Why Newsrooms Desperately Need Non-Native English Speakers

Discriminatory language is detrimental to diversity and inclusion efforts.

Acquiring English later in life should not bar you from a career as a writer or communicator.

It shouldn’t, but it often does. How many times have you looked into a great sounding job just to find out that it is open to ‘native English speakers only’?

This overt exclusionary language will deter many excellent writers and communicators from attempting to pursue a career in their chosen field.

It is irresponsible and detrimental to society to fill newsrooms, PR agencies, and communications departments with native English speakers.

We have diverse societies with immigrants from around the world. How will their narratives be told if communications roles are filled by candidates who have never had that first-generation immigrant experience?

For a long time, it felt like just because my parents raised me in a non-English speaking country and I learned another language first, a whole industry was off-limits to me.

But, nevertheless, I became a journalist in the UK.

I am not a native English speaker. I did not speak a word of English until I was about 10 years old. And I want to dispel the myth that you need to have been born speaking the language to have a successful career in journalism or the wider communications industry.

I was born in Bulgaria to Bulgarian parents. Bulgarian was the only language I spoke until I turned 10 and moved to the Middle East with my family. I had to pick up English quickly as school started and nobody spoke my language.

Soon, English became my primary language. It was the language I used when writing essays, the language I read books in, and the language I expressed myself in when I spoke to my friends. I went on to study at university and read convoluted academic papers in English.

I could not do the same in my native Bulgarian. Although it remained a language I used to communicate with friends and family, my vocabulary was rudimentary and my spelling and grammar basic.

My first language is Bulgarian, but my primary language is English. I am a regional journalist in the UK, and I don’t think non-native English speakers should be excluded from these roles.

During my undergrad, I completed a minor in journalism which I thoroughly enjoyed. But I didn’t seriously consider a journalism career — after all, how could I compete with the thousands of people who had the same qualifications as me but also the privilege of being born into a native English speaking family?

And who could blame me? A quick glance at job openings in the communications industry shows a preference, if not a requirement, for native English speakers.

Below, for example, is a job ad for a content strategist at a major social media company. They say they ‘prefer’ a native English speaker but that is often exclusionary enough to deter applicants who may have acquired their English later in life.

After all, if the recruiters do not bother to refine their ads to ensure the language they use is inclusive, then what does that say about the company’s culture as a whole?

Then, there is this job that flat out demands a native English speaker. How do you think they feel about diversity and inclusion based on the wording of this ad?

I get it; if you’re hiring for a communications role, you want someone who understands the nuances of the language. You want someone who can manipulate words to create your desired meaning.

But isn’t demanding a native English speaker a lazy way of measuring that? Surely, recruiters can use other metrics. What about the candidate’s portfolio, qualifications, or recommendations from previous employers? Or how about interviews and aptitude tests?

I would argue if you’re hiring for a journalism role, it is not only lazy but also irresponsible and detrimental to society if you ignore non-native English speakers.

Countries like the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have millions of first-generation immigrants.

A newsroom has to be reflective of the society it represents. Otherwise, we risk being out of touch with our readers. We risk not representing the struggles of thousands of people who live in our communities.

A truly reflective newsroom will hire people who acquired their English later on in life. Because their experiences will enrich said newsroom in a way that someone who hasn’t had to face the struggle of learning English later on in life couldn’t do.

Isn’t that what diversity and inclusion is? Ensuring that people from all walks of life are accepted and their stories told?

I am lucky. After a leap of faith where I pursued an MA in journalism here in the UK, I found an employer who believes in diverse newsrooms. But I know the struggle is real for many others out there who are facing the ‘native English speaker’ barrier.

I wanted to offer some hope — it can be done. Your perceived weakness can be your strength. You have a unique perspective. You have a story that needs to be told. More importantly, you need to fight for your right to be who you want to be.

And one day, who knows? Maybe someone who isn’t too sure about making it in their chosen field because of an arbitrary barrier will look up to you.