Job Market
Brazil welcomes people that are highly skilled in any capacity. Experience in consulting, English language teaching, tourism or development work is highly sought after.
For more information on Brazil's job market, explore www.ibge.gov.br
and www.dieese.org.br.
Publications
Conjuntura Economica is a monthly Portuguese publication that covers economic and business conditions in Brazil.
Portal Exame is published bi-weekly and provides information on economic trends, business, industry, management, and focuses on various national financial developments.
Working Conditions
The maximum working week in Brazil is 44 hours, not exceeding eight hours per day. Employees are entitled to a weekly rest of at least 24 hours, which is usually taken on a Sunday. Most full-time employers offer benefits, including health insurance. For more information, consult our "Work Usage" section.
Resume/CV
A resume or CV (curriculum vitae) is needed to apply for a professional position. There should be a Portuguese and English version prepared. The resume should contain:
Contact Information: Relevant personal contact information at the top of the page including:
name
phone number
fax number
address
email address
Optional: A current photograph may be included, but it not mandatory.
Professional Experience: Usually this information is listed chronologically. List your work experience with:
your title
the name of the company you worked for
the dates of your employment
a brief description of your achievements in that job
Education: This section should come before work experience if you are in school or have been out of school for one to three years, depending on your level of work experience and how relevant your education is to your career.
Certificates & Diplomas: Courses, seminars, congresses or conferences that are relevant in relation to the position. Long or prestigious courses are also interesting. Point out a course's duration in hours. List these in a chronologically inverse order.
Languages: This is very relevant to an international job. List which languages you speak and your level: advanced, intermediate or beginner. Point out if you can translate, speak, or write in each language and list any associated degrees. If you are submitting your resume in Portuguese, be sure to have a native speaker read it first. Punctuation and grammar are extremely important.
Computer Skills: Programs, applications, word processing, database, Internet, etc.
Recommendations: References are incredibly important in Brazil and may be the reason you even know about a position. Copy your correspondent's name and title exactly as printed on his or her business card, letter head, or company information.
It is quite common in Brazil for professionals to prepare two resumes/CVs:
- One-page resume/CV giving a brief overview of personal details, educational background and professional experience;
- A longer, more comprehensive resume/CV filling out the template above more completely with specific descriptions of professional positions held, the duties involved, main results achieved and other relevant technical details. The longer résumé/CV is usually only presented upon request.
For the most part, only the shorter document will be required.
Tips
- Style should be straightforward. Use a standard A4 sheet with Times New Roman (12 font) or Arial (10) font
- Print original copies on high quality paper - don't send photocopies.
- Be neat. Take care with the presentation, design, spaces, and spelling of your resume. Don't use abbreviations. Emphasize sections and things that are important with underlines or bold type.
- Make sure your resume is as organized as possible, so the information can be found easily.
- You do not need to date or sign your resume.
- Have a base resume that you can adjust to each job you are applying for.
- Attach a cover letter specific to the job you are applying for with the resume.
For some basic templates as well as templates specific to the job, look at
www.resumetemplates.org.
Job Search
A checklist of what you need to start your Brazilian career:
- Network
- Write a resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
- Research potential employers
- Find job opportunities
- Write cover letters
- Complete job applications
- Interview
- Follow-Up
- Get hired!
Networking
In the Brazilian job market, networking skills are vital. This is the way most people find out about jobs and informally apply. Employers generally prefer to hire someone they have worked with before, or who is known by someone else they trust. Foreign job seekers living in Brazil should expect to network in order to gain employment. Seek recommendations through friends, colleagues, professional associates and industry contacts.
If you are without a network, there are professional services and online groups to help you make contacts. One such group is Network Brazil.
As previously discussed, the role of networking in Brazil cannot be overstated. It is exceptionally significant in finding job opportunities, gaining an interviewing, and being hired. If this method is unsuccessful, there are other ways to search and find a job.
Online Searches
The National Jobs Bank (Banco Nacional de Empregos) is one of the most prominent of these search engines. Job vacancies can be searched by job title, expected salary, age, keyword and location. A free 'Job Alert' sends favourable job postings to your email. Tel: +55 (41) 3312-1212
Newspapers
A Tarde is just one of the many newspapers that offer job listings in Portuguese. It features a free 'Talent Bank' where people seeking jobs can register their resume/CVs through the newspaper's website.
Government Employment Resources
Sistema Nacional de Empregos (SINE) is the National Employment System and runs employment offices all over the country. SINE's website contains information about companies, job openings and requirements to fill the available positions.
Global Recruiters
Professional search agencies may be your best option to finding a company that is willing to work with foreigners concerns. These companies search for middle and upper level jobs for foreign owned companies in Brazil or with companies that have large export accounts and international involvement.
