3 Advantages of Hiring a Bilingual Candidate

May 17

07:35

2016

Angel Leon

Bilingualism, according the ASHA, defines as the use of at least two languages by an individual. When facing the corporate world, bilingualism turns out to be one of the most powerful tools in the means of stablishing the proper connections. Learning a second language brings people closer as it tears down the cultural walls and sets the grounds more even for communication. Is not just about learning the words and grammar. Proper bilingualism includes the proper grasp on certain cultural accents from other societies and thus, the capacity to permeate both settings in an individual to create new ways of thinking.

Having bilingual employees in the workforce can only bring benefits to the company. Studies have shown that bilingual people are good at multitasking and have excellent communication skills. Any company looking to expand or to have global reach should have at least 5 bilingual employees on their payroll. The most common language combination nowadays is English/Spanish. However, Chinese, German and French are languages also being sought after by recruiters. So if you are a job seeker, start looking for the best language school in your neighborhood, and if you are a recruiter or a company owner and you are not yet convinced bilinguals will eventually rule the world, here is a small list of the advantages of hiring bilingual candidates:

International reach. Bilingual employees not only know how to speak the language, but, in most cases, they also have knowledge about their native country’s culture, which is always an advantage when dealing with international clients.

Translation made easy. Having a bilingual employee makes using localization services a breeze. The staff member could be in charge of proof reading the translation of the content of the website and can assess the localization process. He or she can also adapt the information for what is more suitable in the different regions.

A recent study showed that bilinguals can switch between tasks a lot quicker than people who know only one language. Researchers found that people who spoke several languages could process information faster and more efficiently than monolinguals.

What are you waiting for? It’s time to hire a whole lot of bilingual employees! Make sure to use a bilingual recruiter who can test their skills and that will be able to make a decision based on the candidate’s skills. Languages are the future, what do you have to lose?

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