コンサルに英語力は不問だがあると有利!ファーム別英語力を解説English Proficiency is not required for consulting, but it is advantageous to have it! English Proficiency Explained by Firm

How good of English do I need to work in consulting?”

When considering a career change to consulting, you may be wondering what level of English proficiency is required. The answer is: “It depends on the firm you work for and the project.

In this article, we will explain the English proficiency requirements for different firms. We will also tell you about the English proficiency required for document applications and English interviews. Please refer to this article to find out which consulting firm is right for you.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

English proficiency is not required for consulting work. This is because there are many domestic projects that can be completed without the use of English.
 

However, there are many situations in which English proficiency is advantageous as a consultant. There are three reasons for this

1. It broadens the scope of your work.
2. It facilitates research work.
3. It has a positive impact on your career development.

Let us explain in detail.

1. Expanding the scope of work

In today's globalized world, even domestic consulting firms have many assignments that require extensive use of English, such as when the client is a foreign company or the project manager is a foreigner. In order to be assigned to such assignments, English proficiency is necessary.
When changing jobs, some consulting firms indicate the English level on the job posting.
It is advantageous to be able to speak English both when entering a company and when being assigned to a job. English proficiency will increase the number of projects you can be involved in, broaden your range of work, and make you an indispensable asset to the firm.
 

2. Research work proceeds smoothly

The consulting business is a busy one, with endless things to do, such as inputting knowledge about the client's industry, holding meetings, and preparing documents. In particular, research work takes up a large portion of your time, and you will spend a lot of time reading literature related to the project and searching for relevant case studies.
If the case study is overseas, you will have to read literature written in English. If you are fluent in English, you can gather accurate information quickly.
A quick turnaround in research work not only makes your own work more efficient, but also contributes to the project as a whole.

3. Positive impact on career development

Today's business environment is becoming increasingly globalized, and even domestic companies are using English in an increasing number of situations. In such an environment, consultants with practical experience in English are highly valued in the market and are sought after by consulting firms in the same industry, enabling them to change jobs while advancing their careers.
In addition, many foreign consulting firms require a high level of English proficiency for promotion and advancement.
English language skills will broaden the scope of your work and enable you to advance in your career.
 

Each consulting firm has its own job characteristics, and the frequency of English usage will vary. Here we explain the English proficiency required by the following consulting firms.

• Strategic consulting firms
• General consulting firms
• Think tank consulting firms
• IT consulting firms

Strategic consulting firms

Strategy consulting firms deal with business strategy, growth and management strategy for the entire company. Most of them are foreign firms headquartered in Europe or the U.S. The English proficiency required is polarized according to the degree of localization.

Localized firms often deal with domestic projects, so English is not highly required.

On the other hand, firms with a low degree of localization require a high level of English proficiency, and some firms use English test scores to determine the level of English proficiency required at the time of hiring. Some firms have English test scores as a threshold for hiring. High level of English proficiency is required for manager and above positions, and English proficiency is essential for career advancement.

Japanese firms do not have many global projects, so they do not require much English. However, it is advisable to improve your English skills for your own career development.

General consulting firms

It is the general consulting firms that provide comprehensive consulting services for corporate management issues, from strategic planning to implementation support, system implementation, and business improvement.

Japanese-affiliated firms do not require much English, but there will be situations where English is necessary, such as when providing support for the opening of an overseas branch, or when gathering marketing materials for overseas markets.

In the case of foreign firms, the frequency of use of English varies depending on the project you are involved in. If you are in charge of upstream processes such as project strategy formulation, you will be involved in many global projects, and English proficiency is essential. On the other hand, if you are involved in the downstream process of supporting the implementation of IT systems, English is not required as many of the projects are domestic.

For firms affiliated with major accounting firms, projects and human resources are becoming more globalized, and English proficiency tends to be required.

Think tank consulting firms

Think tank consulting firms provide consulting services, including research and analysis, on social and economic issues in Japan.

Many Japanese-affiliated firms have major securities firms or megabanks as their parent companies, and many requests come from financial institutions, so English proficiency is rarely required. However, in research work, it is sometimes necessary to collect information from documents written in English. Therefore, it is necessary to have a university degree or equivalent in English.

In some cases, English is required when the client company is foreign-affiliated, or depending on the project theme.

IT consulting firms

IT consulting firms provide consulting services for business improvement, reform, and system implementation using IT technology. At this point, there are not many opportunities that require English skills compared to other consulting firms. However, with the globalization of the business scene, there is a possibility that the number of situations in which English is used will increase in the future.

Currently, English is used in the following situations
 

• When working for overseas companies or on global projects
   
• When providing IT consulting services to financial institutions

If there are foreigners in charge of the client or in the team, or if you deal with financial products or exchange rates that are influenced by foreign countries, you will inevitably need English.

The following is a rough estimate of what level of English proficiency is actually required to change jobs at consulting firms.

The average overall TOEIC score for FY2023 was 612, and the average score for working adults was 639.
 

Reference: “TOEIC Program DATA & ANALYSIS 2024 2023 Number of Test-takers and Average Score”|Japan Association for International Business Communication

Generally, business-level English proficiency is a TOEIC score of 700 or higher. Although some Japanese firms do not emphasize English, it is recommended that you have above-average English proficiency if you want to be active globally.

