Monday 28th July 2008
CVs benefit from foreign language skill

Job seekers should learn a foreign language as it will enhance their CV and improve their chances of being employed, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

While only 29 per cent of British people speak a foreign language, according to a 2001 survey from the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education, having an extra language will make an applicant stand out from the crowd.

Angela Baron, advisor at CIPD, said: "If you're going to go and work in a global organisation then clearly language skills are going to be quite useful – particularly if there's going to be the opportunity for postings to different parts of the world."

With many businesses operating on a worldwide basis, job seekers should make sure their foreign language skill is appropriate for the job they apply for, claims CIPD.

"It's quite difficult to say to people which one is going to be the most useful in the future but having an extra language is definitely not going to do you any harm," said Ms Baron.

Research by the European Commission revealed that 50 per cent of the European population claimed to be able to speak a foreign language in 2005.

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