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HR and talent acquisition leaders in the tech industry ought to keep their eyes on Latin America, a region ripe with growing tech talent. And sourcing in the region may have gotten a bit easier.
Austin-based Howdy.com, a tech sourcing startup working with US companies to grow IT and tech teams in Latin America, acquired Brazilian-based talent marketplace GeekHunter in August.
The move adds another 400,000 registered candidates to Howdy.com’s platform from Brazil, though the brands will remain separate in Brazil and the rest of Latin America. The acquisition will allow the companies to share resources, according to a news release.
“Companies looking to hire qualified, exceptional engineers for their teams now have one of the largest collections of talent to choose from,” Howdy.com CEO and founder Jacqueline Samira said in a news release. “LATAM has proven to have some of the most reliable and technically sound software engineers in the world…The acquisition of GeekHunter is a pivotal step in powering business growth and creating more opportunity for our businesses and customers.”
Zoom out. As more companies demand employees skilled in AI and machine learning, Latin American nearshoring is growing as a viable option for employers looking to hire tech talent.
Despite the notable tech layoffs that dominated headlines last year and in the first half of 2023, the labor market for tech workers hasn’t been as dreary as predicted.
And the demand for tech workers is boosted by need in non-tech sectors; traditional companies are still competing with belt-tightening tech firms for talent.
Marcelo Tribuj, founder and CEO at Truelogic Software, wrote for Forbes earlier this year that tech jobs and funding have grown in Latin America and the region is proving to be an excellent opportunity for companies to source tech and IT workers.
“Latin America has been quick to meet the growing demand, becoming a leading provider of highly skilled tech talents and allowing businesses to stay at the forefront of the tech industry,” he wrote.
Tribuj pointed to benefits companies may find in nearshoring to Latin American, “similar time zones, fewer language barriers, and similar cultural norms.”
The region also boasts a number of high-ranking educational programs.