IELTS Certification for IT Specialist | Why You Absolutely Need it?
After analyzing the statistics of our site, we came to the conclusion that a fairly large proportion of readers are non-native English speakers. In this regard, we considered it necessary to write an article for those whose native language is not English. Today we will talk about the IELTS international language exam, why you need a certificate of English proficiency in general and why it will be a great boost in your career.
Exam?
I think if you are reading this article, then you have an idea of what IELTS is. In most cases, this is a bureaucratic piece of paper that confirms that you know English at a certain level, are able to understand, read and speak English. This piece of paper is recognized all over the world in various structures - at universities, in companies and in migration services.
What does the language exam and IT have to do with it? Good question. After all, the language barrier does not prevent many specialists from working and receiving quite decent wages even without official confirmation of knowledge of the language. I myself worked in a Polish company without knowing either Polish or English. This is part of the beauty of the IT industry - the main thing is that you are understood at a technical level - your way of thinking, code or algorithm.
However, when I decided to change jobs, when I realized that I was ready to grow further. I needed not only to learn English, but also to confirm my knowledge with a language exam. These were general requirements from the employer to all candidates. I went this way and would like to share all my observations.
Status?
Officially confirmed knowledge of the English language is not only a piece of paper that bureaucratically puts you next to native speakers, but also your ticket to making not only technical, but also business decisions in the company. This piece of paper is not only a requirement from the employer to complete all official documents for the migration service, but also a status that allows you to be a full-fledged part of the team in the company.
I understand exactly how it sounds. If you already know the language perfectly, does the attitude towards you change with the receipt of an official piece of paper. Well, yes. My opinion does not claim to be absolute truth, and I am always open to discussion, but let's simulate the situation and imagine if you were an employer, a large company, who would you hire - a person whose knowledge has already been confirmed or a person whose knowledge will need to be tested under working conditions.
Preparing for IELTS - The Simpsons Meme
It's not a question of talent or skill, it's a simple bureaucratic issue, but for a company a simple business decision is to hire a specialist with a certificate or take a chance and see what the specialist can do. Most companies will choose the first method, and this is logical, because everyone tries to minimize risks.
Hiring?
The status of a person with an IELTS certificate with a score of at least 7.5 opens, although not all doors for you, but very many. Including many doors open for you when looking for a job. Now, when you apply for a job in an international company where employees only speak English, the first thing on your resume in the certificate section, you should indicate not online courses from Harvard, but an IELTS certificate (no offense Harvard).
I myself am not an HR specialist, but very often I take part in hiring personnel simply as a specialist and a member of the team. And I am ready to assure you that although everyone is equal at the interview, the attitude towards certified specialists is completely different - they are treated as equals and do not try to find simpler words and expressions, they are spoken to as a potential employee, and not as another candidate, because such a candidate does not need to show something on his fingers, but it is enough to let him read the documentation without fear that the employee will not understand something.
Everyone and everywhere says that all employees are equal, and the main thing is their technical skills. Believe me, I have gone through many interviews and I have been told this all the time. This may be true, but in the minds of the people who hire you, everything happens exactly the opposite. Without confirmation of your knowledge of the language, the employer asks himself the following questions - will he be able to speak at weekly meetings, will he be able to delve into the process quickly enough, will this employee have enough of a three-month probationary period, and will other employees spend a lot of time interacting with him and on the fingers showing what and how it works.
IELTS certificate covers all these issues. Yes, maybe your knowledge is not as perfect as the exam showed, or vice versa, you did not show everything you are capable of on the exam, but this does not negate the fact that the attitude towards you with this piece of paper will be completely different. No one will tell you about this, but rest assured that this is exactly the case. You can forbid people to say anything, but what they think cannot be limited in any way.
English?
I'm not sure what to say about how important it is now, especially in the IT industry, to know English. But still I will tell for those who doubt that they need it and I will try to convince you in one paragraph of this.
Fail English - The Simpsons Meme
The entire IT industry is built or tied to the US. In this industry, no matter what company or country, you will either have US customers or use software created, developed, or maintained in the US. In any case, all paths lead to or from there, so in any case you will encounter English with the need to confirm at least some of your knowledge.
Resources
This article is not really about educational resources that will help you prepare for the exam. I am sure that you will find the necessary and more detailed collections on the net, but I still consider it necessary to share with you the resources that helped me personally pass IELTS 8.0. Here is my small selection (not advertising):
Conclusion
I really hope that my thoughts prompted you to take the IELTS exam. Even if you do not plan to look for a job in a foreign international company, I would still recommend that you take this exam. This will open up new professional opportunities for you, make you a more competent employee, able to work in the eyes of the employer with English-language sources of information. Most importantly, don't forget to add your certificate to your Linkedin profile. Good luck!