In today’s globalised economy, the ability to speak multiple languages is more valuable than ever. To uncover increasing demand for multilingual professionals across various industries, researchers at City Lit have analysed the number of job advertisements which are looking for multilingual professionals.
At City Lit, we are committed to equipping our students with the language skills that meet these industry demands. Let’s delve into the key findings from this data and see which languages are the most in demand.
The Top Languages in Demand
The research reveals that European languages are in high demand across multiple industries, with German, French and Spanish taking the three top spots.
The Top 5 Languages
| Rank | Language | Percentage of jobs available |
| 1 | German | 25.5% |
| 2 | French | 23.9% |
| 3 | Spanish | 15.6% |
| 4 | Turkish | 13.3% |
| 5 | Mandarin | 3.6% |
German – 25% of jobs available
Germany is the most sought-after language, with over 25% of job ads seeking German-speaking applicants. Home to Europe’s largest economy, and a leader in industries such as automotive, engineering and finance, the language is also widely spoken across many parts of Europe and speaking the language can be critical for European business operations.
The German language has significant demand in Management (1,035 jobs), Sales (690 jobs), Technology (600 jobs), and Marketing (465 jobs).
French – 24% of jobs available
French is the second highest in demand language, with substantial demand across numerous industries. French is not only spoken in France but also in many countries across Europe, Africa, North America, and parts of the Caribbean and Asia. Making it an asset in global communication, diplomacy, and international business.
Across jobs the Management sector alone has 1,080 job openings for French speakers. Other notable sectors include Marketing (420 jobs), Education (420 jobs), and Insurance (320 jobs).
Spanish – 15% jobs available
In third place, Spanish remains a critical language for many industries. The language is the second most spoken language in the world, with native speakers across Latin America and the United States.
Making it an essential language for many industries which was represented in the number of jobs for the following industries: Management (700 jobs), Marketing (200 jobs), Recruitment (210 jobs), and Retail (100 jobs).
Industries with High Language Requirements
There are many industries which have a particularly high demand for multilingual professionals, with management, recruitment and technology taking the three top spots.
Top 10 industries looking for multilingual applicants:
| Rank | Language | Percentage of jobs available |
| 1 | Management | 13.2% |
| 2 | Recruitment | 6.1% |
| 3 | Technology | 5.2% |
| 4 | Sales | 5.0% |
| 5 | Marketing | 4.5% |
| 6 | Education | 4.1% |
| 7 | Insurance | 3.5% |
| 8 | Finance | 3.3% |
| 9 | Bank | 3.3% |
| 10 | Engineering | 2.6% |
Management
Management is the top industry for language demand, especially for French (1,080 jobs), German (1,035 jobs), and Spanish (700 jobs). Proficiency in these languages can open doors to leadership positions in multinational companies.
Recruitment
Recruitment agencies are looking for language skills, especially in German (300 jobs), French (320 jobs), Spanish (210 jobs), and Hindi (6 jobs).
Technology
The Technology sector values multilingualism, with a notable demand for German (600 jobs), French (353 jobs), Spanish (300 jobs), and Mandarin (110 jobs).
Sales
The Sales industry has a significant need for multilingual professionals, particularly those fluent in German (690 jobs), French (690 jobs), Spanish (400 jobs), and Turkish (55 jobs).
Marketing
Marketing professionals with language skills are in high demand, particularly those fluent in German (465 jobs), French (420 jobs), Spanish (200 jobs), and Mandarin (150 jobs).
Education
The Education sector also shows a significant need for multilingual professionals, with high demand for French (420 jobs), Spanish (300 jobs), and German (255 jobs).
The demand for multilingual professionals is growing
The demand for multilingual professionals is clear and growing. With high demand across a range of industries showing language skills can significantly enhance your career prospects, and even land you your dream job.
Here at City Lit, we offer a wide range of language courses tailored to meet these industry needs. Join us and gain the language proficiency that can set you apart in today’s competitive job market.
Explore our language courses here take the first step towards a brighter, multilingual future with City Lit.
Methodology
To determine which languages are most in demand across various industries, researchers at City Lit compiled a seed list of 43 languages. They conducted searches on indeed.co.uk analysing over 20 thousand job listings using the query “[language] speaking” combined with “Industry” for 18 different languages. The total number of job listings for each language was then calculated. The languages were subsequently ranked from highest to lowest based on the percentage of total job listings. This ranking reflects the languages with the highest demand across the selected industries.
The data is accurate as of August 2024.
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