How to Boost Your Career Using Spanish at Work

By Jennifer Verta, Monster Contributor

Do you speak Spanish and want to know how to access more job opportunities and higher wages? Start using your language skills and employ Spanish at work. Whether you’re bilingual or have learned fluency, don’t let your abilities remain unused.

As a bilingual employee, you can earn between 5% and 20% more per hour than those who speak only one language. This is because the demand for foreign languages is growing while, in contrast, the candidate pool of Spanish speakers has fallen behind.

In this article you’ll learn:

  • why Spanish at work is an increasingly important skill
  • which locations and sectors offer more jobs for Spanish speakers
  • tips and advice on how to tackle your resume and interviews in Spanish

Changing Demographics and Changing Needs

Did you know that the U.S. has the second-largest population of Spanish speakers in the world after Mexico? Based on the U.S. Census Bureau research, Hispanics and Latinos account for 58.9 million people, that’s 18.9% of the country’s population. Moreover, that percentage is set to reach 28% by 2060.

With such a visible increase, the need to accommodate and serve this group in their native language extends to every sector of society. English will remain the primary language, but using Spanish at work is becoming more and more common, and it can help you attain better opportunities.

The Value of Spanish at Work in a Globalized Economy

As well as answering the needs of a growing group of people within our own country, Spanish in the workplace is essential for international businesses. The U.S. heavily trades and collaborates with Spanish-speaking countries like Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Spain, Argentina, Venezuela, Panama, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.

This makes the Spanish language a hotly desired skill. At the company level, knowing the language of your partners builds trust and respect, which translates into better relationships and deals. As an employee, if you can lead conversations and negotiations with the parties involved without the need for an interpreter, you’re automatically more valuable to your company.

This means that if more opportunities were to pop up, you’d be in a more favorable position than your monolingual colleagues. With the intensification of global trade, companies are realizing what a strong competitive edge speaking foreign languages can be, that’s why more and more bilingual roles are becoming available.

U.S. Locations Favoring a Work Resume in Spanish

To evaluate the best areas to use your Spanish at work, it’s a good idea to start with the country’s most important economic hubs. Simply the higher number, concentration, and globalization of the industries here converts to more opportunities. Here are the top U.S. cities per GDP:

  1. New York, NY
  2. Los Angeles, CA
  3. San Francisco, CA
  4. Washington D.C.
  5. Chicago, IL
  6. Boston, MA
  7. Dallas, TX
  8. Houston, TX
  9. Seattle, WA
  10. Philadelphia, PA

Another way of looking at it, it’s to consider demographics. Based on where the Hispanic population is the most prominent we can assume that there would be a higher number of bilingual positions openings to serve them. Below are the states in which your work resume in Spanish is likely to attract more employers:

Other top urban areas for Hispanic and Latino populations worth considering include:

Which Are the Most In-Demand Sectors for Spanish Speakers?

Due to a globalized economy and a growing Hispanic population, almost every industry in the U.S. needs both low- and high-skilled employees who use Spanish at work. However, finding a bilingual role is easier in certain sectors. Start with the following industries in which Spanish language skills are highly valuable:

Education

Whether it’s for adult learning, bilingual schools, or schools in districts with a high percentage of Hispanic or Latino residents, speaking Spanish can set you apart from the competition. Spanish teachers or teachers who can clarify any concept in their students’ native language are in particularly high demand.

However, there’s also an increasing demand for tutors, business Spanish teachers, and university professors. Any role in education can benefit from accommodating the needs of Spanish-speaking demographics. For instance, professionals in school administration or counselors’ jobs are made easier when they can speak Spanish with students and parents.

Healthcare

Although English proficiency among Hispanics is rising overall, around 3.2 million don’t speak any English. These people are in many cases elderly, and therefore more likely to need healthcare.

