than translation, taking into account the cultural and other requirements of a target market as well as the language. This includes adapting graphics and ensuring all elements are culturally appropriate and sensitive. This level of understanding is something only someone who has lived in that country can bring.

3. They’re better multitaskers

In a small business, you need employees who can switch between tasks quickly and effectively. Bilingual speakers constantly have two sets of language rules in mind, which means their brains are better wired to toggle back and forth depending on their circumstances. A study has shown that being bilingual also improves their ability to switch between tasks. The headline finding is that bilingual employees may conduct multiple tasks more efficiently than their monolingual counterparts, which certainly makes them an asset in the workplace.

4. You have a point of contact for overseas customers and suppliers

If you have expanded overseas then you’ll know how important it is to be able to speak the target language. Broken English may work in the short term, but over the longer term it can be a real asset to be able to communicate with customers, clients and suppliers on their own terms. This plays a big part in the quality of the relationships you build. Having a second pair of eyes to proofread contracts, packaging and other documents can also be hugely beneficial and help to build trust in the eyes of international buyers.

5. Bilingual employees have excellent communication skills

The cognitive benefits of being bilingual extend well beyond the ability to multitask. Researchers have also found those who speak more than one language can process information more quickly and efficiently than those who speak only one. This skill stems from the fact that bilingual speakers are more accustomed to working the muscles of their brains. This ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information can make them a real asset to your business.

How can we help?

The next step is to give us a call here at Linguistica Recruitment. Set up by a team of linguistics professionals, we work with small businesses and leading organisations to place the highest calibre of bilingual recruits across the south coast of England. To discuss your requirements, please call 02392 987 765 or email: info@linguistica-recruitment.com today.

Foreign languages and investment banking – on the face of it you might not think there’s much to link the two disciplines, but it turns out a surprising number of employers look for foreign language skills among candidates’ core competencies.

If your plan is to retire by 40 and live out the rest of your life sunning yourself on the deck of your own private yacht, then without a lottery win, a professional football contract or a colossal inheritance, your options are quite limited.

And then there’s investment banking. Of course, not everyone in the industry is on the receiving end of six figure bonuses, but if you speak a foreign language and have a related degree, you stand a good chance of making your early retirement dreams come true.

Foreign language skills are ‘highly desirable’

The competition to land an investment banking job is understandably fierce, and it’d be wrong to suggest that a foreign language competency is all you’ll need to land yourself a top job in the sector. A first-class or 2:1 degree from a Russell Group University, a passion for finance and the dedication to work 12-hour days will certainly help you along the way. As will your ability to perform well in psychometric tests, and cope with what can be a bullish culture.

However, among the litany of essential attributes, many of the key players in the sector also list foreign language skills as ‘highly desirable’, with some naming the languages that are particularly relevant to their businesses.

What level of language skills do you need?

Recruiters who specifically seek foreign language skills, like us here at Linguistica Recruitment, typically seek candidates who are either native speakers or are fluent in that language. Fluency implies a standard beyond A Level, and the ability to do business in that language. If you list a foreign language fluency among your skills, you should not be surprised if the interviewers switch between languages during your interview.

Employers that do not have a specific need for language may be willing to accept candidates with less developed language skills, while some will even offer language classes so you can improve.

What languages do banking and investment employers look for?

The following is a list of the some of the investment banks in the UK and the foreign language skills they look for:

• Barclays Wealth – Candidates should be willing to spend at least six months working abroad, with languages like Mandarin, Arabic, French and Spanish in particularly high demand.
• HSBC – While specific languages are not listed, this bank implies that candidates with a second or third language have an advantage.
• Goldman Sachs – This bank seeks candidates with a foreign language fluency or native speakers for approximately 50 percent of its roles.
• UBS – Candidates with excellent German speaking skills and international experience, either through study or experience, put themselves at an advantage.

How can we help?

