DEMAND FOR BILINGUAL SKILLS GROWS IN THE JOB MARKET

According to the article, “Demand for Bilingual Skills Grows” on CareerBuilder.com, with the growing prevalence of Spanish and other languages spoken in the United States today, companies are looking to hire bilingual employees to serve their multi-lingual customer base. In addition, with technology making it possible for companies to conduct business in all corners of the globe, there is a growing need for bilingual employees. CareerBuilder.com states that job growth in customer service is expected to be about 18 percent in the coming decade. They estimate that 2.3 million people work in the customer service field today and “with so much competition for these positions, workers who speak additional languages can have a major advantage in employment opportunities.”

In addition to the customer service field positions requiring bilingual skills, the need can extend to all industries, including hospitality, health care, education, law and government. An increasing number of translators and interpreters are needed to connect organizations with their multilingual customers and clients.

According to the article, “Job seekers who are bilingual — those who can speak at least two languages fluently and may also be able to read and write in both languages — should make it known to prospective employers at the start of the hiring process. This is recommended even if the job description does not specifically mention or require bilingual skills.” In this unpredictable economic time, all skills that one possesses to land a job should be on the table and known by the employer.