Where do I go with Spanish?

Career World, Sept, 2005 by Lucy Hood

SI PUEDE LEER ESTA FRASE, PODRIA TENER UNA MARAVILLOSA CARRERA PROFESIONAL. If you can read that sentence, you may have a very bright career ahead of you. (In fact, that's what the sentence means.) Just about every field--including business, community service, travel, real estate, education, and health care---has a growing need for Spanish-speaking professionals. U.S. Census Bureau figures show that the Hispanic immigrant population grew more than 64.2 percent between 1990 and 2002. Hispanics, who now comprise more than 12 percent of the U.S. population, are expected to make up 24 percent of the population by 2050.

"Individuals with a solid knowledge of the Spanish language and Latino culture have career opportunities in 24 countries," says Lugs Pablo Martinez, a spokesperson for the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement. "Some of the professional opportunities include teaching, translating for government and corporate entities, law, [and] unique management opportunities with international corporations. Spanish is rapidly becoming the linguistic currency of the new century."

"The demand for bilingual skills in our business is phenomenal," adds Tom Young, a Houston-based manager for the recruiting and staffing firm Robert Half International. "I know that we have a demand [for Spanish-speaking employees] that we can't meet."

Where can you go with Spanish? Almost anywhere. Career World explores six possible routes.

MARKETING and ADVERTISING

As a group, Latino Americans have a purchasing power of nearly $700 billion. So when advertisers want to create advertisements that appeal directly to Latinos, they turn to someone like Laura Sonderup, director of a marketing company in Denver that specializes in reaching Latino audiences. Sonderup studies what consumers want and creates targeted messages for advertisements, billboards, and mass mailings. When a local college wanted to recruit more Latino students, for example, Sonderup's group crafted a slogan: "Have you decided what to do with your life? Permitenos ayudarte [Let us help you]."

In marketing and advertising, as in many other fields, a professional level of Spanish fluency is a must. "I have high expectations," says Sonderup. Whether for a television ad, a billboard, or a mailing, the use of Spanish must be impeccable. Mistakes can reflect poorly on both client and agency.

Sonderup, who grew up speaking Spanish and has lived in Mexico, encourages young Latinos not only to be proud of their heritage but also to see it as a real asset in the job market. "As they become adults," she said, "that will give them a very distinct advantage in the marketplace."

For people interested in Latino marketing and advertising, opportunities abound, especially in the top Hispanic markets (Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, and Dallas).

Hot Job!

The Hispanic advertising industry has been growing at an average rate of 17% per year over the past five years.

SOURCE: ASSOCIATION OF HISPANIC ADVERTISING AGENCIES

COMMUNITY POLICING

"Alto!" "Su licensia y registro, por favor." These are among the things that police officers in Des Moines, Iowa, are learning to say--the Spanish equivalents of "Stop!" and "Your license and registration, please."

Community police officers work with residents to ensure safety within a neighborhood. In Des Moines, as in many cities across the United States, community police officers must be able to communicate with the city's rapidly growing Latino population. Recruits at the police academy must meet a new Spanish language requirement. "We've incorporated Spanish into the curriculum," says Sgt. Vince Valdez, "not so much to make [officers] fluent but just to give them some phrases, words, and listening skills they could use on a daily basis."

Knowing Spanish helps officers get basic information from people in the community, fill out reports, and handle emergencies. Part of the community policing effort is outreach. Each month, officers hold meetings at community centers to update and inform residents about traffic, zoning, and criminal laws. In turn, residents share their concerns with the police. In order for the police and the community members to fully understand one another, Spanish language ability is crucial. The goals are to alleviate concerns residents might have about dealing with police and to help bridge the cultures. Valdez says the combination of coming to a new country, not speaking English, and dealing with police can be intimidating. "If you're coming from Latin America," Valdez notes, "the [Latin American] police can be very brutal and corrupt."

TRAVEL

Flight attendants are responsible for passenger safety and comfort on airline flights. They may occasionally be called on to attend to first aid and medical problems.

In all those instances, communication skills are key--and a knowledge of Spanish may prove valuable.

Delta Air Lines flight attendant Beatrice Pickert already spoke three languages when she signed up for Spanish classes. As a child growing up in Switzerland, she mastered English, German, and French. "Why Spanish?" she muses. "There's not much left. There's Chinese." And, she says, she can use Spanish on the job.