We might not have any investment banking jobs in our list of current vacancies at the moment, but we do have an excellent range of foreign language jobs across the South Coast of England. If you’re looking for your next bilingual job, please send us your CV or apply online today.

It’s official – bilingual speakers have bigger brains! If you’ve always had a sneaking suspicion your brain might just a little larger than the norm, here is the confirmation your giant brain has been craving.

Two Swedish scientists have found that learning a foreign language can actually increase the size of your brain, which is fantastic news for all you top heavy bilingual job seekers out there. As part of an ongoing study into the cognitive benefits of language learning, brain scans were used to monitor what happens when someone learns a second language. The study found that foreign language learning has a visible effect on the brain.

The study

The Swedish researchers studied a group of young military recruits who had learned to speak Arabic, Russian or Dari intensively. Meanwhile, a group of medical students were set up as a control group. They studied intensively too, but not at languages. The MRI scans found that specific parts of the brain used by the language students had actually developed in size, while the brains of the control group remained the same.

The areas of the brain that grew were linked to the ease with which the students found the languages they were learning. The brain development actually varied according to performance. Those whose brains grew in the hippocampus and areas of the cerebral cortex had better language skills. In those with less developed language skills, it was the cerebral cortex which developed more.

The best way to learn a language – Immersion vs. the rules of language

Traditionally, there are two ways to learn a language, either immersion, which is how we learn our native language, or by studying the underlying rules. In a recent study into the most effective way to learn a new language, it was found that while all the participants did learn, it was the immersed learners whose brain processes worked most like native speakers. Even up to six months later, the students who had been immersed in the language were performing well in tests. Their brain processes also became even more ‘native-like’ over time.

In a follow-up study, it was found the students learning a language through immersion had a particular talent for picking up the sequences and patterns of the language. This improved their grammar usage and showed that like children, this is the best way for adults to learn.

Learning a second language is always beneficial

However we learn a new language, research has shown that bilingual job seekers have better memories, are more cognitively creative and are more mentally flexible than their monolingual counterparts.

Perhaps more encouraging still is the fact that these benefits are the same whether the second language is learned as a child or an adult. Millions of people acquire their second languages in later life, through university, work, marriage or migration, but the advantages are the same. So, you’re never too old to learn a new language!

Apply for bilingual jobs

Bilingual job seekers are in high demand across a wide range of industry sectors. This leads to increased rates of pay when compared to equivalent job roles for monolinguals. Clearly it’s not only your brain that will benefit from learning a second language, your bank balance could get a boost too!

At Linguistica-Recruitment, we have some excellent opportunities for bilingual job seekers across the South Coast of England. Take a look at our latest vacancies and send us your CV today.

There probably aren’t many talking points bigger than ‘Brexit’ right now in the UK. For those of you without a firm grasp of your political abbreviations, Brexit is the shortened form of ‘British exit’, and it refers to the possibility that Britain will withdraw from the European Union. The recent local elections received a pretty abysmal turnout, but the up coming in-out referendum on the UK’s EU membership, to held on June 23, has got everyone talking.

The reason so many people are interested in the ‘should we stay or should we go?’ question right now is because the potential impact of a vote to leave will be felt in so many different ways. The effects are even likely to reach all you bilingual job seekers in one way or another. So, if you’re interested in the health of the bilingual jobs market, what do you need to know?

There could be more jobs for British bilinguals

According to recent research by Oxford University’s Migration Observatory, most EU citizens currently working in the UK would not meet existing visa requirements for non-EU foreign nationals who apply for jobs here.

The study shows there are almost 2.2million EU workers in the UK, making up about 6.6 percent of the total workforce. Many of these work in sectors where bilingualism is not a prerequisite for the role, such as manufacturing, retail, hotels and restaurants. However, there are also many who work in skilled roles, such as banking and finance, where the ability to speak a second language is essential.

