English is the most widely used language in the professional world. As an HR professional, it is essential for you to :
- Understand the levels candidates showcase on their CVs.
- Assess their skill level, if necessary, as well as that of your employees
There are a number of English language certifications that attest to a candidate's language skills. But what are these certifications? What are the differences between TOEFL, TOEIC, IELTS, Cambridge English and LinguaSkill? What do their scores mean? How do they compare with the CEFR?
Here's a complete guide to help you understand these different certifications.
TOEFL
The Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL, offers different certifications depending on the target audience (children, teenagers, students/adults). We will concentrate here on the tests for students/adults, i.e. the TOEFL IBT and TOEFL ITP.
TOEFL IBT
This online certification in English measures the ability to use and understand academic English, based on four skills:
- Listening.
- Reading.
- Speaking.
- Writing.
The score obtained varies from 0 to 120 points, 0 being the lowest and 120 the highest. The equivalences with the CEFR are as follows:
- A2: N/A
- B1: 42 to 71.
- B2: 72 to 94.
- C1: 95 to 120.
TOEFL ITP
The test takes place in a dedicated examination centre, on paper, and measures the following skills:
The total score obtained with this certification in English is between 310 and 677 points maximum. The equivalences with the CEFR are:
- A2: 337 to 459.
- B1: 460 to 542.
- B2: 543 to 626.
- C1: 627 to 677.
An academic test with limited validity
TOEFL (IBT or ITP) is designed for students who wish to continue their studies in an English-speaking country, or for professionals who want to work in an academic environment.
As an HR professional, this certification will not always be relevant to your industry. When recruiting, you can look at it to get an idea of the level, but it will not reflect language skills in a professional context.
You should also know that the score obtained thanks to these English certifications is valid for 2 years only. So be sure to check the date on which the candidate took the test to see if the stated level corresponds to their current level.
TOEIC
The Test of English for International Communication, or TOEIC, measures the ability to communicate in English in a professional context.
TOEIC Listening & Reading
This is the most common test, which assesses the following skills:
The total score is between 10 and 990 points maximum. The equivalences with the CEFR are:
- A1: 120 to 224.
- A2: 225 to 549.
- B1: 550 to 784.
- B2: 785 to 944.
- CA: 945 to 990.
TOEIC Speaking & Writing
This is a complementary test to the Listening and Reading certification, which assesses :
The score is between 0 and 400 points. The equivalences with the CEFR are:
- A1: 80 to 159.
- A2: 160 to 239.
- B1: 240 to 309.
- B3: 310 to 399.
- C1: 400.
TOEIC 4 Skills
This test combines the Listening and Reading and Speaking and Writing tests to assess all four language skills in one go.
The score is between 10 and 1,390 points. The scores obtained for the Listening and Reading and Speaking and Writing tests must be matched with the CEFR levels above.
TOEIC for HR professionals
Whichever TOEIC test your candidate uses, it is designed for people who work or are looking for work in an international company, or who want to improve their career prospects. It is therefore an interesting indicator of language skills in the workplace.
But be careful! As with the TOEFL, TOEIC results are only valid for two years. You should therefore check the date on which the candidate took the test during their interview.
IELTS
The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) measures the ability to use English in a general or academic context according to four skills:
- Listening.
- Reading.
- Speaking.
- Writing.
This English language certification is designed for people who want to study, work or immigrate to an English-speaking country, or who want to prove their level of English for personal reasons.
The score obtained varies from 0 to 9 bands with CEFR equivalents:
- A1: 2.
- A2: 3.
- B1: 3.5 - 4.5
- B2: 5 - 6.
- C1: 6.5 - 7.5.
- C2: 8 - 9.
The test is valid for 2 years. Once again, you will need to check the date on which the candidate took the test.
Cambridge English
The Cambridge English includes a range of qualifications that measure the ability to use English in different contexts (school, general, academic, professional). These qualifications assess four skills:
- Listening.
- Reading.
- Speaking.
- Writing.
The Cambridge English certifications are categorised according to the following levels:
- The PET (Preliminary English Test), which assesses the ability to communicate in English in simple everyday situations.
- The FCE (First Certificate Examination), which certifies the ability to use English effectively, both orally and in writing, in a variety of contexts.
- The Advanced Certificate or CAE (Cambridge Advanced English), which attests to a mastery of English at an advanced level, enabling you to express yourself with ease and precision in complex or specialised situations.
The score obtained varies from 80 to 230 points with the following equivalences:
- A2: 120 to 139.
- B1: 140 to 160.
- B2: 160 to 180.
- C1: 180 to 200.
- C2: 200 to 230.
The score obtained has no validity limit. You will therefore need to pay particular attention to the date on which the candidate took the test.
LinguaSkill
This English language certification measures the ability to use English in a general or professional context, based on four skills:
- Listening.
- Reading.
- Speaking.
- Writing.
It is designed for people who want to certify their level of English for personal or professional reasons.
The score obtained has no validity limit, and varies from A1 to C1+ according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Assessing your employees' and candidates' English level
When recruiting, you can get a good idea of a candidate's level of English from the results obtained in one of the English language certifications mentioned above.
However, using only the results on the CV will not allow you to:
- Establish correspondences between the level of different candidates.
- Know their current level, based on the date they took their test.
- Check the level of candidates in a professional setting.
We therefore recommend that you carry out your own language assessment using the CEFR system. This will enable you to:
- Have homogeneous results for each candidate, but also to be able to compare them with the results of your employees.
- Identify their current level.
- Ensure they know how to speak in a professional setting.
This will give you an overview of the level of each future employee and enable you to draw up an English training plan tailored to your real needs.
Speak'Pro: the most effective method for assessing and training your staff in English
Speak'Pro offers a language benchmark enabling you to :
- Define the level required for a candidate or an employee.
- Assess the current language level of a candidate or employee.
- Draw up a personalised training plan based on the learner's current and required levels, their learning preferences and your sector of activity.
Once the benchmark has been carried out, your employee will be able to take advantage of our English courses, which are 100% tailored to their needs, and reduce their training time by 20%!