Swiss International Scientific School in Dubai

Dubai Phase 2, Healthcare City, Al Jaddaf 505002

04 375 0600

Experts Say Learning a

Second Language Can

Improve Career Prospects

The ability to speak a second language can give individuals an edge in the

competitive jobs market, recruiters at the 2017 Careers UAE job fair say.

Head of talent acquisition for the National Bank of Abu Dhabi Talal Abdulrahman

says individuals who speak English, Spanish, French or German have a distinct

advantage when seeking job opportunities. He shares NBAD’s human resources

reflect the UAE's diverse economic environment, and out of 7,600 employees, 33%

are Emirati with 80% are of various nationalities. These numbers communicate that

language skills are among their most vital recruitment criteria.

Company Assets

Multilingual team members help their respective companies expand both local and

global reach. For this reason, companies in the aviation and logistic industries also

seek multilingual candidates.

Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority Mohammed A Ahli shares that they

particularly look for candidates who can communicate in a foreign language,

specifically English. He adds that Emirati youth have gained a reputation for their

exceptional bilingual skills, and he believes that this ability can empower them to

pursue opportunities in multinational entities, on a global scale.

A Diverse Workforce

Other global companies are also expressing a preference for bilingual candidates.

In the US, for instance, a survey revealed that businesses are looking to onboard a

diverse workforce with the intention of appealing to an assorted client base.

Broadening companies appear to take a special interest in candidates who speak

English and another language, and according to Salary.com, most of these bilingual

jobs offer bilingual pay differentials of up to 20% more per hour.

On top of learning a new language, Undergraduate Career Management and

Recruitment senior director at the Fisher College of Business Margie Bogenschutz

suggests acquiring knowledge and experiencing an immersion in another culture.

She says students who maximise international internships and study abroad

programs learn beyond basic communication -- they also become familiar with the

trends and tendencies of a foreign country.

References:

http://sisd.ae/our-school

http://www.thenational.ae/uae/language-skills-put-you-ahead-in-race-for-jobs-say-

uae-recruiters

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-11-26/classified/chi-bilingual-jobs-

20121126_1_foreign-language-foreign-language-fastest-growing-language

http://blogs.transparent.com/language-news/2014/10/27/6-ways-bilingualism-can-

further-your-career/

http://www.relocatemagazine.com/articles/bbis-learning-languages-improves-

childrens-career-prospects