Working in Heredia

Conveniently located just 11km from San José, the proximity of Heredia to the capital and the Juan Santamaria International Airport makes it an appealing and strategically-positioned stronghold to work. It boasts excellent travel connections and has its own thriving economy thanks to the many international companies that have opened offices in the area in recent decades. This has not only created thousands of jobs for locals, and has provided the city with an influx of money, but it has also opened doors for foreign professionals who have skills that cannot be found locally.

Heredia may be one of the smaller provinces in the country, but nowadays this mini-metropolis is one of Costa Rica's most important economic centres. Its stable economy attracts a range of big businesses, and the Global Park, Ultrapark, and Free Trade Zone are home to several international companies, from IBM to Amazon.

It also has a major conference centre, which attracts businessmen and generates commerce thanks to a wide range of events, expositions, trade fairs and job fairs that are regularly held there.

While most of Heredia would be considered an urban environment, the pace of life is not as hectic as it is for its larger neighbours, and incredible nature is on the doorstep. Expats working in this area can enjoy being surrounded by towering mountains, lush rainforest, an inactive volcano (Volcán Barva in the Parque Nacional Braulio Carrillo), rivers, and expansive coffee plantations, while many of the country's tourist attractions are within relatively easy reach, and the Pacific beaches are just a short flight away.

Economy

Nicknamed La Ciudad de las Flores (the City of Flowers) after the Flores family, who were important figures in the town in the 19th century (although the wide variety of flora in the area, as well as its beautiful women, are also thought to inspire the name), this region was famed for its coffee production. Thanks to having some of the most fertile land in the country, Heredia was historically a coffee growing region, and coffee still remains vital to the local economy, providing jobs and money from exports and coffee tours.

However, the Heredian economy has transformed over the last few decades thanks to international companies opening their doors in the region. Known as the Silicone Valley of Central America, the Heredia area has become a base for technology companies, such as Intel, Microsoft and Dell; and microchips have kickstarted the country's economy and become its top export. The production and export of processors and chipsets now far exceed the export of coffee and bananas combined. This development has boosted employment in the area and has contributed to the city's newfound popularity. It is now a vibrant city in which to live, and the government consequently has had to find ways of improving public transportation in the area.

However, tech companies aren't the only contributors towards the town's economy ' other multinational corporations, such as Procter & Gamble, Accenture, Subway, Thomson Reuters and DHL, are also to thank for providing jobs to locals and foreign specialists alike.

Finding a job

There are a plethora of multinational corporations in Heredia, and the easiest way to find a job in one of them is to request a transfer from within a company. If you have specialist skills and qualifications that are difficult to find locally, it's also worth applying directly to a company of interest via their website. Being able to speak Spanish and having international experience would definitely be to your advantage.

The Heredia area has a big population in spite of its diminutive size, and within that is an https://www.expat.community that can be of help when it comes to finding a job in the city. It is, therefore, worth attending networking events and joining any relevant social media groups to connect with different people who may be able to point you in the right direction.

The internet is also a good place to start when it comes to looking for a job, and you can browse postings on job websites, such as Glass Door or CareerArc, or contact a recruitment agent directly for assistance.

Useful links:

Expat.com ' Job offers in Heredia
Heredia Gobierno Local ' Bolsa de Empleo www.heredia.go.cr
Virtual Directorios Costa Rica (Business Book) virtual.directorioscostarica.com
El Empleo www.elempleo.com
Opcion Empleo www.opcionempleo.co.cr
Buscojobs www.buscojobs.cr
Costa Rica Job Search - http://www.costaricajobsearch.com/job-location/heredia/
Coworking space in Heredia - https://www.coworker.com/costa-rica/heredia
Costa Rica ' Heredia http://www.costarica-heredia.com/