How to secure multilingual jobs: Insights from Shell recruiters
As Shell operates in over 70 countries, multilingual professionals serve a strategic function, helping Shell "bridge ideas across the world and foster partnerships built on trust and aligned goals."
Our recruiters reveal what makes multilingual candidates stand out and how you can land these exciting job opportunities at Shell Philippines.
What Shell recruiters look for in multilingual candidates
Our hiring team assesses multilingual job applicants from multiple angles, going well beyond just language certificates:
- Business-level language proficiency: Shell recruiters know the difference between casual conversation and true business fluency, typically looking for advanced skills around C1 level on standard language tests. Top candidates show they can handle technical terms specific to their work area.
- Cultural intelligence: With employees from over 155 nationalities, Shell's most successful multilingual employees understand regional business practices, communication styles, and cultural contexts that influence decision-making processes.
- Combined technical and language expertise: Shell demonstrates flexibility in developing functional expertise when candidates possess valuable language skills. Take Bernice, an accounts payable specialist who was initially "hesitant to apply since finance operations weren't my forte" but recognized the role as an opportunity to grow her expertise.
Understanding language demand across Shell Philippines departments
All departments have available Spanish, French, Mandarin, Japanese, German, Portuguese, Italian, and Korean speaking jobs for multilingual talents.
Top Language in Demand
Proficiency in any of these languages, especially when combined with technical skills, is a highly valued asset at Shell.
Mandarin
Japanese
Portuguese
Spanish
French
German
Italian
Korean
Here's how multilingual skills apply across our key business areas:
Customer operations
Customer operations encompasses customer-facing activities involving external customers and business partners. Multilingual professionals play a key role in improving customer experience by bridging communication gaps and ensuring that standard operating procedures are effectively translated and aligned across Shell's global team.
Finance operations
Shell Finance provides financial support globally through a team of multilingual professionals who collaborate with vendors and stakeholders, analyze financial information, and address complex issues across international operations.
Trading & supply operations
Trading and Supply supports Shell businesses by trading energy products across global markets. Multilingual professionals drive fuel distribution from refineries to retail sites, liaising with drivers and customers to execute loading plans.
Match Your Language Skills to a Multilingual Job at Shell
Understanding where your skills are most in demand is the first step to a targeted and successful application. The highest need is in customer-facing roles.
Departmental Language Needs
1. Customer Operations
With the highest demand for multilingual talent (8 languages), this team handles all customer-facing activities. Professionals here improve the customer experience, build relationships, and bridge communication gaps for Shell’s global team.
2. Human Resources
This diverse team supports change management and promotes diversity. Multilingual professionals advise employees and managers worldwide on HR policies and help coordinate global change initiatives. All 8 languages are in demand.
3. Finance Operations
This department has a significant need for Japanese, Mandarin, and Portuguese speakers. The team provides global financial support, collaborating with vendors and stakeholders to analyze information and address complex international issues.
4. Trading & Supply
Mandarin skills are essential here to support Shell’s global energy trading. Professionals help drive fuel distribution from refineries to retail sites, liaising with drivers and customers to execute complex loading plans.
5. Contracting & Procurement
Mandarin speakers are needed to manage thousands of international contracts. Team members build relationships with suppliers worldwide while executing competitive procurement strategies to ensure a resilient global supply chain.
Contracting & procurement
This department manages thousands of contracts and coordinates with contractors worldwide. Multilingual talents build relationships with suppliers while executing competitive procurement strategies.
Human resources
Shell HR drives change management and champions diversity across the global Shell community. Multilingual HR professionals provide policy guidance to employees worldwide and play a key role in coordinating change initiatives.
5 Recruiter-Approved Strategies to Stand Out
Quantify your impact
Don't just list duties; show results. Instead of "Managed customer inquires." say "Resolved 50+ customer issues weekley in spanish, achieving a 95% satisfaction rating."
Highlight Cultural Wins
Provide concrete exmples of how you've navigated cross-cultural challenges. Describe projects with international teams or how you adapted a strategy for a specific cultural context.
Showcase Continuous Learning
Mention language certifications (like CEFR), advanced courses, or professional development you've undertaken in your target language. This demonstrates the "growth mindset" Shell values.