Mercuri Urval
Avenida Alfredo Egidio de Souza Aranha 75, cj 61
04726-170 Sao Paulo SP, Brazil
Ph: +55-11 564 175 06
contact.br@mercuriurval.com
Michael Page International
Sao Paulo Trade Building
Rua Funchal, 375-7 andar
Vila Olímpia - 04551-060
Sao Paulo SP, Brazil
Phone:11-4505-6000
There are also many major companies have branches in Brazil and are likely to hire foreign applicants:
- Bacardi-Martini
- Coca-Cola
- Ericsson
- Ford Motor Company
- GlaxoSmithKline
- HSBC Bank
- Johnson & Johnson
- Kimberly-Clark
- KPMG
- Microsoft
Business Organizations
If you are already affiliated with a trade or group, it can be beneficial to contact the organization within Brazil.
American Society
This social club caters to more than Americans, as non-Americans may become associate members. A non-profit society without any political or religious affiliation, the American Society organizes festivities for national American holidays, helps with newly arriving expatriates, and provides cultural and social exchanges.
Brazil WorkOne Express
Provides information on labor exchange, unemployment insurance, training services, workshops, counselling, case management, supportive services, partner services. A veterans representative is available with an appointment.
Interview
Interviews are a chance for a company to get to know you before hiring you and this process can be quite lengthy in Brazil. Block out at least two hours so that you are not pressed for time. Additional testing may follow right after the first section of the interview. Occasionally a candidate may be asked to stay for a second interview with another interviewer (possibly a director or manager) if the first interview proves successful. There are instances where upon submitting a résumé or by completing a job application you are asked to sit down for an impromptu interview so make sure to be prepared for every step of the process.
Looking the part is an important element to an interview. Remember to dress on the side of more formal in a professional suit or dress (for women). Arrive on time, even though the interviewer might not. Refer to the business norms section more information of business interactions.
Temporary Agencies
If you are in need of short term work of any kind, there are agencies that will find you employment with another company. As an added bonus, sometimes short term work can lead to longer contract.
Kelly Services - 888-222-6495
AppleOne - 877-233-1532
TLC Transportation Staffing Inc - 888-213-7483
Personnel Management Inc - (812) 442-0611; 11 W Jackson St, Brazil
Gelre has 84 offices throughout the country and 38 years of experience in the business. Gelre is considered one of the best and most reliable temping and staffing agencies. This type of service is regulated by Law 6019/74 (maximum three months, extendable for another three months with prior approval).
Work Visas & Permits
A foreign applicant working in another country must prove proprietary knowledge, specialized skills, or managerial/executive-level skills that are not readily available. In addition, minimum formal education and professional experience requirements apply.
To conduct business within Brazil, it is necessary to obtain a business visa. This visa is valid for 90 days and has the same requirements as a tourist visa. To get a visa, bring a letter on your company letterhead addressed to the Brazilian embassy or consulate, stating your business in Brazil, your arrival and departure dates and your contacts. The letter from your employer must also assume full financial and moral responsibility for you during your stay
A foreign national employee may NOT convert his or her immigration status from a Visitor status to Work status while remaining in Brazil. The employee can be present in Brazil while the work permit application is being processed; however, the employee will not have authorization to work. Once the work permit application is approved, the employee MUST obtain his or her work visa from a Brazilian consular post.
Types of Work Visas
- A)Temporary V Visa - Labor Contract for intra-company transferee's transferred to an affiliate Brazilian entity or for the local hire of a non-Brazilian worker (specialized knowledge, managerial-level);
- B)Temporary V Visa - Technical - for transfer of technical/speciality skilled personnel between related or unrelated companies (such as a Brazilian client);
- C)Permanent Visa - for transfer of senior-executive level employees who will exercise Power of Attorney on behalf of a Brazilian company;
- D)Temporary V Visa - Technical (90 days) - for short-term transfer of technically skilled labor to either a Brazilian affiliate or a Brazilian company;
- E)"Emergency" Temporary V Visa - Technical (30 days) - for emergency situations or to provide critical assistance (restore computer systems after a technical crash, interruption of business due to natural disasters, etc.)
To apply, you need:
1. Original passports valid for at least six months containing at least two, blank visa pages;
2. Criminal records report for all applicants 18 and older;
3. Two passport style photographs for each applicant;
4. Marriage certificate issued within the last three months;
5. An original birth certificate, for each minor child, evidencing both parents' names;
6. Polio Vaccination Record for children 6 years of age and under;
7. Proof of residence in the consulate's jurisdiction (driver's license, recent utility bill);
8. The required application fee
Foreigners seeking employment in Brazil can find information on Brazilian labor legislation and procedures of a general nature regarding visas at the following website: www.mtb.gov.br/Temas/TrabEstrang/Default.asp.
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