Mexico has historically been a close partner to US-based businesses across many fields, custom software development services included. This cooperation has given a strong boost to the country’s economy and nurtured generations of US-oriented and highly-skilled software developers in Mexico. The country has earned a strong reputation, with its talent pool being recognized among the global leaders in cloud computing, web development, data science, and mobile development.
Mexican developers have gained recognition as exceptionally skilled experts. Geographic proximity and strong connection with the US made Mexico a prime destination for outsourcing software development projects, but there are more reasons the US tech giants hire developers in Mexico.
Why should you consider Mexican developers as potential partners for your next project and how do you select the best ones? Continue reading to find out.
The main reasons to partner with software developers in Mexico
Mexico has a long history of technological development and growth in cooperation with the US-based technology giants. Companies such as IBM, Kodak, and HP, to name a few, have been outsourcing their manufacturing operations to Mexico since the 1960s. The people who worked for these companies later moved on to become local technology leaders creating an ecosystem for technical education and employment for the local talent.
As a result, Mexico has become a major player in the Latin American ICT market, offering several major benefits to US-based clients.
Strong technical expertise and a vast talent pool
Mexican engineers demonstrate impressive performance on the global technology scene. The long history of cooperation with global technology giants has made its impact on the local talent pool, along with a strong emphasis on tech education. According to the Coursera Global Skills Report 2021, Mexico achieved exceptional rankings in various fields, with cloud computing and web development being top areas of expertise.
Furthermore, Mexico secured the second position globally for best developers in the 2022 Pentalog report. Notably, Mexican engineers claimed the top spot worldwide in C/C++ and Python programming.
Thanks to the exceptional educational opportunities provided by the government, Mexico currently boasts a talent pool of approximately 700,000 software engineers. As a result, the country has emerged as one of the primary hubs for engineering talent in Latin America.
Mexican universities produce over 130,000 computer science graduates every year. When considering graduates in math and science fields who ultimately pursue careers in technology, the number may surpass this estimate by 50% or more. It is also common to witness individuals entering the tech sector through self-guided learning. They enroll in coding classes, participate in boot camps, or engage in company training programs, ultimately finding success as software developers.
Businesses looking to hire developers in Mexico will ultimately find the local talent pool booming with the constant influx of new experts. You will also note a strong presence of seasoned and highly skilled developers with a profound experience in professional cooperation with foreign clients.
Cultural match with the US partners and English proficiency
Cultural compatibility, encompassing shared interests, understanding, and respect for differences, holds immeasurable value when establishing work relationships across geographical and temporal boundaries. The US and Mexico are deeply connected to one another both economically and culturally; there’s no denying that.
Companies of all sizes in the tech industry face intense competition in scaling their engineering and product design teams while remaining cost-efficient. The US talent market is competitive even after massive tech layoffs in 2022. To mitigate risks and accelerate growth, companies should look beyond borders when expanding their teams. In this context, it is always better to work with people who understand your culture, have shared values, are located in the same or adjacent time zones, and understand your needs.
English proficiency also plays a critical role in setting up effective cooperation between Mexican software developers and US-based companies. Mexico is ranked 51st out of 100 countries in the EF English Proficiency Index (2021) and is considered to have a "moderate proficiency" level. Numerous software engineers in Mexico possess excellent English skills, particularly those employed by international companies or involved in collaborations with clients or colleagues from other countries.
In the software development industry, English is frequently the preferred language for technical documentation, coding conventions, and project management. Consequently, engineers working in this field typically have a decent level of proficiency in English.
Read more: Nearshore software development in Mexico: market overview, key destinations, and benefits
How to select and hire the best developers in Mexico?
Many US-based tech companies have already discovered the immense value of cooperation with Mexican software developers. And if you want to establish such ties to the local talent pool, it is essential to know how you can identify and hire the very best. Obviously, it takes a systematic approach and a strong custom software development partner in the region to find the best talent and equip your project with experienced developers.
1. Find a reliable software development company in the region
It is faster and easier to hire developers in Mexico through the mediation of a reputable technology company in the region. Latin America, in general, is growing into a booming software development hub, with Mexico being the leading company in terms of the sheer number of technology companies:
The region attracts the attention of tech giants from the United States, including Apple, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. Additionally, Global companies have recognized the potential and have established their presence in Latin America. For instance, N-iX, a global software development company, has expanded to Latin America to provide its US partners with access to a pool of highly skilled talent in the region.
