A clear bilingual job description helps the right people recognise themselves in the work. “Must be fluent in French and English” is a starting requirement, not a complete description of what success looks like.
Define the outcomes before listing qualifications
Write down the three results the hire needs to deliver. For a customer operations role, those might be accurate order handling, clear updates and dependable follow-through. Then identify the tasks behind each result and which language is used.
Separate essential capabilities from knowledge you can teach. If a candidate needs sound customer judgment on day one but can learn your order system, say so. A long list of preferred software, sectors and years of experience can obscure what actually matters.
A practical job-description template
Bilingual [role title] — [location and work arrangement]
The purpose: You will help [customer or team] achieve [specific outcome].
The work: Handle [main task], coordinate [handoff] and maintain [records or deliverable].
French and English: Use French for [calls, written communication or meetings] and English for [tasks]. Explain the expected level of independence.
What you need: Demonstrated ability to [essential competency], [essential competency] and [essential competency]. State required credentials only where they are relevant.
What we will teach: [Product knowledge, systems or internal processes].
The offer: [Accurate compensation information], [schedule], [location], [benefits summary] and [reporting line].
The process: [Screening stages], [job-relevant exercise] and [how applicants can request accommodation]. Add applicable posting disclosures.
Replace every bracket before publication. This is a writing framework, not a complete legal template. Keep the French and English versions consistent on responsibilities, pay and conditions if you publish both.
Describe language tasks fairly
“Explain billing adjustments to French-speaking customers by phone and email” is more useful than “perfect French.” Specify intelligibility, accuracy and job-relevant writing rather than a preferred accent. Ontario Human Rights Commission guidance links language requirements to genuine job needs and cautions against requirements such as unaccented speech. Read the OHRC’s advertising guidance.
Where different skills matter, say so. A phone-based position and a technical writing position should not automatically use the same language assessment.
Check the posting rules that apply
Ontario’s 2026 public job-posting rules generally apply to employers with at least 25 employees, subject to the rules’ scope and exemptions. They include compensation information, disclosure of AI used to screen, assess or select applicants, vacancy status and restrictions on Canadian-experience requirements. Compensation exceptions also apply. Check the complete requirements for your situation before publishing. Read Ontario’s current guidance.
Do not copy an old posting and assume it is current. Confirm the budget, reporting line, location and decision-maker with the hiring team first. The employer remains responsible for the accuracy of its posting.
Measure relevance, not just applications
After launch, track whether applicants meet the real requirements, where they misunderstand the role and why qualified people decline. If many applicants cannot work the schedule, check whether the schedule is visible. If language ability varies widely, check whether your task description is specific enough.
An internal team with clear requirements and assessment capacity may manage this well. If managers are repeatedly reviewing unsuitable applications, specialist screening may be a better use of their time than simply buying more traffic to the same unclear posting.
Turn the brief into a relevant shortlist
MS2 combines bilingual recruitment with role-specific screening. The value is a clearer connection between the outcomes you need and the competencies candidates demonstrate. Bring the role, language tasks and budget so the search can be built around the actual work.
Published · 3 min read
