With the aim of boosting his career, he participated in the Employment Exchange job fair, where he spoke personally to recruiters, made contacts and left his CV. Overall, he considered the experience very positive and is confident of a promising future here in the country. 

What was your contact with the Employment Exchange and for what purpose did you contact the Exchange?

It was because of the Job Fair at the Bolsa Empregabilidade, in which I was hoping to get a job in the hotel sector, due to the fact that the best luxury companies were there, gathered in the same place, and I had the opportunity to personally contact with the recruiters.

Did you achieve that goal? How was your experience?

As for arriving at the event, after two days of travel, and contacting the recruiters directly, I think yes. But I'm still waiting for some answers. I learned that Vita Vila Park was looking for a concierge, having already sent my application to their website, so I took advantage of the fair to personally deliver my CV and get in touch with one of the recruiters. I also submitted my application at Douro Azul, as it was a hotel boat and I had already been a ship's crew.

What is your current professional situation and future ambitions?

I'm out of work and looking. My ambition is to work somewhere where I can use my strengths, such as my knowledge of languages. I am fluent in English and Spanish, and I intend to start studying French and Italian. I'm passionate about two things, languages and personalized service. My profession as a luxury concierge requires refinement, sophistication, an eye for detail... And I consider myself a meticulous, detail-oriented and perfectionist person in what I do. I like to serve each person in a personalized way and taking into account the different characteristics of each person. I have worked in customer service since I was 15 years old. I try to study wines, coffee, teas, and whenever I can, I invest in courses to improve my skills. My greatest satisfaction will be getting a job through the Employment Exchange.

What do you value most about work?

When you are younger, you look for work for pay. However, when you acquire life experience, you prioritize being happy and deriving satisfaction, joy and pleasure from work. The greatest professional award we bring to our lives is the praise from the guests and clients we serve. Therefore, I believe that I will find a hotel or company that wants me as a professional and values my skills, regardless of age. I have observed that there is a certain amount of discrimination based on age in Portugal, which was not the case in Ireland, where it was prohibited to include your photo and age on your CV. I consider this to be correct, as a professional should be evaluated according to their skills, competence and dedication, and not by age.

What are your professional expectations?

The year is starting and I believe that 2024 will be the year to find the long-awaited professional opportunity. I know that the company that hires me will be lucky to have me as a professional, because I am aware of what I am capable of doing and I do my best wherever I am. Recently, the company where I worked in Ireland sent me an email with a proposal to work in the city of Cork, Ireland. However, I want to live in Portugal. I'm now living in Porto and I'm delighted with the city. I want to get a job in this city and take advantage of the great conditions it has. Furthermore, I am in an excellent location. I have the metro, buses and all the transport I need close to me, which is essential, because I like to be punctual.