The study acknowledges that Britain would likely change its immigration requirements if we voted to quit the EU, potentially easing the rules to allow some immigration. Legal experts also suggest that those already in the country would be entitled to stay.

However, if the UK was to leave the EU, there’s likely to be many more bilingual roles that would need to be filled by British bilingual speakers. This is due to the fact that immigration rules would be likely to tighten.

What impact would this have on the economy?

Although jobs would be easier for British bilinguals to find, companies in the UK already admit to struggling to employ bilingual speakers with the skill sets they need, and that’s with the current influx from the EU. Research for the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills found that a lack of language skills in the UK is costing the economy around £48bn a year. If we leave the EU this skills deficit is likely to worsen, as one employer speaking to the Financial Times explains:

“I employ Germans to deal with German customers and French nationals to deal with French customers. While it is possible to find bilingual British nationals to replace such profiles, it would certainly be a lot harder to provide the same level of service.”

British bilinguals who want to work in the EU

If Britain were to tread the Brexit path, life could be made more difficult for British bilinguals looking for opportunities to work in the EU. If we vote ‘yes’ in June, UK citizens could have to satisfy more restrictive rules on getting a work permit, setting up a business, studying and bringing family members to join them in EU member states.

Although this doesn’t mean UK bilinguals won’t be able to find work in the EU, they probably won’t be able to come and go quite as easily as they can now. The rules are likely to be more restrictive, which could make it difficult to find that dream bilingual job abroad.

The help you need to find a bilingual job in the UK

Brexit or no Brexit, at Linguistica Recruitment we’re here to help you find top bilingual job opportunities on the South Coast of England. Please take a look at our latest bilingual vacancies and send us your CV today.

The good news is that landing your first bilingual job fresh out of university is now easier than ever before. Modern language graduates are in demand as UK businesses increasingly seek individuals with the skills to help them flourish overseas. And it’s not just the same old global brands that are seeking to fill their positions with bilingual speakers. Thanks to globalisation and the ease with which businesses can now do business abroad, an increasing number of small UK businesses are looking to fill graduate level roles with second language speakers.

With that in mind, here are 5 top tips to help you land your first bilingual role after completing a modern languages degree:

1. Identify opportunities in your chosen sector

Graduates of modern language are now in demand across many sectors of business and industry, in roles that extend well beyond interpretation and translation to encompass everything from banking and finance to marketing, new media and I.T. Even new Met Police recruits must be able to speak a second language.

If you’re considering sending off speculative CVs to companies in your chosen sector, be specific. Employers don’t like vague applications. Pick something that most suits your interest, experience and skills and demonstrate your passion and knowledge for that particular path. Following your interests and choosing a sector you have a genuine passion for will allow your enthusiasm to shine through.

2. Don’t think of your first bilingual job as your defining role

Many graduates think their first job will make or break their future careers. It won’t. Getting any role where you can use your bilingualism is a huge plus, whether that’s as a customer support representative, an administrator or any other starting role.

Most employers will look for bilingual speakers with skills in other aspects of business and finance, so this is a great way to increase your experience while putting your language skills to practice in a professional environment.

3. Harness the power of social media

Love it or loathe it, social platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are increasingly powerful tools in your bilingual job search. LinkedIn is undoubtedly the most valuable social tool for graduate job seekers.

LinkedIn is regularly scoured by recruiters and even the employers themselves for individuals with the linguistic skill sets they need. Of course, it goes without saying to keep all your publicly accessible information employer-friendly. Here are a few way you can use LinkedIn to fast track your bilingual job search.

4. Be proactive

It might be a terrible management buzzword, but being proactive plays a huge part in not only finding a bilingual job more quickly, but also in finding a role you’re likely to enjoy. You should see your bilingual job hunt as a continuous process as there’s always something else you can do.

Firstly, signing up with a specialist language recruitment agency is a great place to start. But don’t just sit back and wait for a job to be found for you. Following the industries and sectors of work that interest you the most can help you move in the right circles. Narrowing your search to particular employers you know hire bilingual speakers and sending an enquiry is an excellent way to show just how much you want to be part of their team.

