The workforce market is changing. With the accelerated globalization and less restriction at the borders, there is an increasing need of bilingual people in large and small companies. For example, according to statistics, there are over 55 million Hispanic people in the US (data valid for 2014) and the numbers are growing. So if you own a small business in the US, you may have to deal with Hispanic customers at some point.

But they are not the only ones and the US is not the only country that deals with this issue. People are traveling for work or for pleasure creating a mixture of languages and cultural traditions. This also creates opportunities for local businesses, but in order to benefit from them, you will need to hire the right people. So, how do you find and convince talented bilinguals that your company is the right place for them?

Go to the professionals

The easiest way is to hire HR professionals specialized in finding talented bilinguals. Even though this means an increased cost for your company, it is compensated by the fact that your current employees won’t be losing time screening and interviewing. You will only get to interview the final possible candidates and this simplifies the process.

However, specialists are not always recommended. You should go to an HR agency if:

• You don’t have the time or resources for this task
• You need to find professionals with high-quality background in the niche
• There is no one in your company speaking the language you want to hire for fluently

For instance, if you are a US company looking to hire a person fluent in Dutch, the hiring manager should also be fluent in this language. It is actually an ideal situation where at least another person in your company has knowledge about the language. However, in this situation, it’s best to call professionals to help you hire the best candidate.

Be present

Have you ever heard of no-name companies hiring the best in the industry? No, this is simply not done! The best will also want to work with big names or, at least, with companies that have a powerful presence.

To attract the best bilingual employees, you’ll have to be present in the daily runs of your niche. Of course, not all companies can be Google or Facebook, but here’s what you can do:

• Keep an updated blog that attracts readers from your niche
• Don’t forget about social media – it will keep you right in the middle of things
• Don’t forget about traditional media – if your company’s name shows in publications like Huffington Post or the NY Times then you’re set.

This way, when you will want to hire the best, they will know who you are. They will know your company values and they will be more inclined to accept your invitation.

Show you can help them develop

The best in the niche always thrive for more. Are you prepared to support their development? Then show them that. Promote your work environment on social media and other channels and show possible candidates how fun and fulfilling is to work for you.

You can create a special offer for bilingual employees for instance. This offer could include further language specialization or training in management or marketing. Even as a small business, there are ways to make sure your employees are happy with the work they do.

Don’t be afraid to approach the best

As a small business, you may be tempted to skip inviting the best of the best. Still, the fact that your business can grow in countless ways can be a challenge for someone who’s already been in several corporations.

So, don’t be afraid to approach the best bilingual professionals – they may actually want a change of pace.

Create an ingenious recruitment campaign

If you’re not an authority in the niche, you can always create an ingenious campaign that will attract people’s attention. First of all, you need to identify where bilingual people are in the city (or country) and go there. Next, use graphic materials or talented marketing people to promote your recruitment campaign directly to the people you want.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter if you are a small business or a large corporation. The best bilinguals will come on board if you make the effort to attract them.