Bilingual Resume: Beneficial or Necessary? (Miami, Orlando: how much, job openings, school)

[suorkaterina]

So I was doing a little search on craigslist in my job area(front desk hospitality) and several of the postings suggested that being bilingual (Spanish/English) was a benefit. I realize that the Orlando area is becoming increasingly more Spanish speaking. In your opinion, is the added benefit of being bilingual in actuality, a necessity? How much do you think it will be a detriment to NOT be bilingual?

[Crane's Rooster]

If you're working on the south side tourist corridor I would say it's extremely beneficial to be bi-lingual. Particularly in Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, French and German.

[suorkaterina]

Do you think Italian would be benneficial? I heard a lot of Italian speaking tourists in the parks this fall. I've never been all that interested in learning Spanish. My heritage is Italian. But if Spanish gives me the edge when it comes to getting a better paying job, I might just have to suck it up and take Spanish instead.

[Crane's Rooster]

If you don't already speak Spanish it may not be worth learning (from an employment standpoint) because of competition with the already large number of native speakers. Italian could be good, not in as high demand as those mentioned. Portuguese, Japanese and Mandarin are really becoming high demand here in Orlando, not only for visitors but foreign investors. If I had to pick, I would choose one of those languages.

[brinkofsunshine]

I've known a few front desk employees, and none of them (that I recall) spoke anything other than English. Regardless, it's helpful to learn some basic Spanish or Portuguese because the language barrier can be very frustrating.

[MiamiRob]

Do you know Italian? If so that is a plus and Spanish is a Romanic language just like Italian & French. I speak Spanish and can make out most of what most Italians are saying! Spanish isn't that hard to learn either since most of it is phoenetically simple. Realize this a is a tourist based economy here were millions of tourists visit from many Spanish speaking nations so while it may not be necessary upping your language skills would be beneficial.

[DavieJ89]

These days, at least here on the far south side of town, being bilingual is practially a REQUIREMENT for any job openings available

[LuvOrlando]

Spanish is almost a necessity.

I am still learning. It is much easier to learn in Florida because you can start using it immediately. At least some of your neighbors speak Spanish. Most store employees, too. It isn't like you learn it and have to wait to use it.

If you don't want to learn Spanish, consider a job where you don't have to talk to many people, like cake-baking or accounting or something.

Good luck!

[HeckOutOfNJ]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

Do you know Italian? If so that is a plus and Spanish is a Romanic language just like Italian & French. I speak Spanish and can make out most of what most Italians are saying! Spanish isn't that hard to learn either since most of it is phoenetically simple. Realize this a is a tourist based economy here were millions of tourists visit from many Spanish speaking nations so while it may not be necessary upping your language skills would be beneficial.

I have to agree with this. I do speak Spanish, and I get the jist of Italian, French or Portuguese. If I really spent time with either one of those languages, I'd be very proficient. It isn't like learning Hindi, Chinese, or Japanese. The word for "wine" is the same in both Italian and Spanish.

In your case, you'd probably pick up Spanish in a couple of weeks with Rosetta Stone or something if your Italian is that strong (I'm not kidding.)

[suorkaterina]

Well that's true. I took French in school mostly and then senior year took Spanish and ended up with a 99 in the class, so much of it was the same.