Want to stand out from the croud? Add a Foreign Language to your CV.

As reports reveal that UK unemployment has risen to 2.47m, research by Thames Translations has highlighted that learning a second language could be a way of gaining a competitive advantage in the increasingly crowded job market.

They also revealed that young people could now be facing increased competition from overseas students wanting to come to the UK to gain industry experience, as they are able to demonstrate multi-lingual skills as part of their offering. Export companies in particular are using overseas students to help give them the competitive edge with foreign suppliers.

There is an ongoing demand from UK businesses to add European language skills to their operations. Personel qualified in a second language are able to assist with market development into Europe, website and literature translation, purchasing, HR – in fact any role where knowledge of languages can be a benefit. While these opportunities are open to British students in commercially related disciplines too, it is rare to find candidates with a second language.

Thames Translations also found that a number of organisations and bodies agree that a foreign language could improve job prospects including the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) who recommend that job seekers should learn a foreign language as it will ‘enhance their CV and improve their chances of being employed.’

Online language training courses are perhaps the easiest way to get on the language ladder with basic courses costing as little as £15. Language courses can never provide the same level of fluency as a native speaker, or replace the need for professional language translation services, but just completing the course demonstrates much more about the character and tenacity of the candidate than their linguistic ability alone.

Research looks to confirm that holding a second – or third foreign language could just be what you need to bolster your CV and demonstrates a willingness to expand your knowledge in a way that could add value to businesses and differentiate you from the rest of the pack.