English Language Testing for Recruitment & Selection
“Pressure to speak English in the workplace continues to grow, as more and more companies invest in globalizing their teams. However, mastering a new language requires time and resources that many people — especially adults who are no longer in school — struggle to find.”
The business environment in the biggest cities of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, for example, exerts powerful demands on an organisation to which they must successfully respond. Due to heightened safety restrictions, threats such as Covid19 and competition from other service providers, companies are challenged with acquiring talent of a particular calibre in order to retain their market dominating positions. Clients are becoming more selective when recruiting their employees, standards are increasing, but salaries are decreasing. Both of which continue to do so.
Raising company standards often lies within the Recruitment Process. International companies must be undertaking language testing as a part of their recruitment process. Onboarding employees who do not possess the language skills, or at the very least do not demonstrate the potential language skills, to undertake the new position effectively is a drain on resources.
If done well, more staff per month can be on-boarded and pass probation and training first time. Many staff will receive salary increments, promotions and title changes as a result of their language prowess, so tend to stay with the company for longer; some accounts show that minimum tenure is extended by at least one year.
Language Testing
C&E HR Consultancy act as a Global Language Specialist for the Recruitment and Talent Acquisition Industry. We specialize in language testing systems to aid effective recruitment into organisations spanning all fields, particularly Facilities Management, Airside Services, Security, Hospitality, Outsourcing and Senior Executive positions globally.
Our dedication to language recruitment, in-depth global and local sourcing skills and our ability to accurately language test candidates ensures greater accuracy when recruiting multilingual staff. We provide services for permanent, temporary, contract and outsourced recruitment solutions. In country and overseas, we work alongside recruitment teams to ensure that all staff recruited meet the expectations of our clients. This is especially important in global hubs where the language of business is English.
We provide English Language assessments for:
Succession Planning;
Promotion;
Salary increments and grading structures;
Recruitment purposes and
Future Training.
This is done through a system called English Placement Testing (EPT). In order to create the perfect EPT for your company we will run through the learning cycle, to conduct a needs analysis, pilot new tests, interviews etc, undertake testing and/or teacher training and evaluate the testing for future improvement. We are also in a unique position to be able to build training programmes for your company based on the information you provide and language levels required.
Who are our customers?
Our customers are large scale, expanding businesses worldwide who recruit staff on a large scale from all over the world. Thus utilising language testing as part of the initial pre-screening process.
C&E HR Consultancy offers a highly customised service. Unlike Oxford and Cambridge testing systems, such as BULATS, there is novelty in the process. And the service we offer is difficult to replicate because of the sheer complexity and dynamism of it.
Having forged a strong bond with many language schools as a former language school manager, it is clear that they operate on such a large scale that such a degree of flexibility in testing will never be possible. This is the market we tap into and this is our differentiation strategy.
Due to the nature of the markets we encounter in the ever-changing workplace, generic language testing systems do not meet the needs of the clients. As we recruit at many levels and across various fields, we have experience of testing for specific purposes. We can guarantee to develop a test which suits the specific needs of each company. We will not supply you with a generic test system. Utilising up to the minute techniques, liaising with recruitment professionals worldwide and with fully qualified language professionals, our team delivers where others cannot.
Our training services
So, in a nutshell we offer 3 core services:
First…We Consult:
We strive to work with you, to determine a set of language levels and benchmark them against other companies & language schools in your area of expertise.
We seek to work with you to develop a test which can be used to test all staff at the recruitment stage, whether that be in country or overseas, as well as for existing staff
We actively communicate with you to ensure you make a fully informed decision in the best interests of your organisation
Second…We Create:
We plan, develop and trial the best test for your organisation in accordance with internationally recognised standards and benchmarks
We train a set of testers in each organisation to be able to undertake, mark and register the most suitable test
We offer a follow up service to create a new version of the tests and handbooks in order that all materials are current and compliant with the needs of your organisation
Third… We Test:
We can administer testing for your organisation to provide you with the best information to make the best choices
We can add extra related services which will enhance the nature of the undertaking
Extra services include:
Designation Specific spoken interview questions
Methods of telephone screening
Designation Specific written assessments
Pre-deployment English Language materials to enhance ability to use Designation Specific language
A firm’s resources and capabilities together form ‘competencies’ which enable innovation, efficiency, quality and customer responsiveness. All can be effectively utilised to create a differentiation advantage. It is for this reason that all the staff currently working alongside me are fully CELTA qualified and have a minimum of 2 years’ experience of language school teaching.
Language Teaching for Business with C&E means RESULTS : Recruitment Of English Speakers Using Language Testing Systems.