Bilingual/multilingual secretaries/personal assistants

Language graduates can find an interesting career working as a bilingual or multilingual secretary.

Bilingual or multilingual secretaries are proficient in one or more foreign languages. Bilingual secretaries basically carry out the spectrum of secretarial duties through the medium of one or more foreign languages. While a university degree is not a prerequisite for this position, an increasing number of language graduates take up administrative roles in large international companies in the form of personal assistant or senior secretary to corporate management.

Core activities of the job include translating letters and documents, dealing with telephone queries and visitors, interpreting at meetings and conferences, dealing with suppliers across Europe and beyond and dealing with sister plants. In addition, secretaries undertake all of the usual administrative secretarial duties in English.

Working life

Working hours are usually the normal office schedule, however some unsociable hours may need to be worked from time to time if foreign visitors are being entertained and an interpreter is required. Travel prospects are good with frequent opportunities to accompany employers on business trips.

Who would it suit?

Bilingual secretaries must have extremely high proficiency in their chosen languages, both oral and written. Most employers will only consider a candidate if they have spent at least one year abroad. Skills required include shorthand, audio typing and text processing in foreign languages. Some employers also seek understanding of the culture, politics and economics in the relevant country. The ideal candidate will have highly developed administrative and organisational skills, be flexible, adaptable and co-operative. They should have excellent social communication skills, initiative and be able to work well under pressure.

The career ladder

Some graduates may start out in a trainee or junior position. Junior secretaries work mainly in English and, as experience is gained, further responsibility and promotion should be offered. In order to gain experience, some graduates start out by getting temporary positions through recruitment agencies or work in call centres to practice their languages.

Graduates find that opportunities for promotion and increased responsibility are very accessible – graduates bring a range of skills with them that will give them an advantage over their colleagues. A bilingual secretarial qualification is an excellent foundation for anyone wishing to move into administrative management.

Depending on the sector they are working in, graduates can gain career advancement in a wide spectrum of areas:

  • The tourism industry
  • Conference or exhibition management
  • Translating
  • Interpreting
  • Sales
  • Marketing
  • Customer relations and customer support.