As business becomes increasingly global, many argue it is important for job candidates to learn a second or third language; others disagree, asking why native English speakers should bother to learn other tongues when English is the dominant global language of business.
Andy Dallas, a director at Robert Half Financial Services, is more inclined to agree with the latter view: “Globally, financial services continues to be an English-dominated industry, with many of the international financial centres of Asia and Europe adapting their practices to work in English.
“In the UK, there isn’t great demand for foreign language skills, which are often seen as an asset rather than a requirement for potential hires.”