Tailor with Keywords
Mirror the languages of the job description. If a role in Finance Operation requires Mandarin, highlight the specific financial terminology you command in language on your resume.
Prepare for Assessment
Anticipate a rigorous evaluation. Be ready to perform scenario-based exercises, and competency interviews in your target language. Practice makes perfect.
Based on what has worked well and the feedback we’ve received from our hiring managers, these tips can help multilingual candidates stand out when applying to Shell:
1. Demonstrate job-specific language skills with quantifiable results
Move beyond simply listing languages on your resume. Shell's recruitment experts advise candidates to "link your skills, strengths, and experience to the requirements of the role you're applying for" with concrete evidence.
Convert basic statements into real achievements. Instead of "managed multilingual customer inquiries," try "Resolved 50+ complex customer issues weekly in Spanish and Portuguese, achieving 95% satisfaction rating." As Shell recruiters emphasize, "numbers speak louder than words" when showing both your language skills and business impact.
2. Highlight cultural bridge-building experience
More than just language skills, show your cultural awareness. Share specific examples where you've handled cultural differences, resolved misunderstandings between international teams, or changed your communication approach for different regions.
Shell values professionals who understand that effective global communication requires cultural sensitivity and the ability to adjust approaches based on regional business practices.
3. Showcase continuous learning and a growth mindset
Show your commitment to keep growing your language and professional skills. Shell always highlights "growth mindset" as a core requirement, wanting people who embrace continuous learning.
Present evidence of active skill development through recent language certifications, advanced courses, or professional development activities. Shell provides access to language courses by Berlitz and extensive professional development opportunities.
4. Build strategic professional networks in multiple languages
Create meaningful connections with industry professionals across different language communities. Engage thoughtfully with content on LinkedIn, participate in multilingual professional associations, and contribute to cultural business groups.
This networking approach demonstrates your ability to navigate professional relationships across cultural boundaries while staying current on global industry trends.
5. Prepare comprehensively for multi-language assessment tests
Familiarize yourself with Shell's structured assessment process and practice business scenarios in all your target languages. Prepare for both verbal and written evaluations by learning key energy industry terminology and mastering professional communication formats.
Practice explaining complex technical concepts in simple, clear terms across all your languages. If you’re applying for Finance Operations, focus on articulating financial analysis discussions and insights. For Customer Operations roles, prioritize mastering customer service protocols and handling diverse client scenarios.
As Jose, a Customer Operations Team Leader, explains, "When you work with people from different cultures and countries in Asia and America, a lot of things are in play at any given moment... The ability to clearly express your ideas is super important."
Think, feel, do: Aligning with Shell's values
Think: Contributing to global energy solutions
Shell seeks professionals who understand how multilingual capabilities contribute to global energy solutions.
Feel: Pride in cross-cultural impact
Express authentic enthusiasm for multicultural environments. Shell offers an environment where we value honesty, integrity and respect for one another and encourages professionals to be the best version of themselves.
Do: Take action on your application
Connect your multilingual skills directly to Shell's purpose to power progress together. Research specific projects in countries where your languages are spoken.
The application process: What to expect
Shell's application process follows a structured approach to assess both technical capabilities and language proficiency. For experienced professionals, the process includes an online application, phone interview with recruiters, and a final assessment stage that may involve competency-based interviews conducted in your target language.
The Application Journey
For Experienced Professionals
1. Online Application & Assessment: Submit your profile and complete any initial online tests.
2. Recruiter interview: A phone or video call to discuss your expericnce and the role.
3. Final Assessment: An in-depth evaluation, potentially including a competency interview, presentation, or technical exercise.
We encourage candidates to join the Shell Talent Community for ongoing updates about multilingual job opportunities.
Take action: Your next steps to landing a multilingual role
Armed with these recruiter insights and proven strategies, you're ready to position your multilingual skills as strategic business assets. From demonstrating quantifiable results to showcasing cultural intelligence, you now have the roadmap to stand out in Shell's competitive selection process.
Want to see which specific roles are currently available in these departments?
Check current openings for multilingual jobs at Shell Philippines and find the perfect match for your language skills.