USING
LANGUAGES
and
working
in
Europe
Jenny Keaveney, Careers & Employability Service
USING LANGUAGES IN YOUR CAREER
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HOW can I use my languages?
WHERE can I use them?
WHEN will I get the opportunity to use them?
WHAT ELSE are employers looking for?
WHAT do language graduates do?
DO I need further qualifications?
• HOW can I find out more?
HOW can I use my languages?
The “Obvious” careers
• Translating
• Interpreting
• Teaching
• International organisations
• Travel, transport and tourism
HOW can I use my languages?
Some of the less obvious ways …
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Business - marketing, sales, buying
Administrative - conference organising, PA
Finance - banking, accountancy, insurance
Law
Information - media, library work
WHERE can I use my languages?
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In the UK - short or long term
In another country - short-term
In another country - long-term
Both in the UK and abroad - travelling
regularly
WHEN?
…. will I get the chance to use my languages?
• As soon as you graduate?
• After further experience and/or
qualifications?
THE GOOD NEWS …
• In a survey of 2700 companies across 10
industries, more than half of HR managers
said they would be more likely to hire
someone who spoke more than one language
• Average earners with linguistic abilities
could be paid up to 12% more
• Only one in ten workers in the UK can speak
a foreign language
BUT ….
EMPLOYERS LOOK FOR MORE
THAN JUST LANGUAGE ABILITIES
In most careers, it is not enough
to speak another language
(however fluently) - it is what
you can do through that
language that is important
What else do employers look for in
language graduates?
Employers will look for skills such as:
• Verbal and written communication (in
English as well as your other languages)
• Analysing and using information
• Teamwork
• Time management
• IT skills
What do past Kent graduates say was the most
useful aspect of their degree?
Studying literature - the appropriate and creative use
of language is particularly important in public
relations (PR Manager)
Studying French literature helped me develop strong
analytical skills which have been useful in my work;
essay-writing too helps for preparing reports and
plans
(Marketing Manager)
What do past Kent graduates say was the most
useful aspect of their degree?
Specific skills such as translation require a mental
discipline that can be applied to other areas of activity
- my work often involves sorting masses of data and
drawing meaning and inferences from various
sources
(Police Officer)
Good written and verbal communication skills are
essential in the workplace
(Finance trainee)
The general analytical skills used for essay writing
and seminar preparation and the ability to prioritise
and work to deadlines
(Export Assistant)
WHAT do language graduates do?
National statistics for 2011 graduates
Employed in UK
Employed Abroad
Further study
Working and studying
Unemployed
Other
Source: HECSU www.hecsu.ac.uk/assets/assets/documents/lmi/WDGD_Arts_Humanities_2012.pdf
WHAT do language graduates do?
Some of the 2011 Kent graduates in employment:
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Conference Producer
Sales Coordinator - Events Management Company
Communications Officer – Police Headquarters
International PR Executive – Investment Management
company
Graduate Trainee Teacher – secondary school
Quality Assurance Manager - Lidl
Intern in Language Services – software company
EFL teachers
WHAT do language graduates do?
2011 Kent graduates undertaking further study
• MA History of Science, Medicine, Environment &
Technology (University of Kent)
• MA International Tourism (Grenoble)
• ESEC Film School, Paris
• MSc International Business Management (Kent)
• Modern European Languages (Bologna, Salerno,
Grenoble)
• PGCE courses (Canterbury Christ Church)
WHAT do language graduates do?
- in the longer term
• School teaching (17)
• Banking/financial
services (11)
• Sales/export (10)
• TEFL (8)
• Media (7)
• Personnel work (7)
• Administration (6)
• European
institutions (6)
• Academics (5)
• International
marketing (5)
• Airlines/airports (5)
• Legal work (4)
• Public relations (3)
WHAT do language graduates do?
- in the longer term
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Political research
Publishing
Librarians
Police officers
Drugs counsellor
Translator
Film publicist
Museum curator
• IT training officer
• Italian Fashion
Manager for Vogue
• Communications
Manager for
international
business
consultancy in San
Marino
Do I need further qualifications?
(almost certainly)
YES
Teaching
Translation
Law
Library work
Office work
VERY POSSIBLY
Journalism & PR
Personnel work
Hotel management
NO
for very many employers,
at least when first
recruiting
Do I need further qualifications?
75% of the Kent graduates surveyed had obtained one
• 23 MAs ( in various
subjects)
• 21 PGCEs
• 8 doctorates (PhDs)
• 6 TEFL certificates
• 5 GDLs (law
conversion courses)
• 3 translating
qualifications
• 2 MBAs
• 2 MSc’s
• Various professional
certificates and
diplomas
A closer look at ….
TRANSLATING AND INTERPRETING
• Many translators work freelance
• Specialist vocabulary and “non-mainstream”
languages are useful
• Postgraduate qualifications usually needed
• Interpreting is a very small career field - 3 or
more languages are often expected
• www.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin/translating.htm
A closer look at ….
TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES
• You will need to qualify via a PGCE or
schools-based programme to teach in
state schools in the UK
• Languages are a “shortage subject”
carrying additional funding for training
• Teaching experience is vital
• http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/siteach.htm
A closer look at ….
TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
• A TEFL qualification is not always essential
• You don’t need to know the language of the
country you are working in - greatest
demand is from the Far East and Eastern
Europe
• Often seen as a short-term job but can also
offer a long-term career
• http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/tefl.htm
A closer look at ….
INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS
• Range from the UN and EU to small charitable
or campaigning organisations
• Recruitment not always regular
• Most staff recruited have experience elsewhere
- relatively few openings for new graduates
• With smaller organisations, you may need to
start as a volunteer
• www.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin/internationalorg.htm
A closer look at ….
