Hiring in Latin America: How Much Samba Do You Need in Your Step?

So, you’ve decided to hire in Latin America. Maybe you’re a Brazilian company going global, or an international company looking to add some Latin spice to your workforce. Either way, you’re about to enter a world where hiring isn’t just about checking LinkedIn profiles—it’s about language, culture, and figuring out just how much poetry and samba your new hires need to understand.  

Let’s break it down.  

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Brazilian Companies Going Global: How Much Portuguese (and Soul) Do You Need?  

Brazilian companies expanding internationally are quickly realizing that they need to be crystal clear on what they expect from international hires. It’s one thing to hire someone who can say "Bom dia!" without butchering it; it’s another thing entirely to expect them to read legal contracts in Portuguese or appreciate the poetry of Vinicius de Moraes (Hint: If you think this is a soccer player, you might not be the right hire).  

So, when you start hiring internationally, ask yourself:  

1. Language Skills:  

   - Do you need someone who can casually drop a “beleza” in meetings, or someone who can decode corporate emails where the subject line says “URGENTE,” but the email itself is just a friendly request for coffee?  

   - Is it okay if they use Google Translate for internal memos, or do they need to argue about comma placement in Portuguese?  

2. Cultural Fluency:  

   - Do they need to understand that a “15-minute meeting” in Brazil is more like a relaxed 45-minute chat with occasional detours into football and weekend plans?  

   - Are you hiring someone who can feel Brazil, or just work with it?  

3. Bilingual Company Expectations:  

   - How bilingual is your company, really? If all official documents, Slack messages, and inside jokes are in Portuguese, you can’t expect an international hire to assimilate overnight (or at all).  

   - If meetings randomly switch from English to Portuguese to “Portuñol” (the infamous Spanish-Portuguese mix), does your new hire need to keep up?  

The key is clarity. If you expect international hires to adapt deeply to Brazilian culture, then provide support—language training, cultural onboarding, and maybe a crash course in feijoada appreciation.  

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International Companies Hiring in Latin America: Do You Feel the Rhythm?  

Now, let’s flip the script. If you’re an American or Western European company expanding into Latin America, you need to ask a different question:  

"Are we building a physical presence, or are we just hiring remotely?"  

Because the answer to this changes everything.  

Option 1: Physical Presence – Welcome to the Wild Ride  

If you’re opening an office in São Paulo, Buenos Aires, or Bogotá, congratulations! You’re about to discover that Latin America operates on both intellect and emotion. Your company’s hiring strategy can’t be purely transactional—it has to embrace the vibrancy of the region.  

What does this vibrancy look like?  

- Meetings might start late but end with hugs.  

- Lunchtime is sacred. (No, really. You can’t schedule a meeting at 12:30 and expect people to be happy about it.)  

- Your new hires might actually care about the company, which, let’s be honest, is refreshing if you’re used to certain corporate cultures where employees would trade their office chair for a new job.  

Option 2: Remote-Only – The Digital Nomad Dream?  

If you’re hiring Latin American talent remotely, you still get the vibrancy, but with fewer logistics. However, here’s the twist—Latin Americans are used to building relationships at work. If your company culture is just about logging in, doing tasks, and logging out, you might find that engagement levels drop.  

So, ask yourself:  

- How do you integrate Latin American hires into your company’s culture?  

- Are you providing space for collaboration and connection, or is it just a lonely Slack channel?  

- If you’re hiring Latinos, are you ready for team meetings that might feature the occasional reggaeton playing in the background?  

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Hiring Latin Americans: It’s Not Just Business, It’s Energy  

Hiring in Latin America isn’t just about filling roles. It’s about bringing in talent that adds life to your organization. Latin Americans bring enthusiasm, warmth, and a level of engagement that can’t be measured in KPIs. It’s a professional saudade—a longing to belong, to create, to be part of something bigger than a job title.  

If you’re an international company, are you ready to embrace that?  

If you’re a Brazilian company going global, do you know how much of your own magic you expect your international hires to absorb?  

Because at the end of the day, talent acquisition isn’t just about checking boxes. It’s about hiring people who bring something extra. And in Latin America, that something extra might just be the secret ingredient your company needs.