Finally, a politely worded email to individuals already working in the type of role you want is an effective way of finding out if any more opportunities are coming up.

5. Never give up!

There’s always stiff competition for graduate jobs in the UK, but your bilingualism is an incredibly valuable asset in the current jobs market that will give you a real boost. If bilingual opportunities in your area are few and far between, consider moving. Your opportunities will be far greater in London than in a regional market town. Most importantly, don’t give up on your dream job. Whatever you have to do to pay the bills in the meantime, always keep your eye on the prize!

Send us your CV today

If you’re looking for your first bilingual job on the South Coast of England, please send us your CV. We can help you find a role in your chosen sector and get the invaluable professional experience you need. Alternatively, for more information, please call 02392 987 765 or email: info@lingistica-recruitment.com today.

In some cases, social media can be as much of a hindrance to your job prospects as a help. We’ve all heard those stories of job applicants’ hopes being dashed by their latest Facebook posts, but LinkedIn is your opportunity to put your professional face forward.

LinkedIn is your resume online. It is searchable by employers and recruiters, and with bilingual speakers in such high demand, using LinkedIn in the right way could help you find your next job. In this post, we’re going to take a look at 5 ways you can use LinkedIn to attract attention in all the right ways.

1. Make it easy for recruiters and employers to find you

Most recruiters and employers have the luxury of being able to wait for jobseekers to come to them, but with bilingual speakers in such high demand, recruiters commonly use tools like LinkedIn to headhunt prospective applicants.

To give your LinkedIn profile the best chance of catching a recruiter’s eye, you need to make sure it’s searchable. Your LinkedIn headline allows you to sum up who you are, and the kind of role you are looking for. Recruiters will use straightforward keyword searches, so by including terms such as ‘bilingual speaker’ and the job roles you’re interested in, you increase your chances of being found.

2. Follow the right companies

Following companies you’d be interested in working for gives you access to information you might not otherwise be able to find. You’ll receive updates when people leave or join the company and when new jobs are posted. LinkedIn company pages will also show you if any of your contacts know people who work for these organisations. That could provide a potential way in.

3. Hand pick the right skills

Be specific about the skills you have and make sure these correlate with opportunities you’re looking for in the future. Below the ‘Experience and Education’ section you’ll find ‘Skills & Expertise’. This is where you can tell potential employers exactly what you can do. Your connections can then ‘endorse’ these skills, adding credibility and trustworthiness to your profile. Previous employers can add references to your profile. This is exactly what recruiters and prospective employers will want to see.

4. Showcase your work wherever possible

LinkedIn allows you to upload websites, publications and presentations to your profile. So, if you have a piece of work you are particularly proud of that perfectly demonstrates your skills, make sure you upload it. For example, if your last role was as a bilingual marketer or content creator, upload some of the resources you were responsible for producing.

5. Keep your profile up to date

Recruiters and employers can be wary of gaps in your employment, so make sure you keep your profile fresh by adding your most recent experience as you go. There’s also a risk that an inactive profile will turn recruiters and employers off, so keep busy and that dream bilingual job might just come to you.

How can we help?

As bilingual recruitment specialists, we are always on the lookout for talented bilingual speakers on the South Coast of England. If that sounds like you, please get in touch to discuss your requirements or submit your CV today.

There’s some excellent news for those of you searching for your next bilingual job, particularly if you have previous experience working in the translation industry. Research conducted in the US by the website CareerBuilder, has found that translation and interpreting is the fastest-growing industry in the country. That means, in the not-too-distant future, there’s likely to be a surge in the number of roles in our already flourishing translation and interpreting sector.

According to the report, the translation and interpreting services industry is expected to grow by 36 percent by 2019. The only profession expected to have a higher growth rate than is a home care assistant, with demand expected to grow by 48 percent.

