89% of Brits feel that it is beneficial to speak a second language

When it comes to learning a language in Britain, a lot of people assume that most other countries speak our mother tongue – making it not a priority for Brits when it comes to learning a second language.

New research, by Top Language Jobs, has polled people about how they feel about learning a second language and whether it would affect their abilities when applying for jobs in the UK and abroad.  

Across the nation, more than 4 out of 5 people (89%) admit that it Is beneficial to learn a second language, especially with the uncertainty of the current climate and Brexit. 4 out of 5 people (87%) also felt that we as a nation are lazy when it comes to learning a second language.

When asked about studying a language at school, out of the 65% of respondents who learnt a second language, French was the most popular with 81% in total. As a result, French is the language that Brits feel most familiar with. In fact, 71% can count to 10 and 43% are fluent enough to ask for the bill in French. While French is the most familiar language amongst Brits, the most popular European language that they would add to their skillset if they had the opportunity is Spanish (38%).

German came in very popular with the under 55 year olds, with 42% of them being able to count to 10 and 21% able to ask for the bill. 

Elsa Thumerel, Marketing Director at CareerBuilder said “These stats show that people feel like speaking a second language is a valuable advantage in the current climate. We were surprised that so many Millennials said that they would be encouraged to work in Europe if they did have a second language knowing that they could earn a bigger wage.

For those who do, there are many opportunities throughout Europe, though candidates are not often aware that they don’t necessarily have to speak the local language to get a job abroad.”

When asked if they had ever applied for a job in Europe where not speaking the local language was the main barrier not to be considered, just 12% of the respondents said yes. A third of respondents (33%) said that they would be encouraged to apply to work in Europe if they could speak a second language and they could earn more money.

Men (14%) where slightly more likely than women (10%) to apply for a job in Europe where not speaking a second language was the main barrier for them. Men were also more likely to feel more encouraged to apply for work in Europe if they did speak a second language and could earn more money. 37% answered yes compared to 29% of women.

On average, 26% of under 45’s have applied for a job in Europe where not speaking a second language was the main barrier for them to be considered. Millennials were most likely to have done with 42% saying that they had, more than three times the national average of 12%.

Also, 47% of under 45’s would be encouraged to work in Europe if they did have a second language and could earn a bigger wage. Again, the Millennials came in the lead with 57% saying they would compared to the national average of 33%. 

For the high percentage of Brits who are interested in pursuing a career abroad, they can attend an online virtual recruitment fair being hosted by Top Language Jobs on 31st January.

Top Language Jobs is Europe’s number 1 job board dedicated to Bilingual / Multilingual professionals.

This virtual recruitment fair is dedicated to language professionals throughout Europe, and will be live on Thursday 31st January (9am – 8pm Central European Standard Time, GMT +1)

Companies exhibiting at this virtual event will be recruiting for various language skills in a variety of sectors.

At this event you will be able to:

• Chat with recruiters
• Get tips on how to apply
• Learn more about companies
• Discuss relocation opportunities
• Leave your CV with HR professionals