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Strong Demand For Highly Educated Multilingual Graduates

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There is extensive demand in Ireland for speakers of multiple European languages with German, Dutch, Swedish and French being the most commonly requested. The flow of companies basing themselves in Ireland to deal with their European customer base is constant and this is predominantly in sales, customer service and technical support. Staff retention is a constant challenge for these companies, especially for junior multilingual roles. Candidates will often move without hesitation for an increase in salary and they have little or no loyalty to the organisation they are working for. With regards to senior roles candidate retention is highly prized and can be obtained through benefits, pay rises and changes in job role that the person may not be able to get elsewhere.

 

The multilingual sector is coming under increasing pressure as more and more companies move here and seek to draw on the same pool of candidates. The demand is fast outstripping supply, particularly when it comes to languages such as German and Dutch. One solution to this problem is to source candidates internationally and bring them to Dublin. A challenge with this relocation however is that it is only typically offered in specialised cases or for particularly senior roles. Location is a massive draw for a lot of candidates in the multilingual sector and there are huge challenges for candidates new to Dublin to find suitable accommodation. Offices on the outskirts of the city (Park West/Citywest) are becoming more prevalent due to the lack of office space in the city centre but candidates have a preference for their work to be based in the city which creates additional challenges on attraction and retention. This is something that is likely to turn but will be slow.

 

Mid to high level sales roles have seen exponential rises in both basic salaries and on target earnings. A successful salesperson with 3 years’ experience could be earning €40-45k basic with potential to earn up to €90-100k. Outside of this, marginal increases for junior roles is the order of the day, across numerous types of roles. Essentially, salary comes down to supply and demand, the fewer people based here who speak the language the higher your salary potential.

 

Foe employees in the industry a top tip is to develop your technical skill set – what software packages have you used? Are you familiar with terminology in online advertising? There are lots of short term courses out there to upskill yourself and sometimes a little bit of research will answer any questions you may have prior to any interview. If you want to stand out from the crowd, then you need to show your knowledge!