By America Guzman
We all learned a lot from COVID-19. More specifically, businesses learned about a remote work force and began looking abroad for English-speaking talent. This led to a surge in nearshoring in Latin America.
For those that don’t know, the concept of nearshoring is hiring someone outside your company, most likely, not in your country, but close to home. For example, hiring someone in Mexico or Latin America. There are many benefits to ‘nearshoring’ including similar time zones, cultural nuances and inexpensive labor (less expensive).
For this reason, Mexico and Latin America has become a hot-bed for English-speakers. As an English-speaker living in Mexico or other Latin American country, the sky is the limit and your salary has no limit. Speaking english and having professional skills in a nearshore country can double or triple the salary of non-English speakers and the opportunities are growing.
For a quick glimpse into this idea, we’ve highlighted a few of the careers which show a strong contrast in salary ranges. All salaries below are listed in Mexican Pesos and salary is per month.
| Position | Non-English Speaking | English speaking |
| Sales Professional | 16,000 MXN – 18,000 MXN | 30,000 MXN + |
| Social Media Coordinator | 16,000 MXN – 22,000 MXN | 30,000 MXN – 40,000 MXN |
| Software Developer (fullstack) | 40,000 MXN – 50,000 MXN | 80,000 MXN – 120,000 MXN |
As the chart indicates, there is a drastic difference in the income you can make as an English-speaker living in Latin America.
Rather than point out the contrasts and not offer a solution, we’ve created a list of the top 5 ways to improve your English skills and become a highly paid professional in Latin America.
- Get surrounded by native speakers
Having friends and family from the States, or any English-speaking country, is a huge plus for someone who’s trying to learn. Book knowledge is important, but being able to practice your speaking skills makes the difference. By being close to native speakers, you’ll expand your vocabulary and feel more comfortable in real life scenarios.
- Watch movies and tv shows in English
This is probably one of the most entertaining ways of improving your set of skills. You can try 2 different methods and play with them. If you are not so good with the listening part, you can always start with audio and subtitles in English. After getting used to it, removing the subtitles will help you focus on what you’re listening and, without notice, your brain will do the job on its own. It might take a couple weeks to master this, but it will be completely worth it.
- Music, your best friend
For many years, I’ve heard tons of people telling their story. How they started learning English through music. Amazing, isn’t it? Imagine learning without even trying!! You can listen to your favorite song, over and over again, until you get familiarized with the pronunciation of every word. Then just google it, and understand what you’ve been singing for hours. It’s a bit outside the box, but it’s worked for so many people around the world. Don’t ever underestimate the power of music!
- Change the language on your computer and mobile
This might sound a little too simple or even pointless, but it’s a way of forcing yourself to use the language. You either learn or you won’t be able to use your devices. Technology is a huge part of our lives, so getting used to its idioms it’s a great way to start.
- Start thinking in English
What is this supposed to mean? One of the most common mistakes is thinking in your native language and then trying to translate it. We need to understand that every language is different, and the same rules won’t apply to English.
After introducing all these new activities to your daily life, just make sure to keep practicing. Be patient with yourself and open to get some feedback once in a while.
