Adzuna, the online job search engine in 16 countries, is releasing this month its research into the importance of language skills in available positions. The research was carried out based on the more than 850,000 job offers available on www.adzuna.fr in October 2017

Mastering a foreign language not only earns more, but can also be an imperative.

We note that almost 10% of job offers require a command of a foreign language, this figure even reaching 15% in the Paris region.

Ads of this type offer a salary 15% higher than the average gross salary offered on Adzuna (€ 39,376 against € 34,250).

We note that in one year, the demand for employees fluent in one or more foreign languages ​​increased slightly (+ 0.6%) as well as the remuneration, to a greater extent (average salary + 9%). Hyacinthe Mutin, Country Manager France for Adzuna, says: This is mainly the increase in demand for English-speaking profiles (+ 7.3%) which explains this evolution. There has also been an increase in the number of offers to Portuguese-speaking candidates (+ 10.6%), certainly linked to the development of trade between France and Portugal.

German is the second most requested language

Unsurprisingly, English is the language most sought after by recruiters (86.7% of job openings requiring a second language). Fluency in English can earn wages as high as 19% above average. German, which occupies the 2nd place with 7.4% of bilingual job offers, is particularly sought after in the Grand Est where mastery of this language is required in almost 38% of job offers requiring a foreign language .

As for the Spanish language, it ranks third with 3.6% of bilingual job vacancies.

A trilingual employee does not necessarily earn more than a bilingual employee

Contrary to what one might think, mastering three languages ​​does not necessarily make you earn more money than if you only master two. Indeed, it should be noted that trilingual jobs are paid less on average than bilingual jobs (-28%), because this skill is not in high demand (1% of offers requiring a second or even third language) and especially for positions non-frame.

The regions which offer the most trilingual offers are all on the border. Alsace is the region which requests the most trilingual candidates with a preference for the French / English / German profile.