The Best Bilingual Jobs for Out-of-Work Latinos

Nationally, as many as 12.7 percent of Latinos are unemployed and the rate is rising faster than any other minority group, according to the most recent statistics from the Bureau of Labor. While many unemployed Latinos are blue collar workers in construction and other seasonal industries, others are college-educated professionals.

What to Do?

Recruiters are offering very clear advice to Latinos seeking professional work -- target thriving industries that you know are actively recruiting Latinos or bilingual employees, be willing to move, even though it means leaving friends and family; take entry-level positions if necessary; and if all else fails, go back to school.

While seeking out bilingual work may seem insulting -- as if this is all you bring to the table -- in a fading economy sometimes it pays to use all your assets: Your experience, your ambition, your brains, and your inheritance.

What Industries Are the Hottest for Latinos?

MinorityRecruit has put together a list of industries that are targeting Latino professionals, including the best job search Web sites for each industry. But the absolute best place to start your search is with MinorityRecruit’s Featured Employer list. And we’re not just saying that simply because it’s ours. All of these employers are genuinely and actively marketing to and recruiting Latino candidates, and they have a high commitment to diversity.

PR, Marketing, & Advertising

Because Hispanic purchasing power is estimated to reach $1 trillion by 2010, marketers and advertising groups are always looking for creatives (designers and copywriters) and account executives (client liaisons) who are Latino. An in-depth knowledge of the Latino culture and experience is critical to a the success of any Latino-targeted ad campaign, and agencies need Latino employees to provide this insight.

To become an account executive, you need a college degree and a great personality. To land a job as a creative, you need an advertising, public relations, journalism, or English degree, as well as some copywriting or public relations experience. To land a job as a designer, you need a four-year graphic design degree. You can also try to get your foot in the creative door by taking an entry-level agency position; more than one receptionist with an English degree has made her way to the creative side. See agency account executive positions (as well as corporate bilingual account management positions).

Insurance Sales

Insurance companies began recruiting Latino sales representatives years ago when they finally realized there was an enormous untapped Latino customer market in the industry. Most insurance companies will offer paid training and support, as you work on commission, entrepreneur-style. Here are just a few companies that offer agent training programs: Aflac (here you can earn your independent insurance agent license) ; State Farm; and New York Life.

See all bilingual sales jobs, even those outside the insurance industry, at Employmentcrossing.com.


Healthcare

Not only is there a shortage of Hispanic doctors and nurses in hospitals, there’s a drastic shortage of Hispanic hospital employees, in general, even as the population of Hispanic patients climbs. Needs include medical assistants, nursing assistants and certified nurse assistants, as well as doctors and nurses. Many of MinorityRecruit’s advertisers are healthcare institutions and all are actively recruiting Latinos for all positions. See Featured Employers for this list. If you’re interested in pursuing a nursing career, and probably job security for life, there are multiple scholarships and programs available, some specifically for Latinos. One popular program that serves all populations is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services scholarship that offers free tuition to nursing school plus a stipend.


Education (Including Assessment, Publishing, and Curriculum Development/Translation)

In March 2009, because of budget cuts, California let 27,000 teachers go, many of them young and Latino. New bilingual college graduates who once looked forward to a successful career were suddenly unable to find jobs. Fortunately, some of that is changing with stimulus funds that aim to replace the positions of laid-off teachers. See our Featured Employers for schools that are actively recruiting bilingual and Latino teachers. For Latinos unable to find employment in the public school system, educational publishing companies often have a need for bilingual writers, editors, and curriculum developers.

If you don’t even have a teaching degree, but have a passion for teaching and can‘t find work in your field, there’s always Teach for America, which is still recruiting even in this economy. Many of the schools they recruit for have high Latino populations, so being bilingual would be a plus. You don’t need a teaching degree, only a college degree, and the salary ranges from $27,000 to $47,500, depending on the region. See Teach for America for more information.

Financial Institutions

Banks in areas with large Hispanic populations are always seeking bilingual employees -- from tellers to loan offers -- and they’re still hiring despite the recession. Employment Crossing.com offers an excellent list of current bilingual banking jobs.

Customer Service & Retail

Particularly in the Southwest, customer service jobs are always available for Englisn/Spanish speakers, whether that’s working in a call center or a mall kiosk. Employment Crossing.com offers an excellent list of current bilingual customer service jobs.

Government Jobs

In the heat of the recession, government hiring is still going strong -- particularly in areas that will thrive after stimulus funding, including construction, energy, hospitality and lodging, healthcare and education. Because it’s the U.S. government, diversity is a high priority. Search for government jobs created by the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (“stimulus package”).  Search for all government jobs.