1. Clarify your required bilingual skills

Before starting the recruitment process, evaluate your bilingual needs and expectations. This helps you write a skills-first job description that accurately details the language skills needed for your open position. First, you could define why your company needs bilingual professionals. Do you have a large client base that speaks another language or do you work with vendors in another country?

Then, determine which language or languages you expect candidates to have. You might require someone fluent in Spanish if your business caters to Spanish-speaking customers. Likewise, if your workforce includes many Spanish-speaking employees, you might seek human resources staff members who are fluent in the language.

Consider the fluency level you expect, which may vary based on the role and purpose of bilingual skills. One way to define proficiency is by using the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR) scale from zero to five. The levels include:

• Zero: No knowledge of the language
• One: Elementary proficiency, understanding basic elements
• Two: Limited working proficiency and an understanding of basic commands
• Three: Professional working proficiency, allowing for significant contributions within a work setting
• Four: Full professional proficiency and the ability to have advanced conversations with few mistakes
• Five: Primary fluency in the language.

You can summarize your requirements using this scale or simply describe your expectations in the job description.

2. Focus on creating an inclusive work environment

You’re more likely to attract and retain bilingual professionals when you create an inclusive, diverse workplace. Showing you celebrate diversity and welcome candidates from all backgrounds can help recruit primary speakers of the language you want to incorporate.

An inclusive workplace encompasses celebrating similarities and differences among team members and honoring individual identities. When your company gains a reputation of having an inclusive environment, it may attract a more diverse workforce, including bilingual professionals.

3. Translate your job descriptions into both languages

Your job descriptions could interest more bilingual candidates if you write them in English and the second language you’re looking for. A primary speaker of the language you need may be more likely to find a job listing in that language.

4. Promote your job listing

Requiring candidates to have bilingual skills means you may attract a smaller candidate pool. To reach the candidates who meet your requirements, promote your job listing in multiple ways.

Consider the following when promoting your bilingual job description:

• Social media: Post your job description on your organization’s social media pages, using both languages if possible. You could also engage with local companies, organizations and groups on social media platforms that work with diverse populations.
• Paid advertisements: With paid online ads, you can target the audience who sees them. This allows you to hone in on those who speak another language fluently. Using the target language in the ad can also refine who responds.
• Employee referral program: Your current team could know professionals who speak the language. Implementing an employee referral program with an incentive for a successful hire may encourage your team to refer people with bilingual skills.
• Career website: Highlight the bilingual position on your company’s employment page to make it noticeable.

5. Partner with diverse organizations

Making connections in your community could lead you to prospective employees. Look for organizations that support diverse populations. For example, educational institutions work with diverse students who have bilingual skills. You might network with the language department to connect with students who major in the language you’re targeting.

6. Offer incentives

Offer extra incentives for people with bilingual skills. One way to do this is to offer a higher pay rate or signing bonus for candidates who speak a second language. Other perks to offer include:

• Flexible working hours
• Remote work
• Training opportunities
• Language training classes to improve fluency
• Floating holidays to accommodate diverse cultures

7. Partner with staffing agencies

A recruiting firm is another option for finding candidates with bilingual skills. Look for an agency that specializes in recruiting bilingual professionals. Even if the company doesn’t specialize in bilingual recruiting, they can sort through job seekers and share suitable candidate resumes.

8. Improve your hiring practices

Streamlining the hiring process enables you to offer a position to a candidate with bilingual skills before they find another job. Because speaking another language is a marketable skill, bilingual candidates might receive multiple offers. If you screen and interview candidates quickly, you may be better positioned to make a quick offer.

Consider the candidate experience to make a positive impression. Building a relationship early and staying in touch frequently can keep a bilingual candidate interested. Offering resources in both languages also helps candidates fully understand the role.

FAQs about bilingual skills

How do you verify bilingual skills?

Evaluating language skills during the interview process helps you determine if a candidate meets your proficiency requirements. If possible, have a bilingual employee participate in the interview. This allows you to determine if the candidate truly understands the language. You could also require computer-based language assessments to evaluate each candidate’s proficiency.

What are the challenges of hiring bilingual employees?

It’s often more challenging to find candidates who have the technical skills needed for the position and fluency in another language. However, it can be helpful to have team members who speak the desired second language and can help evaluate candidates’ skills and language proficiency.