4 Interview Tips for Bilingual Job Seekers

The South Florida area has one of the largest Spanish-speaking populations in the United States. This means that there are tremendous benefits for bilingual speakers, and many businesses cannot operate efficiently without them. Thus, it’s wise to employ this skill in seeking out a new career. Here are 4 interview tips for bilingual job seekers.

1. Use English. This sounds counterintuitive, but use English unless specifically asked. Most bilingual positions still require proficient use of English, so having fluent Spanish (or another language) only goes so far. In the meantime, demonstrate your mastery of English language skills until the interviewer asks otherwise.
2. Describe your professional experiences. Being able to speak Spanish is one thing, but to use this skill in a professional capacity is another question entirely. Almost every American citizen can speak English, but this doesn’t mean every America citizen can effectively communicate in a professional manner.
3. Be prepared to learn new terms. Some jobs are going to have specific terms or jargon that even years of schooling or speaking at home won’t prepare you for. This is especially true in the medical, legal, and other unique fields with words that aren’t in the normal lexicon.
4. Have more skills than being bilingual. Being bilingual is a valuable skill, but it’s also a relatively common skill, especially in the southwest. You’ll need other skills as well – so be prepared to discuss them in much more detail than your bilingual skills. It is ultimately these other skills you’re being hired for.

Being bilingual is incredibly helpful, especially in heavy Spanish-speaking areas. It’s not uncommon for large businesses to have their bilingual support in areas with a heavy concentration of speakers, because it gives them a bigger talent pool to draw from. This allows a native speaker in rural Indiana, who has a much smaller Spanish speaking community, to still effectively communicate in the most comfortable language for them.

When it comes to bilingual talent, finding the right place to work can be a difficult task. That’s where we can help. At PrideStaff, we can help you find your next career opportunity by matching your skillsets and business culture to our wide network of hiring businesses. Contact us today to see how we can help you!