People
with language skills come in all shapes and sizes. You need to think carefully
about the type of person who will best suit the role in your company.
They may have specialised
in languages, combined languages with other specialist subjects, e.g. German and
Engineering, or learned languages as an option on the side. As native speakers of languages other than English,
you clearly need to ensure their English is strong enough for your needs. Culturally,
they will have a very strong understanding of your target market if this is where
they were brought up. They may have studied for example at university in the UK. Language skills are useful at
all levels. Adults often pick up language skills late in life and are able to
make use of these skills at work as well as at leisure, without degree-level qualifications.
Also, with 300 languages spoken in London alone, you will find that many UK citizens
are brought up speaking languages other than English, although it may not be reflected
in their education. | 
