So you want to be a pharmacist?

Posted on January 5, 2011 by Euro London

Here is the next post in our ‘so you want to be a…’ series. Hope you find it useful!

What does the role entail?

This role that we recruited for recently was a Wholesale Licenser/Pharmacist, which required someone to work for a Japanese pharmaceutical company and trade medicines from suppliers in Europe to the UK wholesale market.

What languages are needed?

As this role was for a Japanese company, it required a Japanese speaker who understood how business operates in Japan and could communicate effectively with people at the company’s headquarters. However the person needed to liaise with suppliers in EU counties and so any European languages were also beneficial. Continue reading →

So you want to be a poker customer services representative?

Posted on December 9, 2010 by Euro London

You may have seen our recent post explaining that we are going to be profiling a range of the different jobs you can do with languages here on our blog. Our first one was on life as a football researcher followed by life as a video games tester. Here is the third one – carry on reading to find out about life as a poker customer services representative. (Remember: these aren’t roles we’re actively recruiting for – just a selection of jobs we have recruited for in the past to give you an idea of the wide range of jobs you can do with a language!)

What does the role entail?

Being a poker customer services representative will see you providing customer support via email to customers; this may be assisting them with depositing funds into their account, navigating them around the site or explaining how to play in tournaments. You will also be involved in updating and translating web content and watching live poker games online to ensure there is no cheating. Continue reading →

Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

Posted on December 2, 2010 by Euro London

This year’s series of ‘The Apprentice’ is in full swing, and as the candidates disappear each week, the tasks get that much harder. Last week’s show saw the remaining candidates flown to Hamburg to try their luck at inventing and selling two new flavours of crisps. So how did they get on in Germany?

Synergy, led by investment banker Chris got off to a shaky start by all claiming they couldn’t speak any other language than English, and Christopher claimed quite simply that he didn’t like the Germans. Apollo, led by Stella were not much better. Whilst none of them too could speak German they did have Stuart on board who was willing to give the language a go. Not speaking a second language is all too common it appears and this episode served to highlight this. Continue reading →

So you want to be a video games tester?

Posted on November 24, 2010 by Euro London

We hope you found our first blog post on life as a football researcher interesting and that it sheds some light on the kind of exciting opportunities that languages can offer. Here is the second one – carry on reading to find out about life as a video games tester.

What does the role entail?

Being a video games tester involves testing computer games to see if there are any issues, and if so reporting any bugs so that they can be fixed prior to being released. You will also be involved in translating the content and scripts into different languages. You will spend a large part of your time playing the video games so an interest in gaming is a must!

What languages are needed for it?

A range – we have previously recruited for roles requiring German, Dutch, French, Turkish, Italian, Norwegian and Danish.

What’s the typical pay?

Depending on your experience you can expect to be paid between £14,000 and £26,000 a year.

What skills and qualifications will you need?

A passion for gaming is a must as you will be spending a large amount of time testing out games. You will also need to be fluent in a specific language, e.g French if you are going to be translating scripts that are in French. A translation qualification or a degree is an added advantage but not a must for this role.

Why is it a great job?

For those of you that love to play video games, what better opportunity is there to work doing something you love – playing video games for a job surely can’t be bad?

How can I apply?

If you are interested in working as a video games tester look for QA or localisation roles on the online job boards. Alternatively, keep an eye out on our website for the latest vacancies we have on offer or contact w.tritton@eurolondon.com . Good luck!

No GCSE in languages, No place in our sixth form!

Posted on November 22, 2010 by Euro London

Is this the way forward? Simply not allowing pupils into a particular sixth form if they have not studied a language at GCSE? Well according to two schools in Essex it is the very answer! Both schools have claimed that from 2012 no pupils will be accepted into their sixth form unless they have at least one GCSE in a language – furthermore they have to have gained at least a C grade!

Harsh or fair you may ask? Can you really turn pupils away if they do not fit this requirement? Apparently so and the reason the two schools are giving is the deepening language crisis in the UK. The news has been filled with stories in recent months about a reduction in the number of pupils taking up GCSE’s in languages – after all it is now no longer compulsory and we have blogged on the subject very recently. Continue reading →

So you want to be a football researcher?

Posted on November 18, 2010 by Euro London

So you want to be a football researcher?

