Retailers are looking to Spanish-speaking employees to help them tap into the increasing buying power of Hispanics. They note that studies have shown Hispanics will have $1 trillion in annual purchasing power in the United States by 2008; by 2050, Hispanics will constitute 25 percent of the national workforce.

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retail chain, has increased its efforts to recruit Hispanic employees in recent years. At the end of 2004, the Bentonville, Ark.-based company had 128,000 Hispanic workers in the United States, or roughly 10 percent of its 1.2 million employees.

"Because we have a very diverse customer base, we certainly believe our associate base should mirror that as closely as possible," spokeswoman Linda Blakley said. "By doing so, we gain insight into the needs and product preferences of this segment of our customer base and are able to deliver stronger customer service."

Wal-Mart also offers products geared toward Hispanics at stores in predominantly Hispanic communities. Items include different brands of flour, refried beans and health and beauty aids.

Last week, Home Depot, the Atlanta-based chain of 1,890 stores, said it would partner with four national Hispanic organizations to recruit more Spanish-speaking workers for its workforce of 325,000.

Hispanic advocacy groups and economists say the efforts not only make retailers more diverse, but also can help boost sales by appealing more to Hispanic customers.

"It's a particularly wise move. It makes you relevant to Hispanics both as a place to buy products and a place to seek employment," said Jeffrey Humph-

reys, who studies minority buying power as director of the Selig Center at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business.

Major retailers realize that some Hispanic customers might become frustrated and leave a store if they can't communicate in Spanish with employees, said Barbara Serret, a Hispanic human resources manager at a Home Depot in Miami where about 30 percent of the store's 207 employees are Hispanic.

"Having bilingual employees to help them, you can sell the whole package," Serret said.

Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores Inc. and Seattle-based Nordstrom Inc. have both worked with some of the same national Hispanic organizations that Home Depot is working with on its recruitment efforts.

Federated, owner of chains including Macy's and Bloomingdale's, began a partnership with the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility within the past year. The program, while new, is going well, spokeswoman Jean Coggan said, though she would not release a breakdown of the number of Hispanics hired by the company, which has 110,000 employees.

"We have seen steady growth in the Hispanic representation among our employees, both at the management and sales associate level," Coggan said.

Clothing chain Nordstrom has been actively recruiting Hispanic employees through partnerships.

Alfonso Martinez of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility said that besides retailers, major automakers such as General Motors and Ford also are offering scholarships for Hispanic college students and working with hundreds of schools to recruit Hispanic graduates for employment.

"Corporate America is playing catch up to the Hispanic market boon," Humphreys said. "That boon wasn't realized until the 2000 Census, which showed Hispanics' share of the population and buying power was bigger than most everyone had imagined."