Careers with Languages Take You Further

1. Careers with Languages take you furtherMarie Da Silva, Careers Consultant, Careers & Employability Services, The Open University30th June, 2018

2. Today’s session • What do language graduates do? • Career options with a languages degree or fluency in another language • The job market for linguists • Benefits to your career of language skills

4. What can I do with my languages degree?

5. What do graduates do? 2017/18 HECSU

6. What does this tell us about language graduates? “The grasp of foreign languages and experience of foreign field trips are likely to increase the confidence of this cohort to relocate to another country.” (8.7%) “Language graduates” “more likely to be studying for a professional qualification compared with graduates from the other humanities” “This is likely to be a reflection of the increasing professionalization of translation, interpretation and teaching English to speakers of other languages.” (22.5%) Source: What do graduates do? 2017/18

7. What do languages graduates do? 2017/18 HECSU

9. Languages skills alone ≠ a job Traditional Language Jobs • Translator • Interpreter • Modern Languages Teacher • EFL Teacher Languages as an additional skill • Marketing Executive • Legal • Accounting • Insurance • Broadcast journalist • Diplomatic Service Officer • International Aid/Development Worker • Logistics and Distribution Manager • Sales Executive • Customer Service roles • Tour Manager

10. Some less obvious options…. Graduate Brand Ambassadors Language Analyst Weapon Systems Operator (Linguist) & Intelligence Analyst (Linguist)

11. Work Your Language EXAMPLE OF LANGUAGE JOBS Customer Service Advisors, Sales Executive Assistants, Management Consultants, Online Marketing Executive, SEO, Proof Reader, Project Manager, Office Administrator, Travel Specialist, Credit Controller, PA, Legal Assistant, Translator, Telemarketer, Market Researcher, Technical Support, Business Development Executive, Hotel Group Reservations Consultant, Games Tester, Qualified Accountant, Graphic Designer, Hosts and Hostesses, Software Engineer, Sales Product Trainer, Management Consultant, Application Support

12. Work Your Language COMPANIES AND RECRUITMENT AGENCIES SEEKING LANGUAGE SPEAKERS

13. Work Your Language INDUSTRIES SEEKING LANGUAGES

14. Which languages are most in demand? French Mandarin Spanish German Russian

15. LANGUAGES IN DEMAND Work Your Language

16. Work Your Language YOUR COMPETITION IN THE MARKET!

17. Work Your Language WHAT ARE EMPLOYERS LOOKING FOR? • International & relevant experience • Awareness of cultural differences • Ability to build relationships • Commercial awareness • Flexibility with location • Authorisation to work

18. Q: Which do you think is the foreign language rated as most useful by business • Spanish • French • Mandarin • German 45% 51% 36% 47%

19. Employer satisfaction with graduate applicants’ work-relevant skills (%)

20. Career planning process

21. Do languages increase your earning potential?

22. Languages are crucial in business “Foreign languages are crucial in all areas of business, whether you're tailoring a product to the needs of a particular country and marketing it in a culturally sensitive way, or entering new markets and building relationships. A lack of languages can get companies in legal trouble too, "Businesses can fall foul of all sorts of regulatory issues and cultural misunderstandings.“ Source: Bernadette Holmes, Principal Researcher, Born Global Initiative, British Academy

23. Languages not just a benefit for your career https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpTfl_GqPUs

24. Any questions or comments?