Bilingual secretary Job Information | National Careers Service

The work

Your foreign language tasks might include:

• translating documents and letters
• writing letters, e-mails and reports in a foreign language
• translating or summarising articles from foreign journals
• speaking in a foreign language on the phone or face-to-face
• interpreting at meetings.

You would also have general administrative duties, which could include:

• acting as a PA to a manager
• organising meetings, making appointments and keeping a diary
• arranging travel and accommodation for business trips
• filing, typing and photocopying
• updating computer databases.

If you work using two or more foreign languages, you might be known as a multilingual secretary or PA.

Hours

In a full-time job you would normally work standard office hours, Monday to Friday. This could vary in some companies because of international time differences. Part-time work, job sharing and temporary work may be available.

You would mainly be based at an office. In some jobs you may need to travel overseas.

Income

Starting salaries can be around £18,000 to £20,000 a year.

With experience this can rise to between £20,000 and £35,000 a year, depending on the size of the company and level of responsibility.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Entry requirements

To work as a bilingual secretary you will need to be fluent in at least one foreign language. You will also need to have good IT and administrative skills.

Employers might ask for varying qualifications and experience, however you should have a good standard of general education. You would normally need to have at least an A level or equivalent in your second language unless it is your native tongue or you became fluent by living abroad.

It may help you if you have a degree in languages or combined languages and business studies, although this is not essential. To do a language degree course you will usually need five GCSEs (A-C) plus at least two A levels, including at least one in a foreign language. You should check with colleges or universities for their exact entry requirements.

Employers may prefer you to have a recognised qualification in administration, so you may find it helpful to take a relevant college course before you look for work. Colleges offer a wide range of full-time and part-time courses, including certificates and diplomas from:

• OCR (RSA)
• Pitman
• Education Development International (LCCI)
• City & Guilds.

Most businesses have the greatest need for those speaking western European languages such as French, German, Spanish and Italian. But other languages like Russian, Chinese, Japanese and Arabic are also in demand.

Training and development

You can improve your business language skills through a wide range of courses, such as:

• OCR Entry Level Certificates in Business Language Competence for French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian or Spanish
• OCR Level 1, 2 and 3 Certificates in Business Language Competence for French, German, Italian or Spanish
• ABC Awards in Practical Languages (over 20 languages available)
• NVQs from Edexcel, including levels 1-3 in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Irish, Italian, Spanish or Welsh
• NVQs from OCR, including entry level and levels 1-4 in French, German, Irish, Italian, Spanish and Welsh, and entry level only in Japanese and Russian.

See the websites of the awarding bodies for more information:

• ABC Awards
• Edexcel
• OCR

Many universities, further education colleges and private training companies also offer short courses in various languages for business.

Skills and knowledge

To become a bilingual secretary, you will need to have:

• good spoken and written communication skills in English
• fluency in reading, writing, speaking and listening in at least one foreign language
• good organisational and multi-tasking abilities
• good computer and keyboard skills
• accuracy and attention to detail
• efficiency and the ability to prioritise your work
• the ability to work on your own initiative and also as part of team
• discretion when working with confidential information.

More information

CfA Business skills @ work
6 Graphite Square
Vauxhall Walk
London
SE11 5EE
Tel: 020 7091 9620
www.cfa.uk.com

National Centre for Languages (CILT)
3rd Floor
111 Westminster Bridge Road
London
SE1 7HR
Tel: 08456 12 5885
www.cilt.org.uk

Languages Work
www.languageswork.org.uk

Opportunities

Most opportunities are in import and export, travel, banking, sales and manufacturing, although you could work for any company that has international clients. You could also work for international organisations like the European Union.

Jobs may be advertised in the local and national press, and by general and specialist recruitment agencies such as those listed on the Languages Work website.

• Languages Work

With experience, you could be promoted to personal assistant (PA) or office manager. Another option is to move into translating, interpreting or international sales and marketing. Improving your language skills and learning further languages can increase your prospects.