How important is reading/speaking spanish to LATAM EM trading?

For EM trading in NYC, how important is speaking/reading the local language? If you only speak English, how is your career affected?

277 WSO Academy Sales & Trading Session Reviews: 4.86/5

Class of '28 Aug 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

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“John listened before giving advice. I told him I had accepted an offer at Bank of America but was still interested in JLL and Wellington. Instead of telling me what to do, he asked what I wanted from my career and helped me think about which path would give me more options. I also liked that he was honest about what he knew and didn’t know. He gave me a clear reason to keep working toward JLL, while reminding me that Bank of America was still a good place to start. When I practiced my interview answer, he told me what worked and gave me one simple way to improve it. That made the feedback easy to use. Most of all, John made me feel less stressed about figuring everything out right now. He offered to help with a mock interview too, which meant a lot to me. ”

Class of '28 Apr 2026 Cohort

5.00/5

Sales & Trading Mock Interview

“The mentor provided extremely detailed and thoughtful feedback throughout our session. What I appreciated most was that the advice was not generic. He took the time to understand my background, past experiences, and the specific roles I am currently recruiting for, and then tailored his suggestions accordingly. He also connected many of his recommendations to his own professional background and experiences, which made the feedback much more practical and credible. Instead of simply telling me what to change, he explained why certain answers or approaches would be more effective and how an interviewer might interpret them. He also shared specific examples from his own experience to illustrate his points. I came away from the session with a much clearer understanding of both my strengths and the areas I should improve, as well as several concrete ways to strengthen my interview preparation. Overall, the session was extremely helpful, personalized, and actionable, and I would definitely work with him again.”

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4 Comments

dv0123

ST

8y

depends on the desk, some require it others do not

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Authored by: Certified Sales & Trading Professional - NACertified Sales & Trading Pro

powerforward1

ST

8y

say EM rates trading? I imagine you need to read CB statments/listen to finance minister's talking about trade?

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Authored by: Certified Sales & Trading Professional - Investment AnalystCertified Sales & Trading Pro

000killa

HF

8y

A buddy of mine has been on the EM rates desk for quite some time and English is the only language he speaks/reads. With that said, I do not think it is necessary per se.

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Authored by: Certified Hedge Fund Professional - TraderCertified Hedge Fund Pro

powerforward1

ST

8y

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Authored by: Certified Sales & Trading Professional - Investment AnalystCertified Sales & Trading Pro

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How important is reading/speaking spanish to LATAM EM trading?

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How important is reading/speaking spanish to LATAM EM trading?

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