Congratulations! You're now in Portugal! You've probably dreamed of living here someday, didn't you? Well, now that you've moved here, it's time to look for a job! Most probably you already have one, don't you? If you come from a different country, one of the very few ways you can relocate to Portugal is to get a job here. But in the off-chance that you're not employed, don't worry! Finding work here isn't as difficult as it is in other countries. In fact, you might even find it a lot easier too! Just do what you need to do to get employed!
Getting A Work Visa for Portugal
First and foremost, if you're coming from a different country to work in Portugal, you'll need the right papers. Simply getting a
Schengen Visa won't be enough, you'll need an actual work visa in order to find employment here. And the latter for such is a lot more intense and more detailed than that of the former. However, if you're coming from a fellow EU country, you won't need to apply for a work visa. Thanks to the Union's open-border system, citizens of EU countries can simply go to Portugal for work without needing much paperwork.
Going to An Employment Agency
Once you're allowed to stay in Portugal for a long period of time, it's time to find work. A great way to start is to enlist the help of an employment agency. There are tons in the country and they're eager to help those who need to get a job. The process is pretty straightforward as well. The gist of it is that you'll register yourself in the agency and rely on them to find you the right jobs that are in-line with your skills and are in your chosen field. More often than not, the positions they find are accurate!
Finding Work Online
In this day and age, however, you can pretty much find work for yourself online. In fact, it's become the norm, even here in Portugal. From popular ones like
LinkedIn and
Indeed to local sites like
SAPO Emprego and
Empregos Online, there are plenty of platforms to choose from when you need to find a job. And all you have to do is to register in any of them, upload your CV, put in more information about yourself that's not in your CV, and apply for job posts that pique your interest. If the company is interested in you, they'll send you an email and the application starts there!
Teaching English in Portugal
If you should know one thing about
Portugal's job market, it's that one of the most common jobs that foreigners go for is to teach English here. It's a surefire way to get to move to the country when other job opportunities fell through. However, just because you can speak English, that doesn't mean you can easily get accepted to teach here. You'll need to have graduated with the right BA degree and get certified by the TEFL in order to even be considered for the job. Only then can you apply for certain
international schools or language programs offer in Portugal.
Read The Newspaper
Looking for a job in the newspaper may seem too old-fashioned nowadays but here in Portugal, it really works! Prominent publications like
Correio de Manhã,
Diário de Notícias, and more have classified ads that post current job openings. And don't worry as the ones there are just as updated as those on the job-seeking websites. The only drawback you might face is that the application process, especially if you just call or send your CV via mail, might be slower than going online. Either way, this trusty old-world way of seeking employment has never really failed before.
Taking The Initiative
After all that has been said, it's important to take the initiative yourself. What does this mean, exactly? It means that you're not gonna go anywhere unless you take that first step. When all else fails, just keep applying to companies that you think you'll work well at. Even though they may not have an opening at the moment, you never know how much they'll need new personnel. And even if they choose to reject your initial application, simply by sending one, they'll know to keep an eye on your when they do post a newly opened position that you may be fit for!
Getting work in Portugal isn't as difficult as it may seem. On the contrary, there are a lot of ways in which you can seek employment here, making it virtually impossible that you'll remain unemployed for a long time!
Working in a good job in Portugal will get you one step closer to living in a
luxury home here! Don't forget that!
