Is English holding you back at work? One hiring story sparks debate

CA Kanan Bahl shared how he hired a candidate with poor English but excellent technical skills, who later became his best hire, arguing that English fluency should not determine a person's intelligence or professional capability

In Short

• Candidate with weak English excelled in technical task
• Hired candidate became best performer despite language concerns
• Language should not limit job opportunities

Strong English can be an advantage at work, but is it really a measure of your intelligence or professional ability? A hiring experience shared by CA Kanan Bahl suggests otherwise.

Bahl recalled interviewing a candidate from a Tier-2 city whose English was weak. However, the candidate performed exceptionally well in the sample task.

Despite initially worrying about the candidate's client-facing role, Bahl decided to hire him. The decision paid off. The candidate eventually became his “best hire”.

Bahl said he had grown tired of hiring candidates who were excellent at communicating in English but lacked strong technical skills. Instead of letting language become a barrier, he asked the employee to communicate confidently with clients in Hindi.

The experience changed his perspective on what employers should really look for when hiring.

IS ENGLISH REALLY A MEASURE OF CAPABILITY?

Bahl also pointed to public speakers and professionals who communicate primarily in their native languages, arguing that English fluency does not automatically translate into intelligence or capability.

His larger point was simple: English is an important skill, but it should not be treated as a barometer of someone's intelligence, technical ability or potential.

For job seekers, the experience raises an important question: Could language skills be holding talented people back from opportunities they are otherwise qualified for? While strong English can help in client-facing roles, Bahl's story suggests that technical skills and the ability to deliver may matter more than language fluency alone.

(Disclaimer: This story is based on a social media post. The details, including figures, background, and outcomes, have not been independently verified by India Today. The article is intended for informational purposes only, and readers are advised to exercise their own discretion before drawing conclusions or making decisions based on the content.)

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