Fluency in a language – is it important working in recruitment?

In the 21st century it’s all about adaptability.

To learn is to live. Never before has education been so at the forefront of society, an endless plethora of avenues, an ever evolving range of disciplines to master.

Some of the most widely offered specialty subjects through schooling these days are those of the language discipline. Learning a language is more than simply knowing how to speak the tongue of a foreign country, it enhances your cognition, and is a gateway to global understanding. Not only that, but being bilingual can now put you at the forefront of job opportunities, and provide you with global mobility in your role.

In my current role as Talent Acquisition Specialist for Morgan McKinley in the Asia Pacific region, never has the following statement been so paramount to my vocation: “We are living in an Asian Century” (source: wikipedia). The International Economy magazine explores the fact that the Asian GDP will soon grow to 50% of the Global GDP (source: International Economy). The reality of this notion is something that has been debated in great depth over the past few years globally but coming from New Zealand, it’s something that has been ingrained in me from a young age. It’s one of the reasons that I started learning Japanese at high school.

What impact has learning a language had on my career?For me the impact has been vast. I work for a company that has enabled me to have global mobility. Learning a language has definitely shaped my career path and I’m lucky enough that I still get to keep my Japan connection in work. I currently recruit internally for our North Asia markets.

But how important is it? If you recruit in the Asia market, then it definitely helps. If you are interested in financial services recruitment, then you don’t tend to need a second language so much. But if you are recruiting into commerce and industry clients such as Pharmaceutical, Luxury Brands, Retail and FMCG, being able to speak the local language of that Asian country, will definitely be an advantage.

If you are still not convinced that learning a foreign language can help advance your career, check out this blog.

Happy learning!