How to look for work in Mexico City

Tools:

Mexico's dynamic economy offers opening for specific talents in a variety of fields, but job searches can still be challenging for foreigners. Even if foreigners find a job, many jobs offer a lower salary then may be found in other countries. Many foreigners who come to Mexico seeking to live and work here do so for lifestyle or personal reasons instead of the move being part of a professional career plan. As a result, they are content accepting lower pay and less favorable conditions in comparison to those offered in their home country. The people that have the least amount of trouble finding work are highly experienced in a specialist field and have a sponsor (company) in Mexico offering a contract.

To find a job in México City networking and contacts are still very important. Who you know can lead to work sooner than what you know. More companies are hiring new people on an independent basis to gauge the person's capabilities before committing to a payroll contract. Because of the way in which the socioeconomic model of the country is structured, having a professional diploma and being bi-lingual (Spanish and English) are essential qualities if you want a career in the modern Mexican workplace.

When looking at job offerings, search for "Visa Sponsor" to find companies that are interested in aiding in the Visa process. Several search sites offer a variety of opportunities working in México City: www.workcircle.com/jobs/mexico-city, http://mexicocity.en.craigslist.com.mx, http://mexico.jobs.monster.com/, or www.learn4good.com/jobs.

Teaching English in México City is one of the easiest jobs for a English speaker to get. There is a large market for English language skills, from very young children to university students and business people, that there are always job openings in eh field. The amount an English teacher earns depends on your scheduling and interests. You can either work for a school and have a steady income, or you can other offer private classes and organize your schedule just as you want.

The highest paying schools are The American School and Greengates. The American School tends to hire teachers from the U.S., while Greengates tends to hire people from England. Both schools may give you a rent allowance and even pay for a trip or two back home if you get a job before you move to Mexico. After spending some time in Mexico, even at these high-paying schools, you may no longer be eligible for the same pay package. Still, even if wages are lowered over time, the schools pay well. Both schools hire only highly qualified staff and may be difficult places to begin teaching if you lack experience or if you do not have some form of certification. The American School prefers teachers who already hold master's degrees in teaching English, but they offer an on-site master's program for teachers who would like to complete their degree while working.

Many different programs offer certification to teach English and some have placement programs within México City.

Some websites to try are:

There are also a variety of board that post English teaching jobs: www.linguistic-funland.com, www.teachabroad.com, and http://www.eslcafe.com/.

To get any job in México City, applicants should have a "résumé", often called a "CV" outside of North America. The resume lays out work experience, education, and skills and should be accompanied a personal cover letter. The cover letter should be brief in introducing the applicant and why they are applying to the job. Make sure to note the title of the person being addressed as titles and status are important. In Mexico, the résumé can be extremely lengthy to articulate the kind of person the applicant is as personality can be just as important as skills. A long resume is a personal tool used to allow the employer to better understand the job seeker.

A sample resume should resemble something of this format:

Contact Information: Relevant personal contact information at the top of the page including:
name
phone number
fax number
address
email address
Personal information is always listed. Most employers will hire an employee based on personal chemistry. Job vacancy notices in Mexico will ask specifically for employees in of a certain age, marital status, and gender. In most cases, the résumé should include this kind of information. Place and date of birth are commonly included, as well. It is very common for resumes to include a photograph.

Professional Experience: Usually this information is listed chronologically. List your work experience with:
your title
the name of the company you worked for
the dates of your employment
a brief description of your achievements in that job

Education: This section should come before work experience if you are in school or have been out of school for one to three years, depending on your level of work experience and how relevant your education is to your career. In Mexico, education is highly valued. Candidates should explain, in detail, their college activities, including awards and descriptions of all courses and training sessions

Certificates & Diplomas: Courses, seminars, congresses or conferences that are relevant in relation to the position. Long or prestigious courses are also interesting. Point out a course's duration in hours. List these in a chronologically inverse order.

Languages: Since this may be relevant to an international job, you should list which languages you speak and your level: advanced, intermediate or beginner. Point out if you can translate, speak, or write in each language and list any associated degrees. If you are submitting your resume in Spanish, be sure to have a native speaker read it first. Punctuation and grammar can make the difference.

Computer Skills: Programs, applications, word processing, database, Internet, etc.

Recommendations: Status is very important in Mexico. When asked for references, list those who have the most impressive titles or positions. Beware of calling a man Señor instead of Ingeniero or Licenciado. Copy your correspondent's name and title exactly as printed on his or her business card, letter head, or company information.

General Tips:

  • Print original copies on high quality paper - don't send photocopies.
  • Be neat: take care with the presentation, design, spaces, and spelling of your resume. Don't use abbreviations. Emphasize sections and things that are important with underlines or bold type.
  • Make sure your resume is as organized as possible, so the information can be found easily.
  • You do not need to date or sign your resume.
  • Have a base resume that you can adjust to each job you are applying for.
  • Attach a cover letter with the resume.
  • If you are still having trouble, here are some more tips and examples:
    http://www.goinglobal.com/hot_topics/

    Update 6/09/2008


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