If you want to establish strong cooperation with software developers in Mexico, you need a vendor who has experience handling long-term projects for international clients. N-iX offers 20 years of experience working with global industry leaders such as Fluke, Gogo, Lebara, and more. With its presence in Latin America, N-iX can now draw from the region’s vast talent pool to help its clients achieve their goals faster.
Ultimately, selecting the right technology partner is the first and the most important step if you want to hire software developers in Mexico. This choice will alleviate the challenge of selecting and recruiting the right candidates for your project. A partner who does not just have access to a large talent pool but also has the experience delivering results to industry giants will be able to deliver the talent you seek.
Read more: Top software development companies in Latin America: A comprehensive review
2. Examine the experience and case studies of your potential partners
Select a partner with a strong reputation and a good portfolio. As the number of software vendors in Mexico continues to grow, the process of selecting the right one becomes increasingly complex. If you have experience outsourcing software development projects overseas, you understand the challenges of identifying a trustworthy vendor. With numerous companies making bold promises of exceptional results, speed, quality, and competitive prices, it becomes challenging to determine whom to trust.
One of the best ways to identify the best developers and vendors for your software project is to check the ranking websites such as Clutch. There you can find brief feedback from real clients and see how well the developers did on their projects. Identify the highest-ranked vendors, the ones whose experience corresponds to the needs of your project, and continue your research.
The next step of this process is to go to the websites of the selected vendors and check their case studies. Look for the success stories of clients in your industry and explore the case studies that describe similar projects. See what the developers did on that project, how they approached the client’s challenges, and how they delivered the intended results.
With that information, you will shortlist a handful of potential vendors to hire software developers in Mexico. Now you are ready to contact the developers and see what they can do to get your project up and running.
3. Select the right partner based on your needs
You have a goal and a need, and your selected vendor has to adhere to those goals and needs. Do not settle for mediocrity, choose a partner who can truly deliver on the promise, give you the talent you require, and achieve the intended results of the project with respect to your budget and timeline. Take the time to talk to the vendors you have shortlisted and explore what they have to offer.
Remember, the vendor you choose will become an integral part of your project, so it is essential to make an informed decision. During these discussions, consider the following:
- Alignment with your goals: Ensure that the vendor understands your objectives and has a clear plan to achieve them. Look for a partner who demonstrates a deep understanding of your project's purpose and can offer tailored solutions to address your specific needs.
- Talent acquisition: Assess the vendor's ability to provide the right talent for your project. Inquire about their recruitment process, expertise in sourcing skilled professionals, and track record of assembling successful teams.
- Budget and timeline adherence: Discuss your budget and project timeline upfront to ensure the vendor can work within your constraints. A reliable partner will be transparent about pricing, potential risks, and how they plan to manage the project's timeline effectively.
- Communication and collaboration: Evaluate the vendor's communication style and collaboration approach. Effective and open communication is vital for a successful partnership, so look for a vendor who values regular updates, feedback, and proactive problem-solving.
Read more: Outsourcing to Latin America: benefits, destinations, market overview
Partner with N-iX to capitalize on the Latin America talent pool
For 21, N-iX has been assisting leading enterprises and Fortune 500 companies in expanding their technical expertise and engineering capabilities. Alongside our operations across Europe, we have established an R&D center in Medellin, Colombia, and offer team extension services in Latin America. With a team of over 2,200 skilled software engineers and access to a vast talent pool in Latin America, we can scale software development teams fast to bring about your digital transformation. Here’s what we offer:
- Development center in LatAm to acquire talent from across the region.
- Presence in 25 countries across the Americas and Europe, enabling us to build distributed teams as per your requirements.
- Favorable time zone and cultural alignment, facilitating efficient collaboration with US-based clients.
- Flexible and agile IT staff augmentation services, allowing you to easily scale your team as needed and add more experts when required.
- A robust recruitment process that ensures we only hire top-notch experts.
- Seamless integration of the team at any stage of your software development life cycle.
