Is fluency in English a top requirement for internships in UK?

Hi guys, 

Well I'm a French student and I'll apply to UK summer internships this year. I am worried about my level of English for the interviews. I understand English well and I can express myself without problems, but sometimes it's not very fluent or I don't always use the best word - I don't have a diversified vocabulary. How much of a problem/obstacle is this for interviews? And how do you think I can improve ? 

Thank you in advance for your answers 

8 Comments
 

this. it absolutely is a requirement but i suppose there's a *limit* to what level your english will be exposed in the recruiting process. You could be much better than you think but being fluent in English is very important.

 

We get applicants for every level of seniority across our firm, the minimum requirement is a very high level of fluency or being a native speaker in the local language. Doesn't matter which country it is, so English in London, Japanese in Tokyo, etc.

Language and communication skills are a top priority in finance, at least from what I have seen through the years.

 

I secured an offer with English being my second language in the US, and I can assure that my accent was not a problem at all as long my technical knowledge was strong. At the end of the day, analyst (even at EB) get very limited client exposure so they are open to hire people even if they are a slight step below fluency. On a note, I would add that if you study technicals and behavioural very hard your English will improve a lot and you will not have any issues in order to secure an offer. 

 

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