Finding a Job

Writing a Portuguese CV and preparing for an interview in Portuguese

Be successful in finding employment in Portugal with this guide that talks you through the nuances of writing a Portuguese CV and cover letter, with the aim of preparing for an interview in Portuguese.

Portuguese CV
writer

By Expatica

Updated 9-1-2024

You’ve taken the decision to look for employment in Portugal, hats off to you. This is a choice many expats make when choosing to relocate abroad. This guide offers support on your search for job vacancies in Portugal and helps you prepare for interviews in Portuguese.

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Applying for jobs in Portugal? Learn how to tailor your CV for the local job market and make it stand out from the crowd with a little help from TopCV. Their CV experts are on hand to provide a free, confidential review to help you make your resume shine and you land you an interview.

Portuguese CV guide

The Portuguese job market has been struggling since the global financial crisis in 2008. Although some reform has taken place, it can still be challenging finding employment in Portugal. Jobs remain scarce, with unemployment rates currently recorded at 10.2% overall, and over 25% for under 25s.

This tough economic climate makes the challenge harder for foreigners wanting to find jobs in Portugal with fierce competition from locals. Thankfully, there are still opportunities for foreign workers; however, having a good understanding of spoken and written English and Portuguese, as well as other European languages, is a distinct advantage. Furthermore, having a good grasp of the Portuguese job application process and presenting your application and yourself in a way that Portuguese employers expect will help ensure you come across in the right way to potential employers.

Writing a Portuguese CV

For most jobs, you should submit either a Portuguese CV or English CV, along with a cover letter. Although, if you’re applying to work for a multi-national company they may accept job applications in other foreign languages. Alongside the Portuguese CV, business culture in Portugal is likely to differ from that of your home country. You can also check your CV with TopCV who will help you on your way to finding that perfect job.

Also, adhering to the typical Portuguese structure of a CV, as well as the Portuguese language will ensure you have all the important and relevant information contained in your Portuguese CV, to give it a greater chance of being considered for an interview.

As a rule, a CV in Portugal will run in reverse chronological order and can be two to three pages long.

Portuguese CV structure

  • Include your informação pessoal (personal information): first name, sex, date of birth, place of birth, nationality, marital status, address, telephone number, and e-mail address (you can also include
  • Detail your formal education, including courses, subjects, and dates starting with the most recent first
  • Detail additional professional seminars or training you attended through your work – this is a separate section to your studies and shows potential employers you were valued and trusted for further development
  • Include your work experience – listing all your previous employers with the most recent first. This should include dates, name of the company, job title, along with brief descriptions of the tasks and responsibilities in the role
  • Include a separate section for language skills, including your level of ability
  • Include another section with details of your computer literacy skills
  • You can also add any additional information such as relevant extracurricular activities
  • Attach a passport-sized photo to your CV
  • Emphasize your education and professional training – Portuguese employers put a strong emphasis on professional training and development, as it shows a company’s commitment to further develop and invest in employees’ potential
  • Include a photo – although this isn’t essential, it is becoming common practice and will help make your Portuguese CV more memorable.
  • Be truthful – While you may want to sell yourself in the best possible light to heighten your chances in a highly competitive market, always stick to the facts
  • Always type up your CV and print on quality paper
  • Keep your CV short and concise. Portuguese CVs tend to be longer than some countries like the US or Britain but try to stick to two A4 pages and don’t exceed three.
  • Always double-check your spelling and grammar

Portuguese cover letters

To accompany your Portuguese CV, you should always write a cover letter for a Portuguese job application that will express:

  • Where you found out about the position and why you’re applying for the job
  • What skills and experience you have to be a quality candidate
  • Point them to read your CV and invite you for an interview

As in most countries, a cover letter is a formal document that should follow a clear structure.

  • Keep it clear, concise, and succinct – a good Portuguese covering letter shouldn’t exceed one side of A4
  • Use a business letter format that includes your name, address, and contact details, the name, address of the recipient, and the date
  • The letter should open with a formal greeting, followed by an introductory paragraph stating why you are applying for the job, a main body detailing the relevant skills and experience – try not to duplicate details that are in your CV – and a closing paragraph expressing your desire for an interview.
  • Close the letter with a formal signature.
  • Use a simple font in black and print on plain white paper
  • There’s no need to send copies of diplomas or qualifications with your application, unless it specifically requests them

Portuguese CV and cover letter vocabulary

Here’s some useful phrases for writing your Portuguese CV:

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV): curriculum
  • Cover letter: Carta de apresentação
  • First name/ surname: primeiro nome / sobrenome
  • Date of Birth: data de nascimento
  • Place of birth: local de nascimento
  • Nationality: nacionalidade
  • Marital status: estado civil
  • Address: endereço
  • Dear Sir/ Dear Madam: Prezado Senhor / Prezada Senhora
  • Yours Sincerely: Atenciosamente
  • Kind Regards: Lembranças

You can also find more full sentences here.

