Finding a Job in Portugal

Your search for employment may begin in the UK, by scouring papers such as the Times Educational Supplement, the Guardian Education section, for teaching positions, or by contacting organisations dealing solely with jobs abroad, again often advertised in journals. If, on the other hand, you have already landed in Portugal and have decided to try your luck, the following suggestions may help your search:

• English periodicals such as The News, APN, Algarve Resident, wherein you will find a selection of jobs from teaching to secretarial, to advertising and sales.
• Portuguese journals such as Diario de Noticias, Correio da Manha; of course the majority of these jobs will be for Portuguese companies, with some multinationals or language schools also advertising.
• Job agencies, especially in the larger cities you may find multinational agencies, such as Manpower in Lisbon (www.manpower.pt), who act just as they would in the UK, so it's a good idea to have copies of CVs and references, and make a personal contact if possible. More than anything they will have an abundance of secretarial work. You will also find smaller agencies locally in the Algarve .
• `On spec' enquiries - you can try hawking your wares, by writing on spec to hotels/businesses/organisations, asking about potential work; try to follow this up with a meeting with the manager (gerente) or (director/ a), as often letters tend to be pushed aside initially.
• Asking around - be prepared to use up a bit of shoe leather and have the nerve to ask on the spot for work. This can often be effective with manual labour. Use any contacts you have and get them to ask around for you as well.
• Place ads yourself - in papers, bar noticeboards, in shops and so on.
• Portuguese job centres (centro de emprego) - most towns have an office, operating in a similar way to UK-run ones, with job ads on notice boards and clerks to help you. It is difficult if you speak no Portuguese, but you may at least get a few ideas and some advice on training possibilities. The local/regional telephone directory will list your nearest centre, or your cdmara will be able to inform you. There are Regional Delegations (Delegacdo Regional) in:

- Algarve (Faro) Tel: 289-890-100

- Alentejo (Evora) Tel: 266-760-500

- Lisbon/Vale do Tejo ( Lisbon) Tel: 213-307-400

- Centro (Coimbra) Tel: 239-860-800

- Norte (Porto) Tel: 226-159-200