Does a high IELTS score increase job opportunities?

Language proficiency is an essential aspect of effective communication in our professional life. IELTS has been introduced to measure a person’s knowledge of English language application. Let me tell you the story of Mr.Benny and how he learned about IELTS.

Benny is a recent engineering graduate interested in working for a multinational firm. He applied to many companies for a placement with a CV filled with academic and practical work achievements, but he couldn’t land a suitable role and received a similar rejection response.

The problem was not with his achievements but with his English efficiency skills. The companies he chooses to apply for have a minimum IELTS requirement. A problem that Mr.Benny couldn’t seem to comprehend at first. So he tried taking the IELTS test thrice but could not achieve the required result.

‘IELTS was acting as an invisible wall, preventing him from showing his true potential to the world.’

He easily understood technical manuals and wrote complex reports with ease but speaking and listening sections consistently pulled his score down.

Eventually, after many months of preparing for IELTS, he achieved his desired score, but at the cost of a precious year and his dream job.

Just like Mr.Benny, thousands of people lose their hope of working abroad on their dream job. However, the majority of people have built their future careers abroad on the grounds laid by preparation for IELTS.

‘Leading us to believe that a high IELTS band score can provide you with increased job opportunities.’

In this writing, we shall discuss the advantages of scoring a high band in IELTS and how this test can affect your job market position.

Globally recognised standard

IELTS is considered a global standard for determining a person’s English Language Proficiency. If you are good at using the English Language and want to showcase it in your portfolio, then you can undertake an IELTS test and get internationally recognised.

This English proficiency certificate is widely accepted by educational institutions, immigration authorities and employers who are willing to recruit multinational candidates just like you.

Scoring high in this test has lots of advantages that you may or may not know. IELTS is :

‘it has become standard practice for most foreign employers to ask for an IELTS certification….’

Internationally accepted

IELTS certification is accepted by 12,500 + organisations from over 50 countries. This includes top and famous companies from Canada, New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Malaysia and the USA.

Nowadays, it has become standard practice for most foreign employers to ask for an IELTS certification from an employee to assess their potentiality in English communication. Ensuring the candidates these employers recruit, have effective communication skills to adjust to a multinational work platform.

For specific duration

The duration of an IELTS certificate is just 2 years, from the date of passing the IELTS test. So, if you score a decent band on IELTS tests, then you will only have 2 years to showcase your result. 

As we all know, the more you practice, the more you get better. And can unsharpen your skills with no practice for an extended period of time or maybe a gap for several years. The same principle applies here. IELTS has been designed in such a way that a person can be assessed with his ability of English skills from time to time.

Confidence in communication

Preparing for IELTS can significantly increase your confidence in communicating in English. A higher score in IELTS means you retain a good level of confidence whenever you are communicating online or offline.

The test helps you improve in listening, reading, writing and speaking. You can truly find the difference in your confidence level after you have successfully achieved a good band score in IELTS.

Effective communication

IELTS is not a test to see how much you know English, it measures how efficiently you can use the language to communicate with others. Preparing for an IELTS test can help improve pronunciation, grammar and fluency.

While preparing for this test, you are also encouraged to listen to others with more focus and respond appropriately in English.

‘IELTS can help you have greater control in expressing new ideas and responding with confidence.’

Increased confidence

There are mock tests and speaking exercises provided by Cambridge IELTS practice books, simulating real-life scenarios to help you reduce stress, anxiety and enhance your public speaking ability. 

Practising all the official test papers is crucial for improving your confidence, as by the time the test day arrives, candidates like you are sure to feel more assured in their ability to communicate confidently in various situations.

Access to higher education

IELTS provide lots of benefits for international students who wish to pursue a higher degree and get a chance to work and settle abroad. Achieveing a higher band in IELTS can increase your scope to enter the higher education phase. Completing a higher education is a crucial element for increasing your chances of getting a prestigious job globally.

Full-fill entry requirement

Many foreign universities from the UK, Australia, Canada and the USA provide a strict language requirement for interested candidates. This can be fulfilled by obtaining a decent band score in IELTS, demonstrating that you have the necessary language skills to easily comprehend and succeed in an academic environment.

Smoother career journey

‘IELTS not only acts as proof of English proficiency on university admission but also aids you throughout your study and work life.’ 

Helping you deliver strong conversation, understand complex tests, and produce well-structured written work.

There are two kinds of IELTS tests, they are Academic IELTS and General IELTS. Academic is used by students to evaluate their their English proficiency for pursuing higher education such as bachelor’s, master’s and PhD or research-based programmes.

