Tapping the Hispanic labor pool: creating an effective employment brand is the best way to successfully recruit from the nation's fastest-growing demographic group

HR Magazine, April, 2004 by Robert Rodriguez

"It is important for Hispanic professionals to see others like themselves in executive positions," says Michelle Thomas, Abbott's director of corporate diversity and inclusion. "These individuals serve as role models and reflect our commitment to creating a culture of inclusion." The role models also enhance Abbott's reputation within the Hispanic community.

Be Involved

In the Hispanic Community

Building trust within a community also is an essential part of employment branding.

Companies like Hewitt Associates and Caterpillar Inc. have developed proactive strategies with schools to build the pipeline of future Hispanic talent. These strategies take a long-term recruiting approach and help to strengthen relationships between an employer and the Hispanic community.

In January 2004, Hewitt opened the Hewitt Associates Career Center at Waukegan High School in Waukegan, Ill. Waukegan High School has a student population that is approximately 70 percent Hispanic. The career center helps students enhance their future potential by giving them access to career information as well as providing a place to learn more about college options.

Hewitt's Tapia says the career center enhances the firm's employment brand within the Hispanic community and also is a big part of the company's global corporate social responsibility efforts.

Caterpillar Inc. formed a partnership with Texas A & M University because of the school's reputation for producing outstanding engineering students, and its strong connection with farming communities. A & M also has a large Hispanic student population.

Caterpillar holds information events and pizza parties at A & M's career center. Many of the Hispanic students who attend these Caterpillar events get their first exposure to the career center, which can help students in their career searches. Caterpillar's involvement results in better-prepared students and an enhanced employment brand for the company.

Other organizations can reap big rewards when they--like Hewitt and Caterpillar--get involved in the Hispanic community. Lorraine Grubbs West, director of field employment at Dallasbased Southwest Airlines, says recruiters and sourcing specialists from Southwest's people department work in partnership with its Multi-Cultural Marketing Teams to tap into local Hispanic partnerships and events, including the conventions for the League of United Latin American Citizens and the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce.

The involvement of Southwest's HR professionals at such events helps generate positive word of mouth, enhances Southwest's employment image and has resulted in the successful recruitment of Hispanic professionals.

Win the Race

As the old saying goes, slow and steady wins the race. Employers that focus on immediate short-term results may not achieve the diversity they seek. In fact, some organizations could potentially do more harm than good if they successfully recruit Hispanic workers without first creating a hospitable culture or real advancement opportunities. In such cases, word of mouth may work against the organization and the resulting employment brand will not help to attract more Hispanic workers.