PE Recruiting LDN- How fluent must one be in languages?

Look if you’re not native, you wont get hired for german speaking roles in PE. Its as simple as that. There are enough germans that have an extensive network in the DACH contries not to hire a brit.

Check my last post on more about languages

First make an effort to break into IB, make sure you are strong in technicals and you can perform well under pressure for certain intervies / case studies / assessment centers.

Then make sure to get a grasp on industries you like, be good at modelling and whats more important: Learn how drivers affect businesses, understand key parameters which will give you an educate base point to touch when recruiting for PE

If you are not native you will not be hired for those positions, having a B2 or C1 will not make any difference. They will understand that you can read papers or news in that language but you will not be proficient enough to negotiate or to have expert calls in that language.

Second languages are viewed extremely positively, especially if you can list relevant experience for them e.g. internships in the country, deals where you interacted with foreign management teams whose English wasn't fluent, etc. C1 is broadly enough to carry out interviews over the phone/read due diligence reports. I dare say a native Brit showing mastery of a foreign language may be even more impressive, due to the stereotype that British people cannot speak anything other than English (which is an unfair generalisation). Of course, it cannot be your only selling point; but it plays a significant role in Europe. This based on my experience at least.

is it futile to learn a European language to B2 level then?

is that time better spent on something else?

I’m an American who got a job offer in LDN for a Western European / Nordic mandate (with flexibility into DACH) and no advertisement of skills proficiency in my application materials and interview process.