–Guest Blog–
1. Teacher
You’re probably thinking “Well, of course you need to speak Spanish to be a Spanish teacher.” You’re right. But there are other teaching jobs that require Spanish, too.
For instance, bilingual education focuses on presenting information in two languages. In the US, many bilingual schools and programs use Spanish. If you’re interested, you might want to check out the National Association for Bilingual Education’s job board. Additionally, in areas with large Hispanic populations, many ESL jobs require or prefer someone with Spanish skills.
2. Interpreter/Translator
Interpreters and translators help people who don’t speak the same language to communicate with each other. Whether the communication is spoken or in writing, they take information from one language and change it to the other.
Interpreters and translators can work in a variety of settings. Medical translator/interpreter jobs are particularly common, but there are also jobs available in government, the court system and through private translation companies. Not to mention, you can always try your hand at freelancing in your area and online.
3. Customer Service Representative
While there are plenty of customer service jobs available that don’t require Spanish, the jobs that do require Spanish often pay more due to the additional skill required. And let’s face it—who doesn’t want to get paid more?
And it only makes sense that you get paid more—after all, speaking English and Spanish means the number of customers you’re able to assist is much greater than representatives who speak only one of the languages.
Customer service representatives work in call centers or retail locations, at home in your English-speaking country and abroad in Spanish-speaking countries. Similar jobs working in tourism are also available.
4. Sales Professional
Remember that booming trade industry we discussed? Well, someone needs to negotiate those sales and purchases. This is where sales professionals come in.
International sales professionals buy and sell goods from around the world. With your Spanish skills, you’re ready to do business with Spanish-speaking countries. Companies in Spanish-speaking countries will often greatly appreciate the presence of a sales professional who can interact with their English-speaking clients, suppliers and business partners.
On a smaller scale, if you live in a community with a large Hispanic population, you’ll probably be able to find local sales jobs selling anything from cars to mattresses.
5. Medical Professional
Sure, there are plenty of jobs in the medical field that don’t require Spanish. But in areas with large Hispanic populations, Spanish is in high demand. After all, it’s much better for patients to be able to communicate directly with a doctor or nurse rather than through a translator.
Any medical profession from nursing assistant to nurse, doctor, EMT and medical receptionist may use Spanish language skills. Even if the job doesn’t require it, it can certainly help you advance in your field or make you a more desirable candidate. Additionally, since medical professionals often deal with emergency situations, speaking Spanish can literally help you save lives.
6. Law Enforcement Professional
Law enforcement is another career where communication is very important, and not being able to communicate clearly could prove fatal.
In communities with large Hispanic populations, police officers often need to know at least some Spanish so that they can better protect everyone living in these bilingual communities.
Since the US has nearly 2000 miles of border with a Spanish-speaking country, many positions with the FBI and Border Patrol also require Spanish.
7. Social Worker
Social workers work with individuals and families on very intimate levels. They’re privy to private information about sensitive situations such as abuse, mental health issues and other challenges that families face. Therefore, it’s best to communicate in the language the clients are most comfortable with. For this reason, communities with large Hispanic populations often recruit Spanish-speaking social workers.
8. Writer
Whether it’s journalism, content writing, blogging or public relations writing, the large Hispanic population in the US means there’s a large market for written materials in Spanish.
The ability to share information clearly in both Spanish and English doubles your potential market. For this reason, many employers seek writers who can write in both languages. Additionally, since some writing jobs require interviewing skills, it will help to be able to communicate with the interviewee in their primary language.
9. Administrative Assistant/Receptionist
Administrative assistants and receptionists interact with a lot of people. Some of them, of course, will not be native English speakers. Because of this, some positions may require the receptionist or administrative assistant speak Spanish. However, even if speaking Spanish is not a requirement, it’s a helpful asset that’s likely to give you the edge over other candidates applying for the position.
10. Teller/Personal Banker
Bank tellers handle the customers’ money, while personal bankers help them manage their accounts in more depth. Since money is always a sensitive issue, it helps to be able to speak about it in a language the customer will better understand.
Many teller and personal banker positions do not require Spanish, but in communities with large Hispanic populations, many positions will require Spanish, and this is likely to be a requirement more and more often.
With all these great jobs requiring Spanish, you’ll surely find something great to make dinero (money).
So practice your Spanish and get to work!
Guest blog by FluentU (http://www.fluentu.com/spanish/).