English proficiency required at the time of application screening

Even for consulting firms that do not require English proficiency, a TOEIC score of 700 or higher is desirable, as a TOEIC score of 700 is considered to be a level at which one can hold a daily conversation and communicate to some extent in a business context. Although TOEIC score is not the sole criterion for acceptance or rejection, it is a positive factor in the overall evaluation as well as skills and experience.
In the case of foreign consulting firms, a TOEIC score of 700 or below does not meet the required standard in many cases, and you may be cut off. It is advisable to study for a higher score.
It is also important to be able to use English for business purposes, so if you have any work experience using English, please include it in your application.

English proficiency required at the time of interview and selection

While most Japanese consulting firms do not require interviews in English, foreign consulting firms often require interviews in English.
 

There are three main types of English interviews
 

• Self-introduction and explanation of your work history
   
• Chat about news you are interested in or what you are into, etc.
   
• Presentation and case interview
   

The key point in an English interview is whether or not you have communication skills. It is easy to try to show your English ability, but what is important is not the accuracy of your grammar or vocabulary, but rather your ability to communicate simply and clearly.
 

If you have any questions about whether a company you are interested in has English interviews or what kind of English interviews are available, please contact United World.

A successful career change to consulting does not eliminate the need to learn English. In fact, you will need to improve your English skills even after you join the company. Many incumbent consultants continue to find time in their busy schedules to learn English.
The following are three ways to learn English in a time-poor environment.

1. Watching Foreign Dramas
2. Use Online English Conversation
3. Learn by Practice

Learn more about

Learning Method 1: Watching foreign dramas

Becoming familiar with the English voice is a shortcut to learning English conversation. Since I am working, I cannot go abroad to study. Therefore, I try to expose myself to live English through foreign dramas and movies that are close at hand. English podcasts are also effective.
If it is in a field that interests you, you will be able to learn while refreshing your mind even when you are tired from work. If you choose business-related topics, you can kill two birds with one stone by learning business-related vocabulary while getting used to the speed of English.
You can change the Japanese subtitles to English subtitles or no subtitles, or shadow a movie, depending on your level. If you can shadow a whole movie, you will not only improve your listening skills, but also your English pronunciation, accent, and inflection.

Learning Method 2: Using Online English Conversation

If you want to practice communicating with others, online English conversation is a great way to do so. Most online English conversation schools offer lessons at a time that is convenient for you. You can take lessons before work, on weekends, or whenever you can find the time.
Some online English conversation schools also offer Business English courses. This type of course allows you to learn English in a more practical way.

Learning Method 3: Learning by Practice

Many have created opportunities to come into contact with English in practice, for example, by raising their hands in projects that utilize English as well as Japanese. Although they struggle at first, they seem to experience improvement in their English skills, such as “I can now hear English in daily English meetings,” or “My speed has increased while reading a large amount of English documents.

United World also has jobs, for example, where English is a welcome requirement for team-oriented work with overseas members. If you are able to join such projects, you will be able to improve your English skills with practical experience.

There are no qualifications that consultants must hold. However, there are certain skills that are advantageous. English is one of them, but there are other skills necessary to be active as a consultant.

logical thinking

As a consultant, the most important skill you need is logical thinking. Logical thinking is a way of thinking that makes sense of things and is consistent.
A consultant must analyze the client's unknown issues to determine what the problem is, present objective data, and present a solution in an easy-to-understand manner.
The consultant must have the skill to explain the problem in a way that anyone can understand, based on objective evidence, without relying on intuition or experience.

communication skills

As client work, consultants must win the trust of their clients. Therefore, smooth communication skills are essential.
A good relationship can be built by listening carefully to the client in order to understand the client's position and feelings.
Communication skills tend to focus only on “how to speak,” but it is necessary to have the ability to listen and understand others. We must be careful not to become one-sided in our speech by focusing only on logical speech.
 

problem-solving ability

Consultants face a variety of problems when trying to solve corporate issues. The problems often have no precedent, and there is no ready-made correct answer. Therefore, it is necessary to have the ability to find out where the essence of the problem lies and to search for the best solution on one's own.

Recently, consulting services do not end with strategic planning, but also provide implementation support for solutions. When providing implementation support in the field, they may face problems that do not turn out as expected. Problem-solving skills will be increasingly in demand.

Ability to manage progress

Every project has a defined time frame. The consultant must have the ability to manage the work without delay within this time frame. Progress management skills include “time management” and “project management.
It is not just about managing progress on your own. It is necessary to look at the project as a whole to see if there are any delays, take action if there are delays, and negotiate with the client on occasion.
A consultant needs to have the ability to look at the entire project and manage progress to avoid irregular situations.

questioning skills

High questioning skills clarify clients' needs and the issues they face.
Often, clients themselves are unaware of the problems they are facing or are unable to verbalize them well. The consultant asks appropriate questions to understand the client's situation and explore the issues behind it.
In order to ask the right questions, you must not only improve your questioning skills, but also understand the client's industry and business.
 

presentation skills

Presentation skills are one of the most important skills for consultants. This is because a clear and persuasive presentation will convince the client and gain their approval.
In order to achieve this, it is necessary to improve all of the following skills: “organization,” which is the ability to put together the order of what is to be conveyed; “expression,” which is the ability to convey content in an easy-to-understand manner; and “persuasion,” which is the ability to win the hearts and minds of the audience.

English is not required for consulting. However, English proficiency will broaden your career by increasing the scope of your work, giving you an advantage in promotions and job changes, and will also give you a more rewarding future at work. Improving your English skills is a plus for anyone who wants to become a consultant.

The type of consulting firm for which your existing English skills are appropriate will depend on the firm, the project, and the position. For more information, please consult with a foreign-capital recruitment agent.

United World also handles jobs at many consulting firms. Please feel free to contact us for more information.