Language degrees have an excellent reputation and are popular amongst employers because graduates are literate, culturally aware and able to speak another language (obviously). They also have proven intellectual rigour and possess excellent communication, research and problem-solving skills.
- Professional interpreter/translator – United Nations, European Union, NATO, NGOs
- UK Government departments – Foreign Office / Diplomatic Corps / Home Office etc
- Law
- Tourism / Sports industry
- Journalism (TV, paper, on-line)
- Sales / Marketing / Recruitment (European / World-wide)
- Investment Banking / Stock-Broker / Accounting
- International Business Management
- Engineering
- Prime Minister/Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Local French companies, Carnival House, Southampton Airport
Other career Paths with French: Banking and Finance/ Law, Public Relations, Publishing, Journalism, Editor, Proof-reader, Diplomat, Attaché, Foreign Service Officer, Film and Media Industry, French Teacher, English Instructor Abroad, Hospitality, Food and Travel industries, International Business, Organizations, Art & fashion worlds, Sales & Marketing, Military, Translator, Interpreter, Speech Therapist.
Where to find job adverts for linguists:
- Internet job sites e.g. Indeed
- Broadsheet daily and Sunday Newspapers, particularly the Financial Times
- Large employers of Linguists: United Nations, European Union, Government Departments, international blue-chip companies
Careers in Languages
Subjects to study at A Level:
Any language (modern or ancient) but many courses offer ab initio courses in European and world languages if you haven’t studied them at A Level, but you may need to show ability in a language if you want to do this.
Wider reading:
Foreign Language news websites (e.g. France 24 – Infos, news & actualités – L’information internationale en direct), ALL magazine and novels, plays, films, poems – anything in the foreign language is going to improve your knowledge and understanding! Try and keep abreast of current affairs in the countries where French is spoken.
Over 90 UK universities offer French. The top 10 UK Universities for French according to the Complete University Guide are:
- Cambridge
- Oxford
- Lancaster
- St. Andrews
- Durham
- Bristol
- Newcastle
- Bath
- York
- King’s College, London
(check UCAS website for entry requirements for these universities: www.ucas.com)
NGO to promote language uptake – https://www.routesintolanguages.ac.uk/
The Economist – www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2014/03/language-study
• Best French Websites for Francophiles – The Francofile
Important Information
The ratio of applicants to courses to study languages are among the best in the country and unemployment rates for language graduates are the lowest after medicine/dentistry and education. 30% of language graduates work in business services, 12% in manufacturing, 11% in banking and finance.
Facts at a glance:
- Employed in graduate job: 41%
- Employed in non-graduate job: 24%
- Unemployed: 6%
- Average graduate salary: £21,032
- Average non-graduate salary: £15,213
Did you know?
- 94% of the world does not speak English as their first language and 75% of the world does not speak English at all!
- French is spoken by roughly 300 million people, making it the fifth most spoken language in the world by total number of speakers. Right now, approximately 120 million people are learning it.
Internships and Work Experience
Gumtree recently completed a poll of employers with the results showing that work experience makes you 95% more employable. The good news carries on, two thirds of employers think candidates with work experience were more knowledgeable, 44% think they are more confident and 40% say they are more committed.
Most language degrees offer a third year abroad either as a student, language assistant, working on placement or a combination of the above – all of these will make you more employable!
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” ‒ Nelson Mandela
“If I am selling to you, I speak your language. If I am buying, dann müssen sie Deutsch sprechen.” – Willy Brandt