In contrast, General IELTS helps cover the immigration language requirement for people who want to migrate or get a job visa in a foreign country.

A person with good IELTS knowledge should be able to easily cope with the university curriculum, giving them more confidence in understanding lectures, preparing for tutorials and interacting with classmates and faculty members.

Imagine you are working in an office and do not know how to properly deliver formal sentences. Will it have a positive effect on your work report? That is highly unlikely.

IELTS is a form of English test that can help you articulate precise communication in professional work and study life. Giving you an edge in your career journey.

Opens a wider job market

In today’s world, a satisfying IELTS score can be a powerful asset for securing a good work placement. It is now used as a general requirement by most multinational companies intending to recruit people from other countries, where English is not the native language.

The better you score in IELTS, the better you will have the chance to apply for different types of jobs available in the market.

‘If you are thinking of working for a foreign company, then you must show good English language skills’.
The IELTS test is helpful for:

International platform

International companies prefer IELTS for recruiting new employees for several key reasons. Firstly, it demonstrates the language proficiency of a candidate. Making it easier for employers to measure a candidate’s quality of communication. 

Secondly, recruiters believe that a candidate with a high IELTS score is sure to perform better in the office environment. Providing clear and precise communication minimises the risk of misunderstandings at the workplace among co-workers and clients.

Lastly, IELTS can help recruiters determine the potentiality and capability of a candidate with a good band score. Judging the efficiency of the candidate in client interactions, presentations, and teamwork.

Specialised platform

Some jobs require you to work for specific sectors and may require you to show IELTS as proof of language proficiency. Some job sectors such as being a lecturer, a teacher, a translator, or applying for an ambassadorship at an English-speaking institute, may require you to provide a specific IELTS score.

Also, many specialised jobs such as presenter, reporter, writer and customer service representative require fluent and precise English communication skills, which IELTS can fulfil.

On the other hand, hotel managers and staff working in an International hotel may not be required to show maximum proficiency but a minimum level of communicative skills in English.

They can also take the IELTS test, gain an extra certificate and apply for the job with an edge over other similar-level candidates.

Increase CV value

‘A higher IELTS score band can be a good addition to your CV/ Resume’

Recruiters can easily identify the level of your English communication skills if you include your IELTS report in your CV or Resume. Showcasing a higher band score means you are more likely to be selected for the role.

So right after passing the IELTS score with a high band, make sure to include it on your CV before applying for any job.

Helping with work visas

Increase visa chances

Obtaining a higher score, above the required threshold, can massively increase your chances of getting a foreign visa. Many countries implement a strict minimum IELTS requirement for certain visa categories to measure the English proficiency skill of a person who comes from a non-English native country or whose first language isn’t English. 

‘Getting a higher IELTS than required not only satisfies the visa policy but also makes visa processing much smoother and quicker’

There are other forms of tests to determine a person’s English skills, but Cambridge’s IELTS is the most renowned and widely accepted platform in the world.

If you are planning to work or study in a country where English is a major or for a company or academic institution where English is the primary means of communication, then you must show proof of good English communication skill through an IELTS test certificate.

Cover immigration requirement

Think of two persons, one with a 7.5 band score and the other one with a 5.5 band score. Both are applying for the same role in a foreign company requiring them to communicate in English. 

Can you guess which individual has more edge in securing the spot? Will your answer differ if the immigration policy includes a minimum requirement of the IELTS 6.5 band?

The one with a higher IELTS score is more likely to secure the job placement. Because, here, the foreign company is going to find the latter with less English efficiency compared to the first one.

Also, the one with IELTS 5.5 would not be able to comply with the rules set by immigration, unable to get a visa for that specific job.

‘IELTS acts as an important tool. Helping thousands of people who are applying for immigration every year.’

Even for migrating to first-world English-speaking countries such as England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada, the USA etc, a higher IELTS score band is here to satisfy your immigration requirement.

In short, scoring high on the IELTS is like unboxing a crate full of job opportunities! 

Whether you plan on building your career in law, engineering, business, healthcare education, media or any other field, obtaining a high IELTS score band can open doors to globally top-tier employers.

Displaying your ability to communicate effectively with increased confidence. By setting you apart from other competitors. In addition, IELTS can support visa requirements and help you thrive in multicultural workplaces.

So, try your best not to recreate the situation of Mr Benny and score as high as possible in the IELTS test, and watch as your professional dreams take flight!

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