Besides translators and interpreters, hospitals and clinics are also increasingly looking for bilingual medical staff to facilitate communication. Emergency room nurses, home health aides, medical assistants, medical receptionists, and physicians are just a few of the professions for which speaking Spanish at work is the most important.

Law

When it comes to law enforcement and the wider legal field, knowing Spanish is extremely useful. Knowing Spanish, a police officer could promptly intervene to de-escalate a tense situation or talk to witnesses without losing precious time. In a court, interpreters are essential to overcome language barriers. Immigration attorneys, legal assistants, tax experts, and legal advocates are other bilingual roles that are highly sought-after in the legal sector.

Government

Being bilingual can open many doors to work in government too. As well as public schools and courts, Spanish is also required for diplomacy, foreign affairs, foreign language intelligence instructors, language analysts, and many more positions.

Finance and Banking

Finance and banking are some of the most complex yet unavoidable industries every U.S. citizen has to deal with regularly. Opening a bank account, getting a loan or a mortgage, starting a business, or understanding what to do with your 401(k) are processes that can be so much smoother if held in your native language.

Simplicity means your customers will likely come back. That’s why banks and financial institutions are increasing their demand for bilingual employees. This means more bank teller, personal banker, financial advisor, and customer service jobs available for you.

Marketing and International Business

In companies doing business abroad, knowing Spanish is a great skill for communicating directly with all colleagues and business partners in each one of the Spanish-speaking countries. Account managers, regional managers, auditors, logistic managers, and supply chain managers are just a few of the roles that require bilingualism.

Similarly, companies developing products and services targeting Hispanics in the U.S. need candidates able to understand and communicate with their target audience. That’s why product managers, marketing managers, advertising managers, localization specialists and many more roles in marketing benefit from knowing Spanish at work.

Craft a Work Resume in Spanish for Better Odds

Writing a resume in Spanish when you’re applying for a bilingual role or one in which Spanish at work is essential increases your chances of being noticed. It demonstrates that you possess the language proficiency needed right off the bat and, if you’re not a native speaker, that you’re confident enough to introduce yourself in such a language.

You could even write a cover letter in Spanish as well. Plus, if you’re worried that your resume might end up in the hands of a non-Spanish speaker, you can always attach your regular English resume as well. Make sure your document is clean, relevant, of appropriate length, and don’t forget to proofread it.

Rock Your Spanish Job Interview

To face an interview in a foreign language, our usual interview preparation advice, like practicing your answers or paying attention to your body language, still stands strong. Make sure to also extensively research the company you’re applying to and have answers ready in Spanish for both the role-specific questions and the more general interview questions, such as:

  • ¿Qué sabe sobre nuestra empresa?
  • Por favor, háblame de usted.
  • ¿Por qué quiere cambiar de trabajo?
  • ¿Cuáles consideras que son tus debilidades y fortalezas?

On top of this, no matter your Spanish job interview experience, it’s a good idea to:

  • Refresh verb tenses and idioms. The verbs and idioms used during an interview are more formal than what people generally employ in everyday language. Make sure to refresh all the correct usage to avoid embarrassing mistakes.
  • Be ready for the small talk. Don’t underestimate the power of small talk to break the ice in an interview setting. Let the recruiter lead the small talk, reciprocate with your own questions, and don’t be afraid to add little details about yourself here and there to appear relatable.
  • Prepare specific vocabulary for your role and industry. Learn the Spanish jargon for your role and industry to show you belong there, as well as to ensure that you understand the recruiter.
  • Practice your answers out loud. This is especially important when dealing with a foreign language. Rehearsing your answers can help you feel more confident and ready for the meeting.

Use Spanish at Work More. Find a Bilingual Role with Help from Monster

Translate your language skills into professional success thanks to Monster’s database of jobs. Create a free candidate account and upload your resume to get started. Say goodbye to obsessively checking job postings every day and let Monster do the work for you with customized alerts. Plus, our partner recruiters and companies can contact you directly with new opportunities.