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THE EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS
Annual recruitment of new/recent
graduates
Get experience and make contacts
through the stagiaire scheme ...
… or the European Fast-Stream
... or the College of Europe in Bruges
• www.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin/internationalorg.htm
Find out more about the EU …
FACE A BIGGER CHALLENGE: CAREER
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
Find out all about EU careers, including the
applications process, at this talk by the EU
Careers Ambassador for the University of Kent
Wednesday 30th January, 2.00 pm
Keynes Lecture Theatre 5
A closer look at ….
THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE
• Languages are not required
• All recruitment schemes are highly
competitive!
• The next closing date for “Fast-Stream” entry
will be November 2013
• Separate recruitment for individual vacancies
• Your career will be divided between London
and overseas postings
• www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/working-for-us/
A closer look at ….
TRANSPORT, TRAVEL AND TOURISM
• A number of companies run graduate training
schemes
• It is equally possible and common for graduates
to enter at a more junior level
• Some jobs may be largely seasonal
• www.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin/transport.htm
• www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sitestourism.htm
Other opportunities
What do the following have in common?
A painkiller?
The O2?
A bottle
of lager?
An energy drink?
A Playstation?
EUROPEAN GRADUATE PROGRAMMES
• All offer “European Graduate Programmes”
• Heineken, Reckitt Benckiser, Sony and many others
• Some may require a business-related degree as well as
language skills
• Programmes typically involve moving around between
2 or 3 different countries and job functions
• You don’t need a wide range of languages – English is
often the international working language
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"You need to consider if you can imagine being far away from
home and friends for a long time. You also need to be able to fit
into new teams and work environments every 6 months and learn
very quickly to make the most of these placements."
EUROPEAN GRADUATE TRAINING SCHEMES
• Heineken International Graduate Programme
www.graduates.heinekeninternational.com/intro.php
• Reckitt Benckiser www.rb.com/european-graduateprogramme
• Sony European Graduate Programme
www.sony.co.uk/hub/european-graduate-programme
• Telefonica http://bit.ly/XB8gE0
• Red Bull www.redbullgraduateprogramme.eu/
 For these and similar schemes, see
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/modernlanguages.htm#who
AND ALSO ….
• Financial services – banks, accountants, insurance
companies ….
• Retailers – buying, store management
• Utilities – water, gas, electricity companies
• Law firms (you don’t have to have a Law degree!)
• IT companies (IBM, Apple, Google, Yahoo etc)
• Advertising agencies
• Car manufacturers
• Small/medium sized businesses
Graduate Trainee (Fluent in Spanish)
This unique entry-level position offers an excellent opportunity
for a person who is keen to develop a career in the Fresh Produce
Sector. Full training will be given and valuable experience gained.
Ultimately, for the right candidate, a clear career path to a
management position within the Company will be possible.
Fluency in Spanish is a pre-requisite for this role and a good
knowledge of French would be advantageous.
Attributes of the successful candidate will include: numeracy,
attention to detail, computer literacy and good communication
skills. You will be equally comfortable working independently, or
as part of a team and capable of working under pressure in the
very busy Fresh Produce environment.
Project Manager - London Translations (from Toplanguagejobs.com)
Reporting directly to our Head of Projects, responsibilities will include:
• Liaising with clients and organising translation of diverse material in various languages
• Providing estimates for translation and interpreting assignments
• Co-ordinating the translation and interpreting projects and assignment of translators
and interpreters in various languages
• Telephoning new prospects and existing clients to generate new business
Requirements:
• The ideal candidate will speak English as their mother tongue but also be fluent in at
least one other language and have a degree in languages
• A strong work ethic, ability to work unsupervised under considerable pressure and a
willingness to go the extra mile to meet deadlines are essential. Equally important are
good communication and negotiation skills.
Candidates should also exhibit the following:
• Professional demeanour; • Be goal orientated and tenacious; • Self-motivated and proactive; • Capable of improvising and thinking on their feet; • Numerate and IT Literate
• Have the flexibility to work overtime as required
A can-do attitude, determination to succeed and a willingness to get the job done
whatever it takes are far more important than experience.
DO I NEED ANOTHER LANGUAGE?
Do you:
– Feel that you are not sufficiently fluent in
any other language than English?
– Speak another language but want to work
in a country where that language is not
spoken?
– Want to broaden your language skills?
See www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/LanguageSkills.htm
WHERE NEXT?
• Think about what you want from your career
and what you have to offer employers in
addition to your languages
• Use information sources and contacts to find
out about the job market in other countries
• Be aware of early closing dates
• Be flexible and open-minded as to how,
where and when you might use your
languages ….
USEFUL INFORMATION SOURCES
• Occupational Profiles – detailed information
on almost 600 careers
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www.prospects.ac.uk/links/Occupations
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/modernlanguages.htm
www.prospects.ac.uk/links/Abroad
www.prospects.ac.uk/links/languages
• Careers Resources Room
• Career Planning Guide
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
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Be informed about all the potential opportunities
Decide what is most important to you in a career
Be flexible
Develop other skills to add to your languages
Know what employers are looking for
Remember you don't stop learning after you
graduate
• Don't give up!
THE CAREERS &
EMPLOYABILITY SERVICE
• Open 9-5, Monday-Friday
• Careers Resources Room
• Careers & Employability Advisers – book an
appointment or just drop in
• Networked PCs and IT resources
• CES website www.kent.ac.uk/ces
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Ciao
Adjö
Sveiki
Zbohem
Sahha
Adeus
Viso gero
Adios
Довиждане
La revedere
www.kent.ac.uk/ces
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