What is driving the growth in translation?

Two factors are powering the growth of the translation industry in countries like the US and the UK. Firstly, there has been a considerable rise in migration in the last decade, with net migration in the UK at an all-time high. This has increased the need for domestic services to be delivered in multiple languages.

Then there’s the surge in the number of commercial enterprises looking to expand their offerings overseas. There are now fewer barriers to entry in foreign markets than there have ever been before. Simply translating or transcreating your existing website and online content is often enough to expand internationally online.

How much can a translator or interpreter expect to earn?

Bilingual jobs are comparatively well paid due to just how highly sought-after linguistic skill sets are. A bilingual speaker will typically earn between 5 percent and 20 percent more than their monolingual counterparts.

Although there are a wealth of bilingual job opportunities currently in the UK, many translators and interpreters choose to work on a freelance basis. The average wage for a professional translator or interpreter is £29,000 a year, or £14 an hour, although this can vary considerably depending on the role.

What makes a good translator?

Bilingualism is not the only skill you’ll need to be a good interpreter or translator. Just as having two feet doesn’t make you Lionel Messi, speaking two languages does not make you an excellent translator.

Many translators set their sights on the profession from a young age and go through a formal training or degree programme to give them the skills they need. Some of the best translators and interpreters are immigrants who have a second language, but also have specific experience in a technical field like medicine or engineering. This gives them the specialised vocabulary they’ll need.

Although the two jobs are often thought of as interchangeable, that view couldn’t be further from the truth. Translators generally work on texts, using their research and writing skills to create word perfect translations. Interpreters perform simultaneous in-person translation, which is much more reliant on interpersonal skills and the ability to think on your feet.

Industry threats and opportunities

While onlookers might consider the improvement in translation technology a threat to the industry, insiders believe machine translation tools represent an opportunity, not a challenge.

Technology definitely has a role to play and in some translations, but it only provides a very rough sense of the translated passage. In medical, legal and other technical translations, every word must be perfect. When performing such exacting translations, there really is no substitute for a human translator.

Apply for bilingual jobs online

If you’re looking for your next UK bilingual job, you’re in the right place. At Linguistica Recruitment, we have an excellent range of bilingual job opportunities across the South Coast. Just take a look at our current bilingual job vacancies and submit your CV today.

Who could have predicted the impact social media has had on our lives in the last decade? Whether you love it or loathe it, the rise of social media is undeniable. For bilingual jobseekers, social media has the power to help you land or lose your dream job in 140 characters, so it’s essential you think carefully about what you’re posting online.

A recent survey by recruitment technology site Jobvite, found that 92 percent of recruiters now look at a candidate’s social media profile when hiring. Those recruiters looked at the following sites:

• LinkedIn -87 percent
• Facebook – 55 percent
• Twitter – 47 percent
• YouTube – 21 percent
• Google+ – 14 percent

While your qualifications and experience will form the first part of the screening process, recruiters and employers then turn to social media to see whether a candidate is worth bringing in for interview. Used correctly, your social media profiles could elevate your bilingual job application to the top of the pile. Used wrongly, and your otherwise promising application could find itself in the bin.

Where does it all go wrong?

We are all entitled to a private life and those private lives are allowed to be fun. In fact, an active social life will usually be seen as a positive by an employer as it shows you have the potential to be a team player. LinkedIn is the platform most likely to be viewed by a prospective employer, so this is the place to put your professional face forward. Here you should comment on industry trends and news, follow the right people and generally show an interest in your chosen sector.

Facebook and Twitter are undoubtedly the two biggest social media stumbling blocks for job applicants. 69 percent of employers have rejected candidates based on their social media activity. The most common reasons cited by employers include:

• Posting inappropriate photos or comments – 11 percent
• Posting negative comments about a previous employer – 11 percent
• Demonstrating poor communication skills – 11 percent
• Posts about taking drugs – 10 percent
• Discriminatory comments – 10 percent
• Posts about drinking – 9 percent

Be vigilant

To prevent your social media activity from damaging your bilingual job prospects, never post anything you wouldn’t mind a potential employer seeing. If you can’t be sure your friends won’t tag you in a questionable snap, make sure you check your Facebook privacy settings.

