Craft the perfect job description: Ensure your candidates have the right English proficiency

Samantha Ball
A group of business people stood around a board with sticky notes on smiling
Reading time: 3 minutes

English is the international language of business and a foundational skill for many roles. The right level of English proficiency is key for individuals and businesses to excel.

But what is the “right” level?

English is not a one-size-fits-all skill. Customer Service Representatives need different English skills to IT Systems Managers. Senior staff will often need more advanced English skills than junior staff.

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We know that, for hiring professionals, it can be a challenge to work out your specific language requirements. You aren’t English assessors, so you may default to using vague descriptions, like “strong English skills” or always asking for a B2-level English certification.

But taking this approach means you might be asking for more or less proficiency than the role needs. The knock-on effect? You miss out on great candidates for your roles, spend more money upskilling new hires and waste time on unsuitable applicants.

Understanding the right level of English for your business

Being precise about the English skills needed for specific roles enables hiring managers to get the right candidate(s). It can help you:

  • Identify best-fit top talent quickly
  • Set insight-driven cut scores and progress the right percentage of quality candidates
  • Make more confident hiring decisions
  • Ensure new hires have the right skills for the role from day one

Pearson’s GSE Job Profiles gives professionals accurate English language skill profiles for almost 1400 roles, so you can identify applicants with role-fit English skills.

GSE Job Profiles gives talent acquisition professionals a competitive advantage to finding the best staff. It helps you go beyond generic language skill requirements for candidates, set targeted cut scores based on global standards and reduce the risk of mis-hires. A bad hire can cost you 30% of the employee's salary, an expense that typically increases with job level.

Powered by Pearson’s GSE and Faethm by Pearson, GSE Job Profiles is the first and only tool mapping English skills to roles, giving you trusted global benchmarks for English language assessments. It’s the result of over 30 years of language learning, developed using real English test responses and validated by industry experts.

Defining the role requirements

Defining the role requirements is a crucial step in the hiring process. It involves identifying the key tasks, skills and qualifications needed for the role. A well-defined description helps attract the right applicant and ensures that the hiring process is focused on finding the best fit for the position.

To define the role requirements, managers should consider the following:

  • The key responsibilities and tasks associated with the role
  • The skills and qualifications required to perform the role successfully, including the precise English skills needed
  • The company culture and values that the candidate should align with
  • The long-term goals and objectives of the role

This will help attract qualified candidates and ensure that the process is efficient and effective.

How can I use the GSE Job Profiles in my job description?

Here’s how to integrate GSE Job Profiles insights into your hiring processes and hire best-fit candidates for your roles fast.

1. Identify the English skills needed for your roles: Remove the guesswork and find out the right level of English for your roles using our GSE Job Profiles demo or by getting in touch with our experts.

2. Assess candidates’ language ability: Use a fast, accurate and business-relevant English test, like Versant by Pearson, to get a complete picture of your potential candidates’ language competency.

3. Compare candidate results with cut scores: Progress candidates that meet the agreed-upon required English level for the role.

4. Ensure a fast start with upskilling recommendations: Use GSE Job Profiles insights to make targeted language learning recommendations for new hires and help them thrive in their roles.

Get started with the GSE Job Profiles for your hiring process

GSE Job Profiles is a game-changer for HR professionals looking to hire top employees. By leveraging this powerful tool, you can make data-driven hiring decisions, enhance candidate-role fit, and ultimately drive business success.

Ready to revolutionize your hiring?

Try the GSE Job Profiles demo

Or, for access to the full GSE Job Profiles database, book a free consultation with our experts now.

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