How do we build high-caliber bilingual [Spanish+ English] talent? What programs should be used? Should they be public, private, non-profit, or a combination of the three? Why does it matter? Background Bilingual talent, without a doubt, is the fastest-growing workforce pool in the nation. Whether it's private, public or non-profit vacancies, speaking Spanish is a preferred skill and often a requirement. Talent is the life and blood of any organization. The leadership is the heart. The operations is the left arm. The staff is the right arm. I hope you pardon my anatomy analogy, but hope it makes sense. The talent is what keeps the organization going. So how do we build bilingual talent? Build Wings Leadership should provide avenues of opportunity to mentor and shape the organization's bilingual talent through putting this talent through management simulations. If you have a committee or project, put young Maya in the hot seat and evaluate her performance. Test her ability to … [Read more...]

Outreaching and recruiting bilingual [Spanish+ English] talent for your organization is not difficult. Often, we take the easy left versus taking the harder right. Often, we depend on spamming everyone directly to their inbox. Often, we are looking in the wrong place and have no plan to get there. First, bilingual talent is much like non-bilingual talent. We are motivated. We are determined. We are interested in better career opportunities. We just happen to be fluent in Spanish. Or Japanese, Arabic or French. Some organizations want to recruit on the cheap and put very little financial and human resources to work (both internal and external). If you are trying to recruit someone with a particular language skill is it cost efficient to advertise in general outlets or niche-specific outlets? If you are trying to recruit someone for a social media position, would you advertise on radio, TV, print or use Twitter and Facebook? Would you hire a non-bilingual headhunter for bilingual … [Read more...]

Inspired by a late night call with a bilingual [Spanish+ English] candidate in Woodburn, Oregon who was hesitating to push her business career forward because of a bridge down stream, I advised her not to worry about those details or crossing the bridge until she gets there. Often in this journey of life, we purposely set up mental roadblocks that provide ammunition for our wired brains to begin creating reasons and justifications for not crossing that bridge--even before we are even there. Worse yet, we are further led on by those around us to not do it. Simply put: cross that bridge when you get there. Not sooner. Advancing your career begins with pre-planning and aiming for that bridge. Cross it when you get there. Now.. David Molina is the co-founder/CEO of BilingualHire, Inc. He can be reached on his cell at: +1-503-708-4614, email: david@bilingualhireco.com or on Twitter. … [Read more...]