Wanted! English speakers...

Everyone agrees that a proficiency in English is a must to advance in one’s career. Youngsters in the City feel that a strong command over English leads to higher paying jobs, social mobility, and a great deal of success. No matter what career you choose, having a command over English increases the odds of success.

Many youngsters feel if you hone your skills in English, you have higher chances of surpassing your colleagues and making yourself more marketable.

Fluent communication plays an important role in leaving a powerful impression and opening up new career avenues. Manoj, a commerce student of Seshadripuram College, says English certainly plays a vital role while getting a job. “These days getting a job of our requirement is not easy. The task becomes tougher if we don’t know English. Recruiters may underestimate us if we don’t communicate properly and there are chances of them favouring those who can speak English fluently,” he says.

He has his own set of reasons to defend his notion. “When we are fluent in
English, we feel more confident. Even the job providers rely on us and give us more challenging jobs. If we fail to communicate, they expect less from us and because of language problem, a thin line of misunderstanding may develop between us and our colleagues,” he opines.

Sachit, a marketing manager, says English has become the lingua franca among his colleagues and all the communication in his office happens only in English.

“Knowing the importance of English, we have made it compulsory in our company. Though the new employees, who are not fluent in communication, suffer a bit during initial days, they improve a lot after a few months. If you know the language, you can live and succeed anywhere in the world,” he explains.

Hemanth, a field engineer, too agrees that English is very important in this age of competition.

“I have noticed that most MNCs look for people with fluency in English. Most of the time, the salary is fixed based on our communication skills. So if we don’t know the language, the opportunities will obviously be less and the employer may treat us like we are uneducated,” he says.

Sukruthi, a degree student of PES College, feels the lack of reading habit amongst the young generation has left them handicapped in English. “Reading allows you to build your vocabulary and learn things about the world. It also makes you more informed. It’s not only fluency but also general knowledge and a presence of mind, that are important while getting a job,” she adds.