Job vacancies in Portugal: The application process

As you might imagine, the pace of life in Portugal is relaxed and this spills over into the business culture. While acting fast on applying for a job is, you shouldn’t expect a speedy response in return. The typical length of recruitment is 2-3 months, if not longer, even for jobs that specify an immediate start date. You may also not hear back from an application; it is acceptable to follow up an application with a phone call after a few weeks later to ensure they received it.

Most Portuguese employers retain CVs for future reference. Even if you’re not considered the first time, you could still have a chance.

Undergoing an interview in Portuguese

If your job application is successful, you will then be invited for an interview. These follow similar structures and etiquettes to most European countries whereby punctuality, professionalism, and good preparation are essential. The interview may be conducted in Portuguese or English, depending on the position/company you applied for.

Face to face interviews

The most common interview is likely to take place in the form of a face-to-face meeting at the company offices. To ensure your success in an interview scenario it’s incredibly important to be prepared and make a good first impression.

  • Do thorough research on the company beforehand to show an interest beyond the position
  • Familiarise yourself with some Portuguese culture and history and if you don’t speak Portuguese, even learning a few key phrases will still be appreciated.
  • Dress smartly in business attire
  • Be punctual – lateness is a big offense in most business situation, ensure a prompt, ideally 10-minute early arrival
  • Know the interview customs. Portuguese interviews begin formally, with a brief handshake for introduction, you should give your surname without using your title at this point
  • Always address the interviewers by their title and surname, unless they advise you to call them by anything else
  • Take a printed copy of your CV and copies of diplomas, qualification certificates just in case they ask for them
  • Have answers readily prepared that use examples of your skills and experience
  • Prepare questions to ask the interviewers at the end of the meeting – asking questions about professional training and development will show your eagerness to learn new skills
  • Avoid asking about salary, benefits, or holiday allowance in the first interview

Online Portuguese interviews

For candidates who may be applying from outside of Portugal, it may be possible to arrange an online interview. Online interviews aren’t currently common practice, but they are increasing in popularity with foreign applicants

An online interview should be considered the same as a face-to-face interview. Apply the same level of preparation and attention to detail with a few additional conditions:

  • Choose an environment that’s well-lit, quiet, and business-like to give a professional impression
  • Spend some time rehearsing your interview technique on camera to ensure you’re completely comfortable, relaxed, and used to looking at the camera
  • Make sure you have any documentation, pen, and paper to hand during the interview

Interview tips for employment in Portugal

There isn’t necessarily a specific structure with job interviews in Portugal, but these tips should help you to prepare and know what to expect.

  • Reference and letters of recommendation aren’t commonly requested in Portugal, check with the company before the interview if these are needed and take them with you to the interview
  • Proof of qualifications and certificates – it’s a good idea to take these with you to an interview or at least check if they will be needed on the day. However, it might be an idea to provide clarification on the Portuguese equivalent to your qualifications
  • Expect to be asked a series of questions on your personal background, CV, motivation for the job/company, your personal and social skills – these will tend to be open questions that require more than a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer
  • After an interview, it’s common practice for interviewees to write a letter to the company to thank them for their time
  • The first interview is very much an introduction to you and the interviewer. It’s likely that in the second interview you will be provided with more detailed information about the role responsibilities, salary, and expectations.

Interview questions

Some interview questions can seem a little open and bizarre, but these are deliberate ploys to encourage the interviewee to expand and provide as more information about themselves. Some typical questions for a Portuguese job interview may include:

  • Why have you applied to work in Portugal? What interests you about this role?
  • Tell me about yourself? What are your strengths and weaknesses?
  • Can you recall a time you faced a challenge in a previous role and how did you overcome it?
  • Why did you leave your previous role? What did you dislike about your previous job? – This is to gauge your motivation, rather than to draw up negativity, so focus on positive aspects and what you want from a new position
  • Do you work well under pressure?
  • What do you know about the company?

Qualifications for your job application in Portugal

As mentioned above, it isn’t common to send copies of qualification certificates with your job application, but some employers may request it for the interview stage. However, there may be instances where employers are not familiar with international qualifications and diplomas.

Therefore, the information provided by UCAS (p.55) can help you to decipher the Portuguese equivalent to your qualifications and certificates. Alternatively contacting the General Department of Higher Education will help you determine what you need to do regarding your qualifications.