What languages ​​do you need to learn to earn a third more salary

A recent sociological study conducted by a large recruiting agency revealed a correlation between knowledge of foreign languages ​​and salary levels. The survey showed that in Moscow “with languages” you can get 30% more. Traditionally, English is in the lead, and Chinese is the second most popular language. Further, in descending order of the employer’s sympathies – German, French and Spanish. “MK” found out: if foreign companies leave, then why do employees need to know languages?

Sociologists also named areas of work where linguistics is most important. According to them, a sales manager who knows English earns 5% more (and for purchases – by all 30%). Also, knowledge of English increases income for a client manager by 17%, for a high-level secretary by 24%, for a lawyer by 21%, for a PR specialist by 13%, for an engineer by 27%. On average for all categories of workers, the study says, fluency in English (level C and above) can increase the average earnings of any specialist in Moscow by a third.

About how the demand of the labor market for knowledge of English and other languages ​​​​(except Chinese, everything is clear here) is connected with the difficult foreign policy situation in business, MK talked with experts.

– Departure of foreign companies, of course, takes place, – says business analyst Valery Krivtsov. “But ‘leave to stay’ strategies are also common. The simplest thing, and we see it in many cases, is to transfer the rights to someone in Russia. Rename, period. Another common option is to resell the Russian part of the business to a trusted foreign company – to China, the United Arab Emirates or Turkey. Fully or partially. The sign changes, the goods and supplies remain, in whole or in part.

Now India is still used for such purposes, when it comes to software or computers. Or even our closest neighbors, where IT personnel from Russia, including Mongolia, leaked. However, this is a special case. The language of business is English, no matter what country it is associated with. It is clear why China is in second place – it is a strategic partner and hope.

The expert also noted that French large retailers are still holding on in Moscow, no matter what. And France is always the center of fashion and beauty, women will want to buy “everything French”, no matter what happens. Germany is also a strategic partner of Russia for all time, even in an unfriendly status. And Spanish is the second most common in the world, in numerical terms. After all, it is spoken in Latin America, with which Russia is establishing business ties.

It is also interesting to see the fresh distribution of the demand for people “with languages” in the labor market, it is also given in the report. The hit parade of fresh vacancies for specialists with knowledge of English in the Moscow Region was headed by a system analyst, head of the purchasing department, international sales manager. They have a range of salaries from 110 to 180 thousand rubles. However, Chinese is even more profitable – the rating of specialists with knowledge of Chinese precedes the vacancies of import managers in the field of purchasing and selling products and mass market goods. The money offer for them is from 100 to 250 thousand rubles.

Studies drawing a parallel between language proficiency and salary levels have been done before. For example, in 2019, the HSE analyzed the relationship between the level of education and the value of language proficiency for an applicant.

It turned out that the ratio is direct – the more educated a person is, the more he will receive if he knows at least one foreign language. For people with secondary or secondary specialized education, knowledge of English or another foreign language increased income by 8-9%. For any specialist with VO – already by 13%. For the head – by 22%. A slightly earlier study from a recruiting agency stated that the maximum salary increase in Moscow from language proficiency is 48%, that is, almost half of the salary. At that time, experts called Turkish the second most popular language after English.

– Yes, I can confirm that so far, knowledge of English not only significantly increases the chances of employment, but also increases the basic salary of the applicant, – agrees hh-specialist Lyubov Kalinina. – But I can also say that applicants of about 30 years and younger now all speak spoken English. That is, it is B1 according to the old classification, usually this is enough.

Some areas require technical English or some other special, in terms. But here the patches are immediately different if a person has a certificate confirming language proficiency.

Chinese is in demand in certain areas, but, according to my observations, there are few specialists who know this language. Hardly more than 10%. I can also add that if 15 years ago, as colleagues say, English was demanded from people simply for prestige, now it is not so. If a request for knowledge of a language is received, it means that it is really needed there.