In our latest Tech Teams Today episode, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Raif Rahal, Partner at World Supply International, to discuss one of the most critical topics facing engineering leaders today: how to scale teams effectively with nearshore talent. Raif’s journey—from working with high-growth startups to spearheading the expansion of engineering teams across Latin America—offers a treasure trove of insights for any leader looking to navigate the complexities of global hiring.
Here are some of the key takeaways from our conversation that stood out to me:
1. Cultural Alignment is Key to Success
One of the most compelling points Raif made was how cultural alignment played a crucial role in their decision to hire engineers from Brazil. It's not just about finding talent; it's about finding talent that fits your organization’s values and work style. Brazil's cultural alignment made it easier for Raif's team to integrate Brazilian engineers into their workflows seamlessly.
2. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Nearshoring
Raif's story reaffirms what we’ve been seeing more frequently: nearshoring isn’t just a backup plan—it’s a strategic advantage. By hiring teams in Latin America, Raif was able to tap into highly skilled engineers while avoiding the logistical hurdles often associated with offshoring talent in distant time zones.
The proximity of Brazil and other Latin American countries to the U.S. allows for same-day communication and fewer delays, which is critical for teams that need to iterate quickly. It’s a reminder that when you need to scale fast, nearshoring provides the right balance of quality, cost efficiency, and operational flexibility.
3. Hiring Internationally Requires Operational Readiness
One of the most candid parts of our conversation was when Raif shared how his team had to refine their operational processes to make international hiring work. From setting clear compensation benchmarks to ensuring compliance with local labor laws, international hiring requires a thoughtful approach.
Raif explained how their initial efforts were more trial and error—working through compliance issues and defining contractor agreements in Brazil. This is something I think all leaders should take note of. Having the right operational framework in place is just as important as finding the right talent. Without it, scaling can quickly become chaotic.
With Revelo, Raif wouldn’t have had to handle all of the work of building that operational framework himself. Revelo’s platform makes it easy to navigate compliance, contracts, and compensation, helping leaders focus more on growing their teams rather than getting bogged down in operational details.
4. Building Relationships with Leadership is Crucial
Raif also emphasized the importance of building strong, transparent relationships with leadership—especially when proposing new hiring strategies like nearshoring. His approach was to spend time understanding the pain points of his engineering leaders and offering solutions that aligned with the company’s broader goals.
For Raif, this meant demonstrating the quality of talent in Brazil and showing that, with the right hiring processes, Latin American developers could match the performance of U.S.-based engineers. His advice for fostering productive relationships with leadership? It all comes down to transparency, open communication, and a shared understanding of your goals.
5. Prepare Candidates for Success
One of the more surprising challenges Raif faced when hiring from Brazil was the difference in how engineers approach interviews. He noticed that Brazilian candidates, though highly skilled, often struggled in interviews designed for U.S. candidates. They were more prone to becoming flustered or not showcasing their full potential because they were unfamiliar with the U.S. interview style.
Raif’s solution was simple but effective: better candidate preparation. By giving candidates a clearer understanding of what to expect and coaching them on the interview process, they were able to see a marked improvement in interview performance. This is a crucial point for any company hiring internationally—success starts with setting up your candidates for success.
6. Balancing Compensation and Talent
A final point Raif made that I found particularly valuable was the importance of setting fair and competitive compensation policies for international hires. Raif stressed that while they didn’t pay Silicon Valley-level salaries in Brazil, they did ensure they were offering top-of-market pay for Brazil, which helped them attract and retain top talent.
This balance—paying competitive local rates while maintaining fairness—was key to keeping employees motivated and engaged for the long term. It’s a reminder that compensation isn’t just about numbers; it’s about creating a value proposition that resonates with talent in different markets.
Conclusion: The Future of Hiring is Global
My conversation with Raif only confirmed what we at Revelo have been championing for a while now: the future of hiring is global, and nearshore talent is an incredibly valuable resource for companies looking to scale their engineering teams.
By strategically tapping into the talent pools in Latin America, companies can not only overcome local talent shortages but also benefit from closer time zone alignment, cultural compatibility, and cost efficiencies. Raif’s success at scaling his team with Brazilian engineers is a testament to the potential that nearshore hiring holds.
If you're an engineering leader facing the challenge of scaling your team quickly without sacrificing quality, I encourage you to explore nearshoring. And if you haven’t already, tune in to our full conversation on Tech Teams Today—now available on all major podcast platforms.
Listen to the full episode on Spotify.
Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts.
Watch the full episode on YouTube.
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