Bilingual secretary
Bilingual secretaries provide administrative services in English and one or more foreign languages.
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
In your day to day duties, you could:
- translate documents and letters
- write letters, emails and reports in a foreign language
- translate or summarise articles from foreign journals
- speak in a foreign language on the phone or in person
- interpret at meetings
For general administrative duties, you could:
- act as a personal assistant (PA) to a manager
- organise meetings, make appointments and keep a diary
- arrange travel and accommodation for business trips
- do filing, typing and photocopying
- update computer databases
Working environment
You could work in an office.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could be promoted to personal assistant or office manager.
You could move into translating or interpreting, or international business, sales or marketing.
You could move into a specialised bilingual role like bilingual legal secretary or bilingual medical secretary.
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- administration skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- active listening skills
- to be flexible and open to change
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- knowledge of English language
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to become
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- applying directly
It could help you if you have a degree in modern languages or languages combined with business studies, although this is not essential.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
More Information
Completing a recognised qualification in administration or office skills may help you to get a job. Colleges offer a wide range of full-time and part-time courses.
Relevant subjects include:
- business administration
- computer skills
- digital skills
- shorthand
- word processing
- T Level in Management and Administration
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
More Information
You can get into this job through a business administrator advanced apprenticeship and combine it with your language skills to find work.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
More Information
You can apply to companies directly if you have some of the relevant skills and knowledge required for this role.
You'll need at least one A level or equivalent in your second language unless it's your native tongue, or you became fluent by living abroad.
Employers may also expect you to have GCSEs or relevant office skills and experience.
Career tips
Most businesses look for bilingual secretaries who can speak a European language like French, German, Spanish or Italian.
Other languages like Russian, Chinese, Japanese and Arabic are also popular.
Professional and industry bodies
You could join the Chartered Institute of Linguists for professional recognition, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.
Further information
You can get more advice about working and training in languages through the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
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External links
This page contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.