Jobs in the IT field often require knowledge of English at least at the Upper-Intermediate level. However, often novice programmers and specialists in other areas do not understand why they need English, especially if they do not plan to work abroad. But as practice and surveys of existing specialists show, knowledge of the language helps to develop faster in the profession, get a better job and receive higher wages.
Where is English used?
Good programming courses often contain lessons in specialized English. And some educational institutions indicate the level of Intermediate among the necessary requirements for their potential students. Language is necessary not only for writing and reading code, but also for:
- reading and compiling technical documentation;
- search for relevant information, self-improvement;
- communication with technical support.
Moreover, the further you advance in your career, the higher the level of English should be. Agree, for reading and understanding the documentation, you can get by with Intermediate, but this will not be enough for compiling it. Reading professional literature also requires a certain level of knowledge, as well as listening to specialized lectures, participating in webinars.
Communications
Most IT companies in our country provide outsourcing services. Therefore, even if you do not plan to move, you will have to establish communication with customers from other countries. And that's what English is for. And it is necessary not only for sales managers. Often a developer needs to quickly get first-hand information, communicate directly with the customer.
It is possible that part of your future team will work abroad. For example, in the USA. You will have to somehow communicate with colleagues, otherwise you will not launch a joint project. Almost all correspondence, documentation, presentations for customers are conducted in English. Therefore, without his knowledge, it will be very difficult for you, if not impossible.
Be prepared for the fact that large companies will not only be interested in your level of English proficiency, but also conduct interviews exclusively in it. And if not, then a written and oral test is mandatory during the interview. Often applicants think that it is enough to be able to read and write in a foreign language, but in fact, conversational skills are just as important. There are situations when a person is denied a position because of an accent, as he will not be able to communicate normally with the team during daily meetings and planning meetings.