As the year's first quarter comes to an end and graduation season warms up, many will transition into their first professional jobs or seek new job opportunities especially because March to June remains the most fruitful months for job-seeking prospects. As Singapore is in the midst of recovery from the pandemic, various hiring practice changes have taken place.

Despite some changes occurring to make up for the lack of accessibility to physical contact in the past, companies have realised that newer practices adopted were much more efficient and will be here to stay. Whilst updating resumes and preparing cover letters are the traditional route to take, we would like to implore our readers to adopt a new language as your competitive edge.

Utilising hiring trends to increase desirability

The job market in Singapore is more competitive than ever. For the past three years, job seekers were limited in their career progression as the entire world came to a halt in 2020. Today, not only do you compete with a new pool of graduates and people progressing in their careers, but also those who have been denied these transitions in the past.

Singapore has also opened up for foreign businesses to resume their international business affairs since 2022 and the momentum is in full force in 2023. This means that demand for a workforce with foreign expertise (language and culture) is higher than usual. Apart from these, the automation of the hiring process (keyword identification in resumes such as language) is also quickly filtering out candidates that do not meet expectations and selecting candidates that surpass expectations (listing additional language proficiency). 

Languages 
English 
Native Proficiency 
Spanish 
Elementary Proficiency 
Enrolled at Lingo Adult Language Course 

1. Which language school should I enrol in?

   
   
   Now, onto the next set of decision fatigue: Which is the best language school in Singapore?
   “Best” is what everyone strives for but you would also need to consider which is best for YOU, a working professional. Here’s a guideline on how to select the school that will best serve you. 
   
   
   1. Schools that are accredited by the Ministry of Education
      You’ve gone through an extensive course, passed an internal examination, and upgraded from a beginner to an elementary level. Could this effort ever be futile? In the case where schools are not accredited, companies may hesitate to accept your qualification as a legitimate one. Take the extra step to ensure the school and certificate provided upon accomplishment are accredited to avoid any potential disappointment.
   2. Schools that are entrusted by other working professionals
      A good indicator of language schools for professionals are ones that provide corporate training programs. Schools with teachers who have created syllabi for corporate entities will be well-versed in helping you to become professionally proficient. Apart from developing your skills in a language, you would want an experienced teacher who can help you convert this skill into the work environment.
   3. Schools with flexible schedules and teaching methods
      As a working professional, you will need a teaching school that provides flexible timetables and different methods of delivery such as night classes and virtual classroom options. A language school that is experienced tends to be more prepared in catering to working-class students. Balancing life, work, and skill acquisition will be made easier in the hands of a school that is cognizant of these aspects of an individual’s life. 
   
   
   We hope this article has clarified the importance of acquiring a new language skill in 2023, how to come to the decision on the best language to learn to enhance your career, and the requirements to look for when choosing a language school.
   
   
   If you’ve read this far, we wish you all the best in your career progression and we applaud you for actively working on increasing your skill sets. Additionally, here are some blogs that will also provide more clarity:
    
   1. Learning a new language as a working adult: Self Study or Language Lessons?
   2. How to Accelerate Language Learning with a Full-Time Job
   3. How multilingualism can help you in the workplace
   4. Is it better to learn a new language in a group setting or private class?
   5. Looking to level up in your career in 2022? Learn a new language
   6. Is it true that learning a new language is harder as an adult?
   
   
   Are you interested in enrolling in our school or looking for additional information? Contact us here and we will get back to you as soon as possible.