Finding a job in Brazil is generally difficult for a foreigner, as most employers require the candidate to already have a visa and work permit for Brazil before applying. On top of that, many companies require some Portuguese language skills.
As in any other country speaking local language when searching for job is crucial. In Brazil it is probably even more important. We will discuss here why.
Geography. First lets think about its geographical location. Brazil is the biggest country in South America. In spite of globalization effect the business is still done mostly with Spanish speaking neighbors. The people don´t feel the necessity to learn English. At school they often chose Spanish because of its similarity to Portuguese. Though the upper social classes do but the majority of people simply don’t speak English. This means that for any job in Brazil you need to speak at least intermediate Portuguese to be able to communicate to colleagues. Even if you are seeking for a high management position you would require some Portuguese language skills in order to understand local business.
“Sotaque”. Learning Portuguese in Brazil will also teach you about customs in Brazil as well as local “sotaques” (engl. accent). The way people greet each other for example might differ from Portuguese text books and even are different for every state in Brazil. Learning with locals you will learn all those peculiarities and will feel more comfortable doing small-talks. And many says that learning the art of small talks is a good way to learn the art of doing business.
Culture. The same is true for Brazilian culture. At our school for example as a reading practice material we provide texts talking about culture, music, geography of Brazil. Brazilians love their country, if you can show that you are familiar with some of its specialties it might work in your favor during the interview.
“Jeitinho Brasileiro”. During this cultural immersion you will find out that Brazilian way of getting the things done is described by special expression “jeitinho brasileiro” and an essential parts of it are communication and contacts. It is not only part of business but part of life of every Brazilian – building the network of contacts. The same is true for career, you can forget about searching the job on the career web sites, sending your CVs, even contract head hunters – the 80% of jobs is given through personal contacts. Building the contacts are obviously much more easier if you speak the local language.
Additionally, you need to know that you are not alone! Lately many foreigners are heading to the job market in Brazil. For employers it will be easy to decide between a foreigner who speaks Portuguese and who doesn’t.
So hurry up and book your intensive Portuguese course at GoBrazil!
