The Portuguese captain Cristiano Ronaldo is currently the world’s highest paid footballer, earning £11m a season at Real Madrid. Unfortunately, Ronaldo’s earning power isn’t reflective of the average Portuguese. Portugal’s economy is one of the worst in the Eurozone. Along with Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain, it is considered to be most at risk of defaulting on it’s debts. With unemployment levels reaching 10% and the government making savage economic cuts, finding work in Portugal is a difficult process.
That’s not to say Portugal is a fruitless destination for graduates. While long term employment may be tricky, it does provide opportunities for ventures which can boost your CV and help you stand out to employers.
Volunteering is a great way to experience another culture and learn new skills to put on your CV. The Canadian Alliance for Development offer a range of short term opportunities for volunteering projects for 18-30 year olds throughout the summer, giving you the opportunity to gain insight into the rural Portuguese landscape and way of life while at the same time give something back to the community. Please note that these schemes aren’t free and there will be costs involved.
Another way to make yourself stand out is to learn a language. With businesses becoming increasingly multinational, language skills are much sought after by employers. CESA are an organisation offering courses designed to give you the chance to learn Portuguese by immersing yourself into Portuguese culture. The length of the courses vary and are located in either Lisbon or Faro. Again, these schemes aren’t free and there will be costs involved.
The organisations mentioned above are examples of many that offer opportunities that will help you to increase your employability and learn about Portuguese culture. Others and further information on volunteering or travelling abroad can be found on our Careers Tagged website
Robin Stone – Client Service Officer
