A CV for jobs in Portugal is not a translation of your national CV: it is a different document, shorter and more factual, built to be read in forty seconds by an international recruiter. For a customer service role in Lisbon or Porto, it is the first thing the employer looks at. Here is the exact structure, real wording examples and the mistakes that get people filtered out.
A CV for jobs in Portugal: what changes
Three differences capture the spirit of the document. Length first: one page, never two. Then the form: no detailed civil status, no date of birth, no marital status, because that information exposes the employer to discrimination risk and adds nothing. Finally the substance: you do not describe duties, you describe results. A recruiter reading thirty applications a day looks for three things: your mother tongue, your English level and your availability date. If those three are not visible in the top third of the page, your CV moves to the next pile. Expat-U recruits French, German and Dutch speakers for these roles, so your native language is the asset the employer is paying for.
The exact structure, section by section
Use this order as it stands. It matches what recruiters and screening software expect from an international CV.
| Section | What goes in it | Space on the page |
|---|---|---|
| Header | First name, surname, city, phone in international format, neutral email, LinkedIn | 3 lines |
| Profile | 2 to 3 sentences: mother tongue, English level, availability, goal | 40 words maximum |
| Experience | Role, company, city, month/year dates, 2-3 result bullets | 60 % of the page |
| Education | Qualification, institution, year | 2 lines |
| Languages | CEFR level for each language | 1 line |
| Skills | Tools, CRM, software, driving licence, certificates | 2 lines |
Writing your experience: before and after
The rule fits in one sentence: start every bullet with a past action verb, then add a number as soon as you have one. The difference is immediate.
- Before: Responsible for customer service. After: Handled 60+ customer calls per day, resolving 85 % at first contact.
- Before: Worked in a restaurant. After: Served up to 120 covers per shift in a team of four, in French and English.
- Before: Internship in an office. After: Processed 200 supplier invoices per month, cutting input errors by half.
Starting out is not a blocker: employers regularly hire people with no customer service background, provided the presentation is clean. Student jobs, seasonal work, volunteering and internships all count, as long as they show contact with the public and reliability. The rest of the application path is covered in our guide on how to get a job in Portugal.
Languages: the section that decides
This is the line the recruiter reads first, before your experience. Write it in English, with the European level, and do not inflate it: the level is tested later in the process anyway.
| Level | What it means in practice | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Native | Your working language with customers | French – native |
| C1 | You follow a technical meeting effortlessly | English – C1 (advanced) |
| B2 | You speak comfortably, with some hesitation | English – B2 (upper intermediate) |
| B1 | You follow training and handle daily exchanges | English – B1 (intermediate) |
| A2 | Not enough for these roles, worth improving first | Do not list it as a strength |
The free European template Europass produces a clean CV in minutes and is recognised across Europe, while the EURES portal explains country-by-country conventions.
What gets a CV filtered out
- Two pages or more for a first job: only page one will be read.
- A badly formatted Word file: always send a PDF.
- A playful email address inherited from school.
- A phone number with no international dialling code: the call comes from Portugal.
- English mistakes in the first three lines, where they show most.
- A two-year gap left unexplained: one line neutralises it.
Do you need a cover letter?
For these roles, rarely. Three to five lines in the body of the email are enough: who you are, why Portugal, when you can start. For example: Native French speaker, English B2, available from 1 September. I am looking for a customer service role in Lisbon and I am ready to relocate. Short, clear, and it answers the recruiter’s three questions. The package itself is confirmed at interview: pay from around 1,060 EUR net paid 14 times a year, a renewable 12-month fixed-term contract, paid training and accommodation provided for the entire contract, with flights covered or reimbursed depending on your country. Open roles are listed on the jobs in Portugal page.
The checklist before you send it
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| One page, PDF format | Readable everywhere, layout preserved |
| File named Firstname_Surname_CV.pdf | Findable inside a crowded inbox |
| Phone written as +33 6 … | The call comes from a Portuguese number |
| Month/year date format | Prevents questions about vague periods |
| Proofread by someone else | Mistakes are more visible in a foreign language |
| Photo optional, plain if included | Not expected, but not penalised either |
To picture daily life once you arrive, our guide on living in Lisbon gives concrete figures that are useful even before the interview.
Frequently asked questions
Should I translate my qualifications?
Not at application stage. Give the original title followed by a short equivalence in brackets, for example BTS (2-year higher technical diploma). An official translation is only requested in rare cases, after hiring.
Should the CV be in English or Portuguese?
English. The recruitment teams work in English, and Portuguese is not required for these roles. A CV in shaky Portuguese hurts more than it helps.
How long before I hear back?
Expect a few days for a first qualification call when the profile matches, then two to seven days after the interview for the decision. If nothing arrives within two weeks, a polite follow-up email is perfectly acceptable.
