Recruiting Latino Professionals

Many companies in Central Ohio are starting to realize the importance of employing a workforce that reflects the face of America today at all levels of the organization. However, many companies are finding that attracting and hiring management level Latinos can be a challenge because of availability and geography.

Here are some suggestions that may assist you in recruiting and retaining Latino professionals.

• Start Networking within the Latino Community. Increase your companies brand recognition in the community by participating in organizations like the Latino Empowerment Outreach Network (LEON) or the Columbus Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, etc.
• Expand Your Time-to-Hire Expectation. Hiring managers may need more time to recruit than a typical post on the 1st hire by the 15th scenario.
• Place Ads, Job Postings with Websites or Newspapers that target your specific audience. Seek media outlets that reach your target demographic. Consider incorporating elements of Latino culture in your marketing literature/job postings.
• Understand Cultural Differences. Cultural differences, which range from communication styles to views of time and priorities, affect how these candidates present themselves in interviews. This is especially important when evaluating work history. Latinos are highly recruited and as such may move more quickly than other demographics from one position to another for reasons other than nonperformance or workplace non compatibility.
• Be careful how you use terminology. Definitions and usage of words and colloquialisms vary greatly among the various Latin American countries. An acceptable term in one region could have a completely different meaning in another.