Would you move abroad for a better job if you weren't confident speaking English?

I'm in a bit of a dilemma and would love to hear from people who've been through something similar.

I currently have two job offers.

  • One is in India, where communication won't be a major challenge because I'll be working in an environment where I'm already comfortable.
  • The other is in Singapore. It's a much better opportunity in terms of role, learning, career growth, and long-term prospects. The only thing holding me back is that the workplace communication will be almost entirely in English.

The problem is that while I can read and write English well, I'm not very confident speaking it. I use English every day for emails, documentation, and technical work, but when I have to speak, I start overthinking my grammar, pronunciation, and whether I'm expressing myself clearly. I'm worried this could affect my performance or how my colleagues perceive me, especially during the first few months.

I'm trying to figure out whether this is a genuine concern or just something that naturally improves once you're immersed in an English-speaking workplace.

For those of you who moved to another country or joined an English-speaking work environment despite not being confident in spoken English:

  • How difficult were the first few months?
  • Did your confidence improve with time?
  • Did your colleagues care about your accent or occasional mistakes?

I'd really appreciate honest experiences, especially from people who weren't fluent or confident speakers when they started. I don't want fear of speaking English to stop me from accepting what could be a great career opportunity, but I also want to be realistic about the challenges.

Posted Jul 30, 2026, 2:09 PM UTC

10
Loading comments…