You may have seen our last blog post explaining that we’re going to be profiling a range of the different jobs you can do with languages here on the blog. So here is the first one – read on to find out about life as a football researcher…

What does the role entail?

Being a football researcher involves using the internet and other sources to research and analyse all aspects of football, clubs and players. This information will then be passed on and used to make betting decisions. Hours that you work will follow the football calendar, including weekends.

What languages are needed for it?

A range – we have recruited for roles requiring French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese.

What’s the typical pay?

Normally around £24,000 a year.

What skills and qualifications will you need?

You’ll need fluency in a specified language, e.g. German if you’re going to be working on the German league. Some research experience would be beneficial but mainly you’ll need an excellent knowledge of football in whatever country you’ll be working on. You’ll be asked a series of questions on the football leagues of that country and must get the majority right to be considered for an interview.

Why is it a great job?

For football fans, this is the opportunity to do a professional job doing something you follow and absolutely love. Not many people realise that is possible! Many companies also offer great benefits which can range from free healthcare to free food.

How can I apply?

If you think a football researcher role is for you, keep an eye on our website for the latest vacancies, or send your CV to m.eddleston@eurolondon.com so we have your details on file. Most importantly, make sure you know your football and get some research experience if possible. Good luck!

Anything we’ve missed? Let us know below and we’ll answer any questions you may have.

So you want to be a…?

Posted on November 15, 2010 by Euro London

You don't have to be a teacher!

At Euro London, every day we’re recruiting for a wide range of jobs involving languages. Yet we’re often surprised at the fact that many people don’t really know what opportunities are out there. Time and time again, we hear that people think their only option is to become a translator or teacher. We have run workshops with school students who didn’t realise what great jobs they could do if they continued to study languages and this proved to be one of the most popular discussion points among graduates at the Language Show, which we recently attended. Plus in our recent poll you told us what you wanted to hear about most was what jobs you could do with languages.

If there was more awareness about what exciting jobs multilingual people can do, in which you can really make a difference and more importantly earn good money, would it encourage more young people to learn languages? Well, we hope so, which is why we’re starting a series of blogs profiling some of the interesting jobs we’ve recruited for. If there are any you have in mind and would like more information on, just leave a comment below and we’ll do our best to cover it!

Look out for the “so you want to be a…” posts coming soon. We’ll also be posting links to the blogs on Twitter and Facebook to ensure you don’t miss a thing.

Japanese speaking roles on the rise

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Euro London

You may have read in the news recently that we have seen a sharp rise in the number of Japanese speaking roles in the financial services sector. We have found that the roles we recruit for in this sector are largely determined by the stability of the market, to see so many coming our way is a clear indication that the recovery is in full swing. We are also hearing from our Japanese clients that the strength of the Yen is encouraging more companies to invest in Europe.

However it is apparent that Japanese companies are not just looking for employees that can speak the language; equally as important is the ability to understand the culture and the way business operates. Candidates are now required to understand the pace of business in Japan and also how to interact with people. In fact there is a well known story of a multi million pound business deal in which an American supplier did not present business cards to Japanese managers in the correct manner, and toyed with them throughout the meeting. A major sign of disrespect in Japanese business culture, the deal fell through!

It is important therefore for applicants to understand a country’s culture– just speaking a language will not always get you the job.

Learning a foreign language – the way to boost your career

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Euro London

We recently featured in an article in the Guardian discussing how learning a new language can really boost your career and that it is never too late to learn. To see the article and our comments in full click here. But here’s a summary of the piece:

Speaking to people in their own language for business purposes will yield results; people are far more likely to speak freely and openly if you are speaking in their own language
In jobs in sales, marketing or technical support, languages can really open doors. In fact it is estimated that having an additional language on your CV can add between 10% to 15% to your salary.
For those looking to boost a career, and in particular the graduates that are currently facing a tough time getting work, learning a language is very beneficial.
Most countries may speak English, and whilst some business may very well be completed in English to accommodate parties from across the globe, if you are seen to know a language and demonstrate this it can help to retain business. It is form of courtesy to show someone you can and are willing to speak to them in the native language.
Cultural knowledge is just as important as being able to speak another language. If you know the way of life of the country you are doing business in or with it will really prove beneficial.
The five most useful languages to learn currently are as follows: French, Spanish, Swedish, German and Russian.

What’s your experience? Can you relate with the points in this article or are you thinking about learning a language to boost your career? Let us know!