ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2006 > April > 20 > Entry
Hable Espanol?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
People have always told me that it helps to know another language when job seeking or building a business.
Yet I counseled a number of Spanish majors who found it very difficult to actually apply their language skills in a job.
The tide seems to be turning. As Atlanta grows, so do job openings that ask for Spanish fluency. Firms that teach Spanish to a wide spectrum of businesses, health care providers and other professionals are growing.
While you don’t have to speak Spanish like a pro, speaking the language can help to build rapport with customers, vendors and even coworkers. You are able to gather needed information to understand how to help or provide service. Lets not forget to mention that studying a language also wakes up new brain cells.
Caveat: It can be very frustrating at times as I rack my brain for the right word to use. I may not have mentioned that I am determined to carry on a conversation in Spanish before the year is out. My patient teacher, Terri Lovell of Sandy Springs, tells me that I should keep practicing. (There are certainly many opportunities to do so all over Atlanta!)
Have you actually landed a job because of your language prowess? For those of you who know a little bit of Spanish, would you like to learn more? Some employers will pay for Spanish classes. Do any of you have classes on-site? How do those work? What is the business case you gave them to win your bosses over?
Should we just leave the Spanish that is spoken in the workplace to the professional translators and not bother spending money and time on learning Spanish? Is it worth it?
Comments
By L FLYNN
April 20, 2006 10:12 AM | Link to this
I WANT TO IMPROVE MY SPANISH SPEAKING SKILLS BECAUSE I KNOW THE BASICS. HOWEVER, I FIND THAT SPANISH PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO COMMUNICATE WITH AMERICAN PEOPLE IN SPANISH. THEY WILL USE ENGLISH EVEN IF THEIR ABILITY TO SPEAK ENGLISH IS VERY MINIMAL. THEY DO NOT WANT AMEARICANS TO LEARN SPANISH. SO MANY TIMES WHEN AN AMERICAN SPEAKS TO THEM IN SPANISH THEY ALWAYS RESPOND IN ASTONISHMENT WITH YOU SPEAK SPANISH! IN ORDER TO BECOME FLUENT IN A LANGUAGE YOU NEED MORE THAT BOOK LESSONS YOU NEED TO PRACTISE, PRACTISE, PRACTISE WITH NATIVE SPEAKERS BUT SPANISH PEOPLE REFUSE TO TALK TO A LEARNER IN SPANISH. ANOTHER NEGATIVE IS THAT THEY LAUGH AT PEOPLE WHEN ONE MAKES A MISTAKE. THEY WOULD NOT LEARN ENGLISH SO QUICKLY IF WE WERE SO SELFISH AS TO NOT EVER WANT TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR SPEAKING SKILLS.
By
April 20, 2006 10:47 AM | Link to this
My opinion, is that in the long run, taking time to learn spanish is worth it. There are many local classes that teach english classes for free, which leads me to believe that there are spanish classes for free. Even if one should have to pay, the sacrafice will be rewarded. The Atlanta population is greatly increasing with hispanics and legal hispanics at that. The problem with the spanish language is that one word has multiple meanigs and of course an american teacher would not know the difference. I would offer my services if a group of people where really interested and dedicated to learning. In closing, is it worth taking the time to learn spanish?, in my opinion, absolutely!
By G. Crumpton
April 21, 2006 09:19 AM | Link to this
I am in high school and I am currently taking my 5th year of spanish and I love it. I never considered using spanish in my future however i believe it would beneficial to me if I continued spanish in college.I spaek spanish with my friends all the time. They appreciate the fact that I speak to them in their native language and they encourage me to do so whenever we talk. VIVA ESPANOL
By Sharon Young
April 21, 2006 09:47 AM | Link to this
I feel very strongly that learning Spanish as a second language is well worth the time and effort involved. I have been taking Spanish classes through a college which offers continuing education courses. I agree with some of the other comments that even though we can get the basics in the classroom, only by conversing with others who speak the language, can we really become fluent. I find myself frustrated by lack of practice. My poor dog is often the object of my babbling, and I’m sure he now thinks in 2 languages. My goal is to continue classes and hopefully get some one on one tutoring. It’s fun and interesting. I will succeed!
