Brazil!

August 17, 2011 9:09 AM

I want to work in Brazil. I speak fluent Portuguese (learned in Mozambique long story), am currently employed at a great job (government track for four years- Hill staff but I'm looking for something new). I don't want to just do teaching at a school, etc. I'm looking for something a bit different- maybe working in a communications firm or the tourism industry. Maybe I am wrong for putting off teaching in a school but it just doesn't seem like my thing.

Has anyone made a leap down to Brazil? I'm interested because it's an emerging economy but realize that visas must be secured, a job offer, etc. Any advice would be appreciated- I've been looking on Linked In and through my network but I'd like to step it up a notch. I have savings and I'm looking to do this in the next several months.

What kind of jobs could I get?

Who should I be contacting?

How realistic is this??

Thank you.

posted by timpanogos to Work & Money (5 answers total)

I don't think this is a totally unrealistic plan, but it will probably require some substantial effort to set something up. Your profile doesn't say where you are, but outside of a few major US metropolitan areas you aren't likely to make the connections you need stateside. If I were you I would plan a trip to Rio and Sao Paulo, maybe Salvador on a tourist visa to start scouting. It's easy to meet people once you are in Brazil, just hang out at the kind of places where you want to work. Be sure to find out who's in charge, start buying rounds, and chatting people up. Then you're in a situation where you know people, hopefully you find someone who wants to hire you, and the next step is to get them to sponsor you on a visa, for which I think you have to go home. This part is hard because you have to keep people interested in you when you're gone, but it's not impossible.
posted by stinker at 9:42 AM on August 17, 2011

Your profile doesn't say where you are

Hill staff means he's in DC.

The easiest/most painless way to do this is probably to find a job with an organization based in Washington (trade association, global nonprofit, megacorp, etc.) that will send you down there for an extended period. This means getting a bit more specific about what you want to do and what your expertise is. What sort of communications position? What role in the tourism industry would you be valuable at?
posted by psoas at 9:59 AM on August 17, 2011

Psoas beat me to it. Get a job with someone who will send you to Brazil. Try DevEx.com for development industry jobs. Brazil's a little different, since its not exactly a developing country, but you'll still find projects there.
posted by RandlePatrickMcMurphy at 10:50 AM on August 17, 2011

The one good thing about working in schools is that you can be almost anywhere there's a town. If you want to work in a more professional/executive/business-focused industry - like communications or tourism - would you have to live in Brasilia/Rio/Sao Paulo? (And would you want to live in those places?)
posted by mdonley at 10:59 AM on August 17, 2011

2014 World Cup and 2016 Rio Olympics are two paths you can use to get your foot in country.
Think Fifa, CBF and IOC.
posted by msali at 11:20 AM on August 17, 2011