Employers

Task-based assessment of language proficiency

The language proficiency required for work should be defined by the real demands of the job. In that way, successful recruitment can be ensured such that language skills are not overemphasised at the cost of other expertise. It is possible to perform many jobs while developing one’s language skills, providing that the job description and support functions are well planned.
Two people at a desk, one using a laptop and the other writing on a notepad. A phone and stationery are on the table.
Content:

Guidelines for assessing task-specific language requirements 
For whom:

Management, HR
Time:

Approximately 4–8 hours to complete the assessment
Benefit:

The ability to recruit applicants whose language skills are sufficient to perform the job while avoiding limiting the pool of applicants through over-strict language requirements

The assessment of language proficiency begins by studying the job description. One way to clarify the content of the job under assessment is to interview the relevant team leader or supervisor.  If there is already an employee in the organisation who performs similar tasks, more precise information on the practical performance of the job can be gained by interviewing them.

Interview questions for the team leader / supervisor:

  • What is the position of the worker in the overall organisational hierarchy? Who is their supervisor, who are their colleagues, do they have any subordinates?
  • What are the employee’s main tasks and responsibilities
  • Is it possible to work with a partner or receive support from the team, or should the job be performed independently?
  • Is it possible to formulate the job description in such a way that tasks demanding high language proficiency are transferred to a colleague? Is it possible to redivide or rearrange the work?
  • Is it possible to offer the employee support for language learning? How about language support to perform the job?

Interview questions for an employee performing a similar job:

  • What is/are the main working language(s)? Is it possible to use other languages in the job?
  • What kinds of interactions are part of the job? Who participates in them? Do these interactions occur face-to-face, remotely or on the phone? Are you responsible for leading these situations, or is it sufficient just to participate? What do you find challenging in such situations?
  • What kinds of texts do you need to understand in the job? How about the kinds of texts that you should produce yourself? 
  • What tasks are routine or repetitive? What about those tasks that are difficult to foresee?
  • What kind of support do you receive from colleagues? What kinds of technical support tools are available to you?
  • Does your work involve time pressure?
  • What kinds of risks are connected to insufficient language skills in your work?
  • What language is used in social situations at work? What is the reaction to different levels of language proficiency?

Answers to the interview questions and potential observations gained from following the work can be collated and summarised as a description of the types of situations requiring language proficiency and the kind of language support available for performing the job. This description can be utilised when drafting job postings and assessing job applications. The description can be aligned with the language proficiency levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) to allow both recruiters and applicants to better assess whether their language skills are sufficient.

©2026 Inkeri Lehtimaja and Johanna Komppa 

Task-based assessment of language proficiency, August 2026, created by Inkeri Lehtimaja and Johanna Komppa, is licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International Creative Commons licence. The material is available at kielibuusti.fi.

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Content:

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Time:

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Benefit:

Improves the attractiveness and employer image of the company, expands the possible pool of recruits and prepares both the applicant and the work community for a smooth start at work. 
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Employee language proficiency assessment

Content:

Information on the language proficiency requirements of different professions, and language proficiency levels and tests.
Time:

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Benefit:

Increases understanding of language proficiency assessment in the professional context.
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