Accountancy graduates searching for their first full-time role may find that having a second language helps them secure a job.
According to a recent study, Spanish, French and German are the most sought-after languages among employers.
The National Centre for Languages (CILT) and Try Life In Another Language campaign launched the survey of firms and discovered that the ability to speak in a foreign tongue is as essential to bosses as good English or maths skills.
CILT director of communications Teresa Tinsley explained that a second language will become more important as time goes by and that people without one could be left behind in the employment race.
"European languages and a very wide range of languages are actually needed for us as an English speaking nation because there is no one obvious foreign language for us to learn," she added.
While the traditional favourites of Spanish, French and German are considered most important, the research found that Russian, Cantonese and Mandarin were becoming increasingly sought-after due to the emerging industrial power of Russia and China.
