If you are abroad to study for a degree, under or post graduate, then a foreign accent might be the icing on your cv-cake.
I dont know if you ever felt as irritated as I used to years ago, whenever I heard Nigerians trying to force a foreign accent. It was funny thing , and still is, that a person spends one and a half weeks for the first time in the UK and comes back sounding like he/she's just returned from Jamaica or America. These days, however, I have gained a whole new perspective on the matter as learnt that a foreign accent just might be deciding factor of whether you get employed or not.
In Nigeria today, there are many radio and TV stations that will never employ you as an on air personality if you cannot break into a decent British or American accent no matter, how terrfic a presenter you might be. And if you think it ends there, you are definitely very wrong.
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| there are whole websites dedicated to helping you sound 'foreign' |
By my observation, you are more likely to be given audience by Nigerians at a firm, right from the gate man to the MD/CEO if you can engage them confidently in a foreign accent. In the Nigerian work environment, the accent works in your favour in two ways; first of all, it disarms people who would otherwise antagonise you. This is because people think strangers are mysterious and there's a part of us that wants to be helpful to them (This does not apply in all situations though, 'cos' having a foreign accent can also mean to some people that you are a 'mugu' and make them want to cheat or misinform you).Secondly, employers are more likely to believe you can handle tasks for which you may have little or no experience. This is because your accent leads your employer to believe that you were studious and were able to interract with colleagues abroad. For many employers also, having an employee with a foreign accent, especially as their PR officer helps improve their company's image by showing sophistication and a global outlook. Its all psychological!
Clearly this is a global phenomenon!
Apart from discovering that you are less likely to acquire a genuine foreign accent after the age of 14, Studies done in the US also revealed that if you have a British accent, you are more likely to be taken seriously by employers in America and Vise versa as Americans tend to see the British accent as being more sophisticated, cultured and prestigious and the Brits see the American accent as more fascinating and person who speaks like an American as more likely to succeed in business.
In countries like India, great numbers of students are learning to speak English in American accent in order to improve their chances of getting jobs abroad.
There can also be downsides to getting a foreign accent though. For instance, how would you explain to an employer that you have never really lived in the UK yet you have a foreign accent? Some people would tend to look at you as a fraud if you do so.
When I asked a friend hell bent on learning a British accent (apperently, there are places in Nigeria you can learn..), he just said;
"Well, you know you can just explain to your employer/interviewer that you have a global outlook on life, that you are focused and determined to succeed and will stop at no legitimate to make sure that you distinguish and add value to yourself and to any corporation who employs you".
Impressive! But I've since been meaning to ask him what accent would be best for this kind of explanation...l.o.l! And that's another issue right there: knowing when to and when not to whip out your foreign accent!
Do you believe in being 100% naija or Would you acquire a 'foreign' accent to land a Job?
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