How important are your English language skills as a professional?
English is spoken by 1.75 billion people worldwide. That's roughly a quarter of the world’s population. But what's even more interesting is that the vast majority of those people (over 1 billion) are non-native speakers.
So wherever you are in the world and whatever your job, being able to communicatie in English will open many doors for you. English is the language of international business. An estimated 85% of international organisations use English as one of their working languages.
Are your English language skills important for your career? Yes, they definitely are!
English as the language of international business
English is immensely important wherever you are in the world. It is the language of business, science, innovations and social interaction.
Cambridge English and QS worked together to present a global, cross-industry overview of English language skills in the workplace.
Their research shows some interesting findings. In countries and territories where English is not a native or official language, over twothirds of employers say that English is important for their business.
If you want to be able to communicate effectively and clearly with people all over the world, English is the common language.
As English is the language of international business, it is just as important for businesses in native and non-native English-speaking countries. So no matter where you work or what kind of company you work for, your English language skills are important.
The most important English language skills in business
The study of Cambridge English and QS shows that employers consider proficiency in all four language kills (reading, writing, speaking and listening) important.
However, across all countries and territories the most important language skill is reading (in 12 industries), followed by speaking (in eight industries).
Reading in English
- Reading in English is essential for maintaining professional knowledge, as it’s the language most often used in international journals, contracts and instructions.
- In countries/territories where e English is not an official language, the most important skill for employers was reading.
Speaking in English
- Speaking tends to be the most important skill in service industries such as travel,
leisure and hospitality, where social interaction is a big part of the job. - For employers in English speaking countries and countries/territories where English is an official or de facto official language, speaking is the most important skill.
Findings by organisation size
There is a clear trend in the results by the size of an organisation:
Larger organisations
- For larger organisations, reading is increasingly likely to be the most important skill.
- Large multinational companies are likely to have offices and employees
in many different geographical locations and time zones. Co-workers often
can’t meet in person and rely on different forms of written communication,
such as email, so it’s even more important to use a common language to avoid
potential miscommunication.
Smaller organisations
- For smaller organisations, speaking becomes more important.
- Employees in businesses spread across fewer locations are likely to have more opportunities to speak face to face. Furthermore, with smaller numbers of employees, it is more feasible for the whole team to interact directly.
Your business English skills are vital for growing in your career. Any professional who wants to take their career to the next level will need strong business English skills. It will improve your way of working with colleagues and clients, but will also bring new career opportunities.
Do you need help with your business English language skills? Do you want to work on your reading or speaking skills in English?
Then you can consult one of our language coaches on Squidll. Together you can work on the specific language skills you really need in your job and practise until you feel confident to build your career in English.
Sign up on Squidll, find a business language coach who fits your needs and start on Squidll today.
Do you want more tips on boosting your business English? Find out all our tips on our blog.