A Year in Hootsuite’s Mexico City Office with Carlos, customer support team lead

Tell us a little about yourself.

Hi! I’m Carlos. I’m originally from the city of Cancun, but I now live in Mexico City.

I’m a huge computer nerd. I like anything that has a screen and buttons. It’s fascinating how computers bring people together, how they can be made easier to use and understand, and how they can improve people’s everyday lives. Maybe this is why Hootsuite was an instant eye-catcher!

I’m also a big music fan. I write about pop music in my free time. It’s an unpopular opinion, but I think it’s a science on its own to create something apparently so simple but with such mathematical precision. We all know there’s nothing like a feel good earworm.

Describe your career path so far.

I started at Hootsuite as a customer support advocate in April 2017 when the Mexico City office opened. It’s been so great being a part of a new and growing team. As one of the first employees in this space, we were given the opportunity to put our own personal touch to the office. It’s a place I enjoy coming to work every day.

I had been working as a customer advocate until September 2017 when the position for a team lead became available, and I applied. I was nervous because no one had been in the position before in Mexico City and I’d be venturing into new territory. However, I’m very glad I took on the role! I was supported every step of the way — through all the ups and downs. I know I can rely on the people I work with to provide guidance whenever I need it, which makes me confident to take on new challenges and perform my job well.

The learning never stops at Hootsuite, and it helps to be open minded and think positively. There’s always a better way to do something and that’s a value we always consider in the work we do.

What have you done to take ownership of your career?

I’ve learned to be brave. You don’t know if things will work out if you don’t try them in the first place! What I do is study what happened before me — to learn and get inspired — and then go for it. We’re lucky to have a large amount of learning materials within the support team and at Hootsuite. We’re able to search the work of other teammates and see how they solved an issue (#WorkOutLoud!).

Seeing the creativity and cleverness of my peers when coming up with solutions has helped me build a sense of confidence: if they can do it, so can I. We really do have each other’s back.

If you fail, you’ll learn. If you succeed, you’ll gain more confidence in the decisions you make in the future.

What challenges have you faced in your career and how have you overcome them?

Working with a global team is a learning process. I’ve learned that the most important thing is good communication.

Chat and email are great tools, but sometimes you lose the humanity behind them. You have to learn to be proactive and ahead of the curve with sharing information.

What advice would you give to people who are early in their careers or new to Hootsuite?

Don’t be shy to ask for help — open communication and honesty are key. Even if you ask the wrong person, they will more often than not help you find the right person to help you with what you need.

How would you describe your learning experience at Hootsuite?

It’s constant. The learning never stops at Hootsuite, and it helps to be open minded and think positively. There’s always a better way to do something and that’s a value we always consider in the work we do.

One of my greatest learnings has happened as a result of Hootsuite’s rapid growth in Mexico City. I’ve seen the office grow from a team of five to now more than 20 people. Four times the size. In this time, we’ve had to quickly learn how to work best together. It’s been a process, but it’s great to see how the Mexico City office has evolved to where it is today.

What has been the most notable thing you’ve learned from a mentor or role model?

I’ve learned to be a champion for my team. If somebody speaks up, to listen and consider. You never know where great ideas will come from!

I’ve also learned how important well-being is for doing your best work. Sometimes there’s a lot to do, so it’s easy to feel pressured — so having fun to us is equally as important.

Overall, Hootsuite has been a fantastic opportunity full of growth and experiences. Definitely more than what I expected when I applied — and I’m so glad I did.

Interested in starting your career at Hootsuite? We’re hiring!