Here at Kressca, we’re laser-focused on the importance of soft skills, how business works in the U.S., and what that means for Latin Americans who want to expand their horizons and improve their careers.
There are mountains of data and case studies from the U.S. that offer fascinating insights into how soft skills affect companies, teams, and workers.
Here are the top five reasons why the Kressca team is paying close attention to the United States:
1. The U.S. is the new home for about half of all Latin Americans who leave their home country
There are 40.5 million Latin American emigrants worldwide, and 20.4 million of them are in the U.S. This significant migration highlights the U.S. as a prime destination for Latin Americans seeking better opportunities, education, and a higher quality of life.
If you’re one of the several million Latin Americans planning to move to the U.S. in the next five years, Kressca’s insights into the U.S. business landscape will give you a big advantage in the marketplace.
It’s easier to make inroads as a foreign worker if you already share a background with millions of possible colleagues and employers. Having a shared cultural or educational background can create immediate connections, making it simpler to navigate the professional landscape and integrate into the workplace. This common ground can help build trust and foster collaborations, leading to more opportunities and smoother career advancement.
2. The U.S. offers massive opportunities for Latin American workers
The U.S. is huge, with astronomical levels of opportunity due to its multi-trillion-dollar GDP, business-friendly environment, and the sheer number of employers and jobs available across various industries. This vast economic landscape offers unmatched potential for growth and innovation, attracting talent from all over the world.
Since our mission is to promote career development for Latin Americans, it only makes sense that we’d put our efforts where they can bear the most fruit. By focusing on opportunities in the U.S., we can provide Latin Americans with access to a wealth of resources, networking possibilities, and career advancement prospects that can significantly impact their professional journeys and contribute to the economic progress of their communities.
3. U.S. companies have high standards for soft skills among their workers
The U.S. corporate landscape is built on critical thinking, innovation, and teamwork—all crucial soft skills that many Latin Americans struggle with. In fact, having a growth mindset is one of the most fundamental aspects of the “American Spirit.”
Because these skills are in such high demand, many U.S. companies have pioneered new methodologies for putting soft skills into practice in the workplace. For example, the agile method of working in sprints relies heavily on teamwork and collaboration. And many of the country’s biggest tech companies have unleashed incredible amounts of creativity among their workers by developing more open channels of communication.
We won’t try to tell you that the U.S. is the undisputed world leader in soft skills. Several other countries like Sweden, Denmark, Japan, Germany, and Singapore also excel in this area. But when it comes to preparing Latin American professionals for global opportunities, we believe the U.S. offers unparalleled advantages.
4. We’ve experienced it firsthand
One of our co-founders, Alicia Hall, grew up in the U.S. and spent 20 years there as a freelance user-experience architect. Based in Chicago but with clients nationwide, she’s worked with small companies, big companies, and multinational corporations across various industries, from tech to construction to higher education.
Being a freelancer exposed Alicia to lots of different teams with unique approaches and priorities, giving her a broad view of the U.S. business mindset.
Our other co-founder, Milthon Gómez, is Latin American and has 30 years of experience working with dozens of businesses throughout the region. So together, we have a pretty clear picture of how cultural and business practices across the three Americas overlap: where they’re different, what they have in common, and how to bridge the gaps.
Enjoying the Riverwalk, Chicago 2022
5. The U.S. is already pretty familiar to most Latin Americans, but…
Thanks to TV, movies, music, and social media, U.S. culture is by no means unknown in Latin America. However, there are a lot of false tropes and misconceptions that can lead you astray. Sure, there’s a lot of truth in shows like The Office and movies like The Devil Wears Prada—but if you roll into your new job expecting to be Jim Halpert (or, god forbid, Dwight Schrute), you’re going to run into trouble.
We want to break down the stereotypes and explore what it’s really like to work with U.S. businesses. We don’t want you finding out the hard way that, contrary to countless scenes in TV and movies, Americans actually do say goodbye to each other. (In fact, depending on the region, the leave-taking rituals can be pretty extensive!)
We don’t want you to find out the hard way that Americans do actually say goodbye to each other.
Conclusion
The U.S. definitely has its faults. We’d never argue otherwise (not even Alicia!). But Latin Americans who master the U.S. business mindset and approach to soft skills will unlock incredible career opportunities. These opportunities can include remote jobs or freelance work with U.S. clients. Raising your soft skills to U.S. standards can also open doors with companies in Latin America looking for world-class talent.
We hope you’ll join us as we explore soft skills, the U.S. business mindset, and Latin American workplace culture. Your future is brimming with possibilities, and we’re here to help you make the most of them.
