So I am a 1st-year analyst who recently got hired as a full-time at an M&A advisory firm based in Los Angeles. Yes, I do speak and write fair enough English but still, it's my 6th year in the states and can't say I am 100% functional. I am still learning and trying to leverage as much as I can when I have a chance to learn English but just curious if this becomes a huge matter in my career path.
This should not be a driving factor in terms of career progression within a firm at all, however it may slightly hinder interviews depending on the type of person your interviewer is
English matters
I do believe it does
I’d say in banking a lot of things are driven by form, and depending on the situation having imperfect English may or may not be a bad thing. If it’s a situation in which you are working with a domestic client, they might assume someone who doesn’t have perfect English to be unsuitable for the job because “they don’t know the market well.” On the other hand it may also be an advantage, showing the firm is diversifying it’s workforce and can bring different perspectives to the table. Like others mentioned, as long as your writing is grammatically correct there shouldn’t be much of an issue.
In my opinion it does matter and is very important. I have noticed that people with a better English and stronger communication skills can get away with less knowledge on the actual content. If your level of English is mediocre then it can even slow down your career. So if you don't feel confident writing in English or speaking in English at a professional level, I would definitely try to get some lessons on the weekends.
Preach
I agree with Oliver. Your promotion may be limited and people will look down on you in some ways if you don't develop your english skills because it's a competitive field and people are looking for loopholes or excuses
If you can’t communicate or express you ideas or needs, how do you function or progress?
I don’t think that the OP has problems with “communicating or expressing their ideas.” The real problem is the ability to use the language at the native level, being judged for your pronunciation instead of the content of your speech, or being able to join a quick witty conversation with your colleagues who happen to be native speakers. Those things do slow you down in your career, so make sure that you settle in an open-minded team that is able to distinguish between being a true subject matter expert and just a great public speaker.
Well said.
“Not 100% functional” - reading comprehension?
It matters as much as you are handsome or ugly.
Language is not the measure for your competencies. I found colleagues in US very good and understanding.
I highly recommend you to get some lessons on weekends. My staff doesn't know but he was one of the best staffs I worked with and old CEO complained about his English skills to me all the time. (And I didn't even hire him he was already there). I recommended him for a raise and bonus and that was one excuse for him to be cheap and not allow it. We both eventually left that company but that's an example
No one will expect you to speak / write perfect English. People will say they do, but in reality they won’t know themselves (unless they’re an English major from Princeton). That being said, I would recommend trying to polish your writing as much as possible to avoid silly errors / mistakes. People will notice these and it may impact their view of you. All that said, putting together good materials / models is going to be far more important at this stage, so nail that, have a good attitude and work hard and everything will work out fine.
Thank you so much that really helps me stabling myself from being discourteous. Often I feel isolated when I can't react to jokes thrown at me and being the only one not getting why it's funny and from there it gets kinda hard to get along with them.. but yes I will focus on doing those my jobs better including what you mentioned like putting ppt deck, modeling. Thanks
What is the difference between error and mistake?