By jg
April 21, 2006 10:37 AM | Link to this
I was a Spanish minor, International Business major in college and have been working in the “real world” for four years. I believe that my semi-fluency (I lived and studied abroad in college)potentially sets me apart from other job-seeking candidates. However, I am having a hard time finding a position that would make the most of my other skills, too. I don’t want to be the office translator; I want to use my language skills in business. I would benefit from classes, discussion groups, or happy hours conducted in Spanish because I feel the longer I go without using it, the less confident I become in listing it as a marketable attribute.
By JoseB
April 21, 2006 12:38 PM | Link to this
Jennifer, Definitely! It is great to know a second language. For one, the world is ‘shrinking’ in terms of travel possibiities, whereby either we visit foreign lands and places or come across foreigners in our own ‘space’. Attempts to address others in their own mother tongue always open doors, brings out sympathy, breaking down barriers between people. Also, as you say, it opens a world of another culture with all its richness, history and learning. Third, languages teach us differences: in expression, in naming things and events, expose us to nuances, thus enriching our lives beyond the usual and customary. Learn another language - go for it!
By Teachin' Morenita
April 24, 2006 03:31 PM | Link to this
Yes! I have used my skills at almost all of my jobs!
I was a caseworker for DFCS and about 45-50% of my caseload was Spanish-speaking clients.
I now work as a Spanish substitute teacher and I love it! I’m currently working toward becoming a full-time Spanish teacher.
My son is 3 and he’s bilingual. I want him to be able to communicate effectively with people. I will encourage him to take on more than just 2 languages.
I try to tell people everywhere-get your kids in Spanish class! The younger, the better!
By Jessica
April 26, 2006 04:31 PM | Link to this
I think knowing a foreign language, whatever it may be, is always a positive thing. If it doesn’t make you more employable, you can always find a chance to use it to meet someone new. Sometimes Hispanics don’t respond to Americans who try to speak Spanish because they want to practice their English. I highly doubt it is because they are being selfish and don’t want you to learn. It makes them feel like their culture is important when people want to learn more about it.
By Sandra
April 27, 2006 03:58 PM | Link to this
Claro que es muy importante saber m�s de un lenguaje, no importa si este es espa�ol, ingles, franc�s, italiano o ruso. Cuando sabemos m�s de un idioma este nos ayuda a comprender y entender las diferentes culturas. Yo me alegro que haya personas que quieran aprender y que les interese el espa�ol para que sea su segundo lenguaje. I agree with Jessica sometimes Hispanics don�t react to Americans who try to speak Spanish because they want to practice their English in most cases. I doubt it is because they are being selfish and don�t want you to learn .Sometimes Mexicans are just trying to make your world easier by letting you know that they speak both languages and that you don�t have to struggle with the Spanish how Mexicans do “sometimes”.
By
May 3, 2006 10:45 AM | Link to this
I want to apologize for the person with the first comment in the list with the name of: “L FLYNN.” It is absolutely a lie what this person is saying. And it is amazing this person is trying to learn Spanish having such a negative attitude and judgment of the people of the language this person is trying to learn. If you tell Spanish speakers that you want to practice your Spanish. They will be more than willing to help you and especially if you ask that you do not want to speak English with them because you want to practice. They usually will help you and teach you new words. If they talk to you in English is because they are so proud of their minimal English they have learn and they are in America where they need to speak English. About that they laugh for your mistakes it is a lie too: they laugh, is an innocent laugh of “I love your trying”. Remember the best way to learn a language is to get involve not just with the book but with the entire culture and if you have some racial problems then do not learn it! I love being able to practice my Spanish with my coworkers in my new job.