Talent Acquisition in Latin America: Hiring with Head and Heart

Ah, Latin America. The land of samba, tango, empanadas, and—if you’re in talent acquisition—some of the most fascinating hiring dynamics on the planet. If you're a Brazilian company stepping onto the global stage, or an international company trying to navigate the Latin American market, you’re about to learn that recruitment here isn't just about job descriptions and salary bands—it’s about heart. And sometimes, that heart can lead to, well… interesting surprises.  

Brazilian Companies Going Global: English Job Descriptions, Local Salary Realities  

So, a Brazilian company has grown organically, thrived in the local market, and now—boom!—it’s time to go international. Exciting, right? The first step? Post job descriptions in English. Sounds simple. But here’s where things get tricky.  

Once the language changes, so does the audience. Suddenly, candidates from New York, London, or Berlin see the job posting and think, “Ah, an international role! Must come with international pay!” And then, reality hits.  

Candidate: "What’s the salary range?"  

Recruiter: "R$15,000 per month."  

Candidate: "Wait… Brazilian reais or euros?"  

Recruiter: "Reais."  

Candidate: "Oh." (awkward silence, Zoom call drops mysteriously)  

See the problem? The company innocently wrote the job post in English, but they didn’t engage the intellect to think, "Hey, how will an international candidate interpret this?" The result? Disappointment. Confusion. And worst of all—damage to credibility. Because once you start attracting global talent but offering local salaries, word spreads. Fast.  

The Mindset Shift: Think Like an International Employer  

Some Brazilian companies have cracked the code. They’ve realized that hiring internationally means shifting salary benchmarks, adjusting expectations, and sometimes even modifying HR policies. This transition happens more smoothly when leadership has international experience—they understand the reality of global hiring and make the necessary adjustments. But for those still figuring it out, there’s work to do.  

Stop. Think. Before Posting That Job Description in English  

We get it. The HR manager writing the job description wants to showcase their impeccable English skills. Perfectly understandable! Learning English takes effort, investment, and a fair amount of suffering through irregular verbs. But before you hit "post" on that beautifully written, Shakespearean-level job description, hold off for just a second.   

If you’re essentially looking for local talent with decent English skills and a touch of international exposure—and you’re willing to help them grow in cultural intelligence—then post the job in Portuguese. Make it clear what level of English is required. Have policies in place to help employees evolve. And yes, you can continue offering local salaries without causing international candidates to disappear mid-Zoom call.  

The real question is: Are you actually hiring internationally, or are you just making the company look more international than it really is? Because once you flip that switch to English, the expectations shift. Think about the mid-to-long-term implications for your company’s credibility before going ahead. No right, no wrong—just decisions made with more awareness.  

International Companies Entering Latin America: Learning to Feel  

Now, let’s flip the script. What about an American, UK, or European company setting up shop in Brazil? These organizations come in with a strong intellect: structured hiring processes, data-driven decisions, clear org charts. All good things! But here’s what they don’t always come with: an understanding of culture, emotion, and community.  

Latin America thrives on relationships. People don’t just work for a paycheck; they work for connection, purpose, and (yes) the occasional three-hour lunch. So, an international company enters the scene, posts jobs, interviews candidates, and thinks, "Why is hiring taking so long? Why do candidates ghost us? Why are resignation letters three pages of heartfelt gratitude?"  

Because here, recruitment isn’t just transactional—it’s emotional. If you want to attract and retain top talent, you have to build trust, integrate into the culture, and understand that business here is as much about feeling as it is about logic.  

Talent Acquisition: More Than Just Sourcing  

At the end of the day, talent acquisition isn’t just about finding the right CVs—it’s about guiding companies through their own evolution. Whether you’re a Brazilian company becoming global or an international company adapting to Latin America, you need awareness.  

- For Brazilian companies: If you’re hiring internationally, step into the candidate’s shoes. Think about perception, salary benchmarking, and credibility before posting that job.  

- For international companies: If you’re hiring in Latin America, don’t just throw job posts on LinkedIn and hope for the best. Understand the people, the emotions, the culture.  

Recruitment is about building bridges between intellect and heart. And if you can master that? Well, congratulations—you’ve just unlocked the secret to hiring success in Latin America.