Career Planning for Tomorrow’s Hispanic Workforce by Tom Kadala, ResearchPays Inc May 2008
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Opinion: Job Seekers will favor Hispanic-friendly Employers

Much has been written to help corporate leaders prepare their companies to leverage emerging Hispanic market opportunities, but what about their career-minded executives who need to remain employed for years to come? What can they do to ensure that their skill sets are best aligned with the changing needs and requirements of a more diversified workforce? In essence, what can executives do today to further advance their careers in the next 5 to 10 years?

According to PEW Hispanic Center (www.pewhispanic.org), 47 million Hispanics currently live in the US and by 2050 their numbers are expected to reach 129 million. In addition, the Census Bureau states that in the next 20 years over 78 million baby-boomers will retire, vacating over 35 million job positions. Unless Congress takes action, the White House acknowledges that for every six pensioners only one wage owner will be available to support their monthly payments by 2030.

These statistics suggest that the American labor force may be headed for a severe case of underemployment where the talent pool needed to fill key positions may become insufficient. That may be bad news for the retiring baby boomers who rely on wage earners to support their pensions, but it does open a window of opportunity for experienced executives. Companies looking to fill entry level positions with Hispanic candidates will need plenty of assistance to properly welcome, manage, leverage, and retain this burgeoning workforce estimated to surpass 27 million by 2016. How then can executives prepare to make themselves more marketable to an employer?

First and foremost, career-minded executives should favor companies that are seriously preparing their rank and file to absorb a younger Hispanic talent pool. Key initiatives to identify should include comprehensive training programs taught by qualified instructors who have experience teaching Hispanics, mentorship programs designed to move Hispanic candidates up the corporate ladder, and meaningful scholarship funding efforts with local Hispanic non-profit organizations.

In the meantime, executives should consider brushing up on Spanish culture by traveling to Central or South America. Sampling local Hispanic dishes, listening to local music, and watching local television programs are all good ways to start. If traveling is out of the question, one can still gain a similar experience by getting involved with non-profit organizations that serve Hispanic neighborhoods such as the Boys and Girls Club of America.

Just think! The young Hispanics that you may one day be asked to manage or train, are probably living right around the corner from you today. Learning to mingle with them now, while they are still young, could teach you language and cultural skills that can be applied in the workplace for years to come; hence, helping you become a more desirable candidate.

Tom Kadala is the president of ResearchPAYS, Inc., a strategic business consulting firm dedicated to the development and expansion of Hispanic consumer markets.

Email: tom@researchpays.net
Company Profile: ResearchPays Inc
Blog: Tom Kadala on the Hispanic Consumer
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