Advice for Job Seekers: Should You Mention You’re Not a Native English Speaker?

I was born and raised in Krakow, Poland. My husband is British and I took his last name when we got married. So when people see my name written down, they assume I’m British too.

I am currently looking for work. Should I mention in my emails and cover letters that I am not a native English speaker? Or should I wait and let hiring managers find out when they interview me and notice my accent?

—Anna

If English is your second (or third) language, you might be wondering whether you should immediately inform a prospective employer that you are not a native speaker. Like Anna, you might also be wondering if it’s better to wait until your interview or some other point in the hiring process. (After all, if you speak with an accent, they’ll figure it out eventually.)

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at when it might be helpful to mention your language background right away, when it might be better to wait, and how to do it in a professional manner.

When does it help to let employers know you’re not a native English speaker?

There are some situations where sharing information about your language background can impress hiring managers and may even boost your chances of getting the job. These situations tend to fall into one of the following categories:

1. When your language skills are part of the role

In today’s global marketplace, many employers are actively seeking candidates who are fluent in more than one language.

• In education, being a non-native speaker can be an asset if you’re working with students who share your language background or if a school is looking for someone to teach your first language to native English speakers.
• In customer support roles that serve international clients, being multilingual often means you can bridge cultural gaps more easily and prevent misunderstandings.
• In translation and localization work, your ability to move between languages (and cultures) is essential. Here, disclosing your language background shows you’ll bring firsthand experience to the job.
• In international businesses, your language skills might be needed when the company is dealing with clients, customers, or suppliers who share your native language. You may even be able to find a role where you can travel internationally!

2. When the workplace values diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
Many companies actively seek out candidates from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds to balance or enrich their teams. Even if you’re not actually using your native language in the workplace, your perspective can be valuable to a company that is targeting international clients or immigrant communities.

3. When your professional accomplishments trump your language status
Let’s say you conducted medical research in your native country and published academic papers in your first language. You would definitely want hiring managers to know about this right away! Most likely, they will care more about your overall qualifications than whether your English is perfect.

 

When is it better not to mention your language background?

In some professional or casual situations, there’s no need to bring up the fact that English isn’t your first language. Instead, let your writing and your qualifications speak for themselves. You might even be communicating more clearly than many native speakers!

So let’s take a look at situations where you might not want to mention your language status.

1. In job applications
Are your language skills directly relevant to the role? If not, mentioning that English isn’t your first language can come across as apologetic.

2. In business emails
Unless you’re specifically discussing language, culture, or certain aspects of your employment history, there’s no reason to draw attention to your language background. Most readers won’t even think about it unless you mention it.

3. When it might reinforce bias
Sadly, some people hold unconscious biases about non-native speakers. In the United States, many companies have rolled back their DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives under pressure from the Trump administration.

It’s also important to consider how AI tools are used in the hiring process. Many companies now use automated systems to screen resumes and cover letters before a human ever sees them.

Unfortunately, these tools can sometimes reflect biases found in the data they were trained on. (We have a complete article about AI bias here.) Mentioning that you’re not a native speaker might trigger something in the AI’s algorithm and it will reject your application, even if your qualifications are strong.

What if you do decide to mention your language background?

If you choose to let prospective employers know right away that you’re not a native speaker, avoid over-explaining or apologizing. Instead, keep your tone confident and emphasize how well you are able to speak/write in English.

• “My English is a work in progress, but I am comfortable using it in a workplace setting.”
• “I have used English professionally for three years, and I am continuing to work on my language skills.”
• “My written English is stronger than my spoken English, but I am able to express my ideas and communicate with clients and team members.”
• “Although I wasn’t raised in an English-speaking home, my ability to speak two languages proved to be an asset in my previous role at XXX Company. I traveled frequently to their overseas offices, where I could easily communicate with their teams.”

These statements (and others like them) strike a healthy balance between honesty and professionalism. You’re letting employers know that you’re not a native English speaker, but you’re also showing them that your language background won’t hinder your job performance and may even be a valuable skill.

Whether you decide to tell employers about your language background or not, our TextRanch editors can make sure your written English is natural, correct, and professional. Since we have editors in various time zones, we are “open for business” 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

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