money matters by sylvester clemente
Want to be a more attractive job candidate? Need
to improve the financial condition of your business?
Do you want your manager to recognize you as an
“Give yourself a
employee with greater potential? There’s an easy
solution and many of you are part of the way there
‘leg-up’ in business”
already. Learn to speak Spanish.
In Europe, passably speaking two, three or more
LEARN A SECOND LANguAgE
languages is not unusual. We in California are as
close to our Mexican neighbors as anyone in Europe
is… let’s pick up on their good lead. It is not un-
usual for Europeans to move as seamlessly between
countries as we do between states. While there are
a number of ways to improve yourself profession-
ally, expanding the group of people who you can
communicate with proficiently is one of the best. It
sends a multi-faceted positive message. Being able
to communicate in another language sends the
message that you see beyond yourself, and displays
your willingness to learn new and difficult skills.
How many of us have elicited a smile from some-
one who was not expecting you to talk with them in
their native tongue? When I was young I was able
to curse as well in Spanish as I was in English. Oddly
enough it was a barrier breaker.
My father, who worked on Wall Street for 50 years,
can speak a little Mandarin. He was always received
more favorably than his non-Mandarin speaking
Chinese friends. When he and my mother traveled
to China five years ago, he said that jaws would drop
in the local markets when this six-foot tall white man
asked them a question in Mandarin.
From a professional perspective, put yourself
in the mindset as a storeowner or department
manager. If you were interviewing otherwise
equally candidates, would you hire someone who
could speak Spanish as well as English? Of course
you would. My favorite example is an immigration
attorney, John Richard Smith, born and raised in
Pennsylvania, who studied Spanish with a tutor, and
is now proficient enough to represent his clients
speaking Spanish while in court. He passed a feder-
ally administered exam allowing him to do so. His
practice has, deservedly, flourished. He is as nice as
he is competent.
Years ago, I spent a few years working in Chile and
Argentina for my former company. I was chosen,
in part, for my ability to speak Spanish…so were
the other members on the team. When we were
more quickly. If you cannot afford a tutor, there are This message is equally germane for those Spanish-
presented with a new opportunity, working with a
good resources available. However, I would strongly speaking people who have not improved their Eng-
new company, we hit the ground running. This could
suggest you consider the tutor Mele Bustamante. lish language skills sufficiently. Maybe I should not,
not have occurred if we did not speak Spanish.
For those living in San Diego, he can be reached at but I still get a chill up my spine when I am at work
It is my personal opinion that learning a Spanish is
619.313.1912. He welcomes students of all skill and Spanish-speaking coworkers cannot conjugate
best accomplished with a tutor. While it may be more
levels, and applies no pressure to hire him during a verb when both talking and writing. I judge them
expensive than books, tapes and videos, it is worth
your introductory conversation. I’m assuming that as less competent, professionally. So, give yourself a
it. This is especially true if you would like to learn it
you were brought up in an English speaking home. ‘leg-up’ in business…walk the walk and talk the talk.
56 RAGE monthly | OctOber 2009
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