Whether you're hiring new talent or upskilling your current team, understanding the level of English proficiency required for specific roles is crucial. In today's global business environment, effective communication is key to success, and that's where the Global Scale of English (GSE) comes into play.
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The GSE is a simple, yet powerful tool designed to assess reading, writing, listening and speaking skills with precision and accuracy. Backed by extensive research and development, the GSE provides HR managers with a reliable standard for measuring English proficiency across the globe. This standardized scale enables employers to set clear benchmarks for specific roles, gain insights into employee skills and foster professional growth through personalized learning pathways.
The development and validation of the GSE involved input from language experts and was supported by in-depth research, ensuring its relevance and applicability in the corporate world. By fast-tracking progress and building confidence, the GSE is an invaluable asset for any organization looking to optimize language skills within their workforce.
When it comes to determining the appropriate level of English proficiency for your employees, GSE Job Profiles are an essential resource. This tool maps English skills to over 1300 roles, helping you to:
With the GSE Job Profiles, you can confidently establish the English proficiency needed for your organization's success.
Assessing the English proficiency of your employees is a critical step in managing your team's skillset. Using a test like Versant by Pearson, you can measure individual proficiency levels with ease and accuracy. Versant by Pearson tests are designed to provide detailed insights into an individual's language abilities, enabling you to make informed decisions about hiring and training.
To effectively interpret the results of English proficiency tests, it's essential to be familiar with general adult descriptors. These descriptors offer a framework for understanding the different levels of proficiency, helping you align scores with the communication needs of your organization.
The following table breaks down the GSE levels:
GSE Score |
GSE Level |
You can... |
| GSE 10-19 | Starter | You can use and understand a small number of words and phrases related to the workplace. For example, you can greet customers and introduce yourself. |
| GSE 20-29 | Beginner | You can ask and answer simple questions, write short sentences and share simple workplace information. For example, you can follow simple instructions to carry out a work-related task. |
| GSE 30-39 | Pre-intermediate | You can talk about everyday workplace topics and understand the main information in conversations. For example, you can make simple work-related calls. |
| GSE 40-49 | Intermediate | You can share your opinions, explain your reasoning and write longer texts, such as short business reports. You can also write a CV/resume. |
| GSE 50-59 | High-intermediate | You can lead and participate in conversations and give presentations on familiar and unfamiliar topics, and write documents expressing opinion or fact, such as project reports and articles. |
| GSE 60-69 | Pre-Advanced | You're beginning to speak more fluently about a broad range of work-related topics and share your detailed ideas and explanations in professional written communications. For example, you can talk about your professional background. |
| GSE 70-79 | Advanced | You can speak fluently in personal, professional and academic contexts and understand unfamiliar topics, even colloquialisms. For example, you can use motivational language to encourage other employees. |
| GSE 80-90 | Expert | You can talk spontaneously, fluently and precisely, read and write documents with ease and understand spoken English in all contexts, including leading technical discussions and complex negotations. |
Once you've assessed proficiency levels, the next step is to enhance your employees' English skills. Mondly by Pearson is a leading language learning platform that offers interactive courses tailored to meet diverse learning needs. Your team can improve their language abilities at their own pace, building confidence and enhancing their overall communication skills.
Ready to optimize your team's English proficiency? Explore our GSE Job Profiles and discover how the GSE, Versant by Pearson and Mondly by Pearson can transform your organization's communication capabilities. Together, we can develop a strategy to elevate your workforce and ensure your company's success in the global market.
Read our posts 'Target employees’ English language upskilling with the GSE Job Profiles' and 'Craft the perfect job description: Ensure your candidates have the right English proficiency' to learn more about GSE Job Profiles can help your organization.
Whether you're hiring new talent or upskilling your current team, understanding the level of English proficiency required for specific roles is crucial. In today's global business environment, effective communication is key to success, and that's where the Global Scale of English (GSE) comes into play.
Staying ahead requires not just talent but the right talent. For HR professionals, ensuring that employees are equipped with the necessary skills is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. Enter the GSE Job Profiles—a game-changing tool designed to facilitate role-targeted upskilling by mapping English language skills to specific job roles. This blog post will explore how HR teams can leverage this innovative tool to enhance workforce capabilities efficiently and effectively.
The GSE Job Profiles utilizes Pearson’s Global Scale of English and the Faethm by Pearson skills ontology to provide a detailed analysis of the language requirements for nearly 1,400 job roles. This precise mapping allows HR professionals to make informed talent management decisions, including hiring, training and development, and ensuring that employees are adequately prepared for their roles now and in the future.
English is the international language of business and a foundational skill for many roles. The right level of English proficiency is key for individuals and businesses to excel.
But what is the “right” level?
English is not a one-size-fits-all skill. Customer Service Representatives need different English skills to IT Systems Managers. Senior staff will often need more advanced English skills than junior staff.
