Country Focus: Mexico

Continuing our global series looking at recruitment markets around the world, we head to Mexico to find out more about this intriguing country and its economy. Despite a tough 2020, the outlook is brighter for 2021. 

Badly hit by the pandemic, especially during the first half of 2020 with GDP falling by 8.5% (INEGI), the country bounced back with a strong final quarter (3.1% in Q3) despite the very challenging COVID situation. “Your classical crisis touches all industries, but that wasn’t the case in Mexico, where industries such as fintech, insurtech and edutech are all thriving,” says Cédric Trantoul, Morgan Philips MD in Mexico.

Digital and tech is a sector that is thriving in Mexico with a lot of investment and venture capital being poured in to the industry. “Many companies are undergoing digital transformations, as they have had to focus on their online and e-commerce infrastructure,” says Trantoul. “We’re seeing demand for digital expertise in sectors such as FMCG and education, where e-learning is so important. SaaS, the cloud and web development are other in demand areas.”

Sales roles, particularly business development and key account manager positions are also highly sought after as are aftersales jobs such as customer service. “During every crisis you need good sales and also finance professionals. Country sales managers and finance managers are very much sought after here in Mexico – these are key skill sets that many organisations are looking for in the current marketplace,” notes Trantoul.

Take decisions

One of the challenges for hiring managers is that candidates tend to stay put in their jobs. As Trantoul explains, “Candidates are less likely to switch jobs particularly at the moment so companies need to get creative in terms of what they can offer and how they can stand out. They must really seek to understand a candidate’s motivators and the cultural fit. Candidates for their part must demonstrate excellent soft skills as well as solid technical knowledge.”

Having launched four years ago, Morgan Philips in Mexico offers an executive search service as well as hiring for more junior roles via the digitally innovative Fyte brand, where employers can make better hiring decisions using video CVs. “This is very important especially during a pandemic when recruitment is now done remotely, so hiring managers need to get a good idea of a candidate’s skills and personality,” says Trantoul.  “We’ve also launched Soorcing too, Morgan Philips’ talent sourcing platform.”

And what about the lessons learned during the past year? “The main one is that you have to take decisions, you simply can’t wait,” stresses Trantoul. “When lockdown struck on 17 March 2020, from the very next day you have to adapt. Luckily, my team can work from anywhere and be just as effective – that’s another lesson for many business leaders. For us the transition to remote working was very smooth. So it’s possible to adapt quickly and keep your business going.”

Even during difficult time when revenues might be impacted, the importance of offering a quality service though remains paramount. “If you provide a high level service to clients, you will gain their trust and I think that applies during all economic cycles. That’s very much our ethos at Morgan Philips and we apply it consistently. I’m very grateful to my team for all their hard work – we’re certainly keeping a positive mindset in 2021.”

Morgan Philips in Mexico – how we can help your organisation