How to Learn Professional English in 8 Ways

If you are learning English with the purpose of advancing your career, you are probably taking professional English courses, classes or training programs. But to learn even faster and more effectively, you should be practicing your English outside of the classroom setting.

There are a number of things you can do in your daily life to make professional English a part of your routine.

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1. Focus on a Profession

“Professional” is a catch-all category. That means it is a very general term that includes many different professions.

Professional English classes and courses cover the basic ideas, topics and vocabulary that you will need to know in any business setting. 

However, depending on where you want to work, you are definitely going to need some specialized vocabulary in addition to your general business English.

To make sure that you can actually use your English skills in the real world, use your time outside classes to learn professional English that is relevant to your industry. The vocabulary you learn, the news you read and every other part of your learning should have your industry in mind. This will make you even more prepared for a job in the field!

2. Set Up an RSS Feed

RSS stands for “Rich Site Summary,” but it is often called “Really Simple” instead. That is because an RSS feed takes all your favorite blogs, news sites and other websites, and puts them into one place for you.

The great thing about these feeds is that you do not have to visit each website one by one. You can just load up your RSS reader and see all the recent news and updates in one convenient place.

There are lots of excellent (and free) websites you can use to create an RSS feed. Some of my favorites are Feedly and The Old Reader.

To use your RSS feed for learning professional English, add all your favorite blogs and news sites about your industry or business in general to the reader you choose. 

Spend a few minutes every day looking through the headlines and browsing the articles and posts. You will be learning English and keeping up with important news in the business world.

3. Use Authentic Videos to See Business English in Action

Fortunately for the language learners out there, we live in a very digital age. That means there’s tons of content on the internet to help you learn business English. The first step is just to go and do a Google search for “business English videos” and see what’s available and what you like. 

A big step forward, however, is when you start consuming content designed for native English speakers. 

Many news outlet websites have a business section with videos, so that’s a good place to start. Here are some examples:

• Business news on CNN
• Business and economic news on the Wall Street Journal
• Business news from a German perspective on DW

I also recommend watching clips from “Shark Tank,” a show where entrepreneurs (someone who starts their own business) can pitch their ideas in front of a panel of investors (someone who gives an entrepreneur money in exchange for a piece of the business).

As I mentioned earlier, focus on a specific profession. If you are planning on working within the law, find a legal drama to watch. In the medical profession? Try a TV show set in a hospital. While fiction isn’t always 100% realistic, you will pick up vocabulary that you would hear around work. 

Here are a couple of shows you could start with:

• Law & Order (legal). This long-running crime series has had lots of spin-offs and covers events adapted from current headlines.
• Matlock (legal). This series is about Ben Matlock, a defense attorney in Atlanta, Georgia who charges $100,000 per case.
• The Good Doctor (medical). This show is about Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon who also has autism and Savant syndrome.
• M*A*S*H (medical). This award-winning series covers the lives of an Army hospital in the Korean War who deal with their surroundings through laughter.

Another way to get this kind of exposure is to use a virtual immersion program. One example is FluentU.

4. Listen to the Radio

Wait, the radio still exists? Yes! Even in an age of computers, streaming services and TVs, the radio is still one of the best places to get your news and information on the go.

There are many news and talk shows on the radio, which you can listen to on the way to work or school or while you are doing other things around the house. Listening to news or industry talk shows can expose you to professional English, as well as to opinions and ideas about things that are happening in the business world.

The radio has also learned to work together with the internet to be heard anywhere you live! Many radio websites stream their current program. If you cannot access the station that way, you can use a service like Tunein, which lets you listen to radio stations from anywhere in the world.

Some great general business talk and news shows are “Bloomberg Radio,” “The Larry Kudlow Show” and many others that you can find here.

5. Always be Listening

And while we’re on the subject of listening… always have your ears open!

If you already work in a place where people speak English, listen to the language they use. Listen during meetings or in lunch outings. Just listening to the language will help you learn it better. Pay close attention to the words they use, when they use them and how they use them. Listen to accents. Listen to jokes, slang, idioms, phrases and anything else that you hear people saying.

If you do not understand something, ask what it means. Do not feel shy!

If you do not work in an English-speaking environment, visit one! Find a place where people from your profession of industry go, and listen to them speaking. If it is a public place, you can even introduce yourself, explain that you are learning business English and ask them if they would mind if you just sit and listen to them talk. You might make a connection that way, too!

6. Mix Business English with Regular English

Even if you are learning professional English, you might still be learning regular English as well. The two do not have to be separate! You can easily learn both at the same time. Learn things in pairs, combining your casual English learning and vocabulary with the professional version of it.

For example, if you are learning words related to shopping, you can also learn words related to business expenses.

A receipt is called an invoice in the business world. The store you just bought pants at is a retailer, which buys the pants in large numbers from a wholesaler. You wanted to buy more things, but you have a low balance in your bank account. If you were on a business-related shopping trip, you would have called your low balance a small budget.

Let the business and the casual worlds of English join together into one!

7. Use Social Media

Social media forms an important part of our daily lives. So why not use it to learn professional English?

There are plenty of different social media websites you can use to connect with other professionals to not only practice and see English in use but also to potentially advance your career. A good example of a social media website that’s great for learning professional English is LinkedIn. You will have the opportunity to connect with tons of professionals as well as engage with posts and immerse yourself in the professional world—all while practicing English!

On social media, you can also engage with companies, watch people having a conversation on a specific topic, or see updates about a business or industry and what people are saying about it. Simply follow your favorite business on Instagram or even try to send them a direct message about a product.

8. Go Face to Face

Nothing beats real conversations and meeting people in person!

Talk to people who work in the business you are interested in, visit meetings or special events open to the public, and just get yourself out there! You will be getting practice, but you will also be networking—that is, meeting people who might be able to help you in your career one day in the future.

If you are nervous about your level of English, and it is preventing you from joining conversations, tell people that you are still learning. Most people will be happy to help, slow down, or explain things if they know you are learning.

The Difference Between Professional and Casual English

Do not worry if you have been learning “regular” English all this time—you need to know basic English reading, writing and speaking skills to learn business English well. The basics of English are the same whether you are talking about the great movie you saw yesterday or the important meeting you have coming up.

The differences are found in the vocabulary and topics of conversation. Professional English is focused on communicating clearly in a business setting, with co-workers, customers, your boss or anyone else related to work.

Even greetings are different. Rather than saying things like, “Hey buddy,” you address each other by professional titles.

Knowing professional English really means knowing how to make phone calls, write reports, engage during meetings and be a part of the everyday office routine.

You will also need to know how to speak about the area of expertise of your company in English. In other words, if you work in a law company, you might need to speak about law in English.

There are ways to make professional English part of your everyday life, so you can be ready to apply your skills to your career.

Reasons for Learning Professional English

There are many reasons for learning professional English, even if you are not looking for an English-speaking job right away:

• You will have more job opportunities. Many large businesses now require that you speak English, especially if they deal with any international customers or partners. Knowing English will open doors for you to better careers and make you stand out as an applicant. Learning professional English is a great way to master English for advanced learners.

• You will be able to communicate better. No matter where you are in the world, since so many people know at least a little bit of English, you can use the language to communicate.

• You will have an easier time getting promotions. Even if you start at the bottom of a company where knowing English is not that important, you will have an easier time getting promoted if you know English. Many managers, executives and other important company members must know English.

• You will have the chance to work abroad. If you have been hoping to move someplace that speaks English, getting a job there will be important. Knowing English will give you an important advantage when you are applying.

As you can see, learning professional English has many benefits!

 

Professional English learning does not have to happen only in the classroom. Now get out there and start learning!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)