Why should we take the TOEIC exam?

With globalization, the need for learning and gaining proficiency in the English language has seen a spike in the number of people wishing to study or work in countries where English is the main mode of communication.

Alongside people seeking jobs across the borders, major multilingual or international companies demand for complete fluency in the English Language from individuals residing in these English-speaking countries for work purposes. Over 7 million tests in over 35 years have already been conducted by ETS (Education Testing Service) with TOEIC exambeing among the top exams, besides TOEFL and IELTS, to be taken up by candidates for assessing their own English-language skills in all aspects, majorly for employment or for migration purposes. In this article, we will analyse the need for taking the TOEIC exam and how it helps in enhancing and keep a track of the individual’s progress in English.

What is TOEIC exam all about?

TOEIC or Test of English for International Communications is produced and conducted by the Education Testing Service or ETS Global in 14000 organisations across 160 countries. The basic requirement for candidates to take up this exam is “to assess their potentials and capabilities in the all four language skills needed for being proficient in English in their everyday lives through real-life situations and their workplace, i.e., reading, writing, speaking and listening”. Taken up by non-native English speaking wishing to study overseas or work abroad, the TOEIC program plays a major role in giving an individual an insight into their progress towards becoming a fluent English-speaker at their workplace. With TOEIC gaining popularity along with its acceptance across the globe, the bar for being employed at international companies is set high for the non-native English speakers with some of them, despite their qualifications and educational backgrounds, finding it hard to adapt themselves and survive in such environments.

Here are several reasons why students appearing for TOEIC have greater chances to be accepted in international organisations than those who do not take it up and how it enhances their future as a fluent English speaker in the long run:

1. Accurate results through evaluation of individuals English language-skills.

The TOEIC exam comprises four main language skills- Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. The Listening and Reading Test is a 2 hours multiple choice-based test comprising 200 questions. The candidates are scored on a scale between 5 to 495 points, based on the reading comprehension and the listening skills and the total score adds to the scale from 10 to 990 points.{Reasonable-700, Good-800, Excellent- 900 and above.

The Speaking and Writing exam is conducted online, at the test centre, for 90 minutes and is currently available in only a few countries Another test called the TOEIC Bridge test is conducted to check whether the communication skills of the candidate are up to the mark or not.

For those taking up this test, an accurate evaluation of the candidate’s performance is given by the evaluators in accordance to the level and standards set to fulfil the required criteria, with the Speaking and Writing parts given utmost importance for communication purpose in accordance to personal, professional and educational choices.

2. A recognised test for international companies and recruiters.

Often major companies like LG and Air France require the candidates to pass the TOEIC exam as a requirement to be employed in the company. Several other international organisations consider English to be the main mode of communication with respect to their branches being located all around the globe. Hence the main reason for this criterion is for the candidates to gain international recognition. Standards are set high and often evaluators debate as to check whether the grasp over the language skills by the candidate is strong enough to survive in the workplace. Hence TOEIC plays a major part in helping a candidate gain a placement in internationally recognised companies alongside enhancing their language skills through communication with native English speakers at their workplace. TOEIC also helps in the increase of job opportunities with English given major priority.

3. TOEIC helps in giving a CV a Boost.

An impressive resume acts as a lever for a candidate in need of job-based on his requirements in a company. Yet in international companies, tests like TOEIC and IELTS, have a huge impact in deciding the future of a candidate in search of employment for work or at his workplace. It is often observed that while several individuals might not wish to take the exam, a certification is an added bonus or a boost for those who appear for these language tests. This helps the recruiter know beforehand, through the interviews, about the individual’s capabilities to speak English as well as his skills in keeping up with the language requirements for communication purposes in the organization. In European-based international companies where the criterion to undertake an English language exam, mainly TOEIC, is mandatory, in accordance to the CEFR scale (the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), somewhere between A1 all the way up to C2, one should know that this isn’t worth much on the CV. Hence higher the score, better the opportunity.

4. For studying overseas or pursuing professional courses.

TOEIC not only helps individuals to find employment in international companies but also helps students pursue their education overseas, mainly vocational courses, like MBA. English being the main mode of communication, such courses often require the students to be fluent in the English language for completion of course. For high-ended management courses, TOEIC helps the student or any individual with in-hand experience for few years to secure higher positions or placements in major firms. Business communication, as a whole, offers English to be prioritized as the main language in firms based in European countries with scores of candidates ranging from 750 onwards and higher scores receiving undivided attention from the firms

5. For immigration purposes.

Several Government agencies, mainly in the European countries, require a person settling overseas, for immigration purposes, to pass the TOEIC exam to help evaluate his potential as a fluent English speaker for citizenship or permanent settlement in a foreign land. The main point taken into consideration is that an individual’s ability to integrate and adapt to the foreign environment, mainly his workplace, through language proficiency is prioritized and given utmost importance. Hence for visa or immigration application, TOEIC plays a major role in assessing an individual’s calibre to have a grasp over the English language, with results of the test indicating pass or fail instead of the actual scores, based on the basic A1-B1 level of the exam.

 

Hence the TOEIC exam, not only acts as a major evaluation testing tool for tracking the English-Language skills, but is also helpful for people around the world to fulfil their dream and ambitions to work overseas, study across borders as well as enhance their communication skills to be able to speak as a native English speaker.