While it is good to have an opinion, it might also be wise to steer clear of posting anything too political. While employers cannot discriminate on political grounds, they are also unlikely to employ an individual with excessively strong and potential divisive opinions.

Social media mistakes that killed a few careers

Here are a few real life examples of how social media has cost these careless workers their jobs:

– One lucky new Cisco employee tweeted: “Cisco just offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work.” She received a reply from the hiring manager informing her the job offer had been rescinded.

– You’d think a professional social media strategist would know better, but a hapless employee who thought he had logged into his personal account tweeted the following from Chrysler’s corporate account: “I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the #motorcity and yet no one here knows how to f*cking drive.” He was sacked the next day.

– A waitress blasted two customers on Facebook for giving a lousy tip and keeping her at the restaurant till late. She also made the ingenious move to identify the restaurant by name. Needless to say, her P45 was in the post.

Find your next bilingual job at Linguistica Recruitment

At Linguistica Recruitment, we help talented linguists find bilingual jobs along the South Coast. Simply submit your CV and one of our experienced recruiters will be in touch.

The demand for bilingual employees continues to grow as more and more UK companies and organisations look to expand abroad. This includes business development and customer support roles, as well as more traditional bilingual job titles like translators and interpreters. However, there is also a growing requirement to meet the needs of the local multicultural demographic in the UK, with bilingual workers increasingly sought for roles like police officers, social workers and care assistants.

With such a wide range of organisations specifically seeking to recruit bilingual speakers across the UK, there certainly shouldn’t be a shortage of roles for applicants to choose from. And clearly, your specialist skill set does put you at a distinct advantage when applying for a number of modern roles. But, despite this privileged position, you will still have to go through that all-important interview process.

When preparing for your interview as a bilingual worker, there are a couple of extra steps you can take to show your bilingual skills in the very best light. Here are our top tips to help you climb to the top of the interviewer’s shortlist.

Research the company in both languages

If you’re applying for a bilingual role, ideally you should have a clear picture of the company’s work in the UK and abroad. Any company operating in a non-English market is likely to have a native language website. Look up this website and make a note of how the company works in, and targets, that market. When you’re asked the inevitable “what do you know about our company?” you’ll be able to earn extra brownie points by identifying key differences between their UK and overseas operation.

Find out how often you’ll use the second language

You should also focus your research on finding out how often you’ll be expected to use your second language skills. Bilingual jobs can differ wildly in their scope, from those where the role is conducted primarily in the second language; to those where this skill will only be needed on occasion. If the job description doesn’t provide you with the information you need, talk to the recruiter at the employment agency who should be able to help. Understanding exactly how your language skills will be used will help you tailor your interview answers to meet the company’s needs.

Emphasise your bi-cultural achievements

The majority of bilingual workers have lived or worked abroad at some point. It is this knowledge, not only of a foreign language but also of the culture, customs and dialects of a country, that can really make you shine. If you have been on an international placement at university or lived abroad for a period of time, make sure you talk about these achievements during the interview.

Prepare to be tested

Expect your bilingual abilities to be tested at some point during the interview. You may receive details of the test from the recruitment agent, but if not, phone up and ask for any details they have. Some employers will expect you to demonstrate your language abilities by answering questions in the target language; while others will ask you to complete a proficiency test of some sort.

When planning your interview answers, make sure you do so in both languages. You can also find plenty of proficiency tests online to brush up on your skills.

How can we help?

As a specialist bilingual recruiter, we match skilled workers with a variety of businesses across the South Coast. Take a look at our current vacancies and please get in touch with our team.