Dear Sir,
I fully agree with Jo Colaco's comments he made given belowregarding getting jobs in Europe for Goans with Portuguese passports and would like to add a few to his list : 1. We Goans who acquired Porguguese passports should be grateful that with this citizenship, we can enter Europe legally and have the right to work. 2. Acquiring Portuguese citizen is a gateway to the door to Europe but that does not mean we could get a job overnight and that too a job of our choice or in our trade. 3. We should be ready to do any job that we can get until we get the job of our choice or trade. We have to keep on trying to get a good job but that does not mean we should avoid taking any jobs. After all the salaries are high here and all there is respect for all jobs be in menial, or office jobs. It is better to be employed rather than be unemployed. 4. Many Goans believe that some jobs are below their dignity. This is absolutely wrong. All jobs are equal unlike in India where some jobs are looked down upon. We must remember that all of us are working for a living be it a big job or small job. We all have to pay our bills and meet our family requirements and for this we need to take up a job and not wait for a dream job. There is absolutely no shame in taking up any job including menial. End of the day it is better to be employed than live on others or beg. We got to learn from others who start small i.e. take up any job and later on succeed and get better jobs. 5. We should realize that even if we are highly qualified we cant expect to get a job instantly what with recession going on and with competition. We should bear in mind that there are thousands highly qualified who dream of coming to Europe but find it difficult whereas we Goans having Poruguese citizenship find this opportunity to come and better our prospects. Lastly it takes a long time to acquire Portuguese citizenship but after getting it we should remember that this is only a gateway to bettering your life and not an automatic right to success. Camilo Fernandes 1: Goans who wish to apply for Portuguese nationality would do well by thinking about "nationality" as opposed to just "passport" 2: A Portuguese passport is NOT a guarantee to a job in the EU, just a means to enter, travel within the EC and apply for a job. 3: A degree or post-graduate degree from Goa or elsewhere is NOT a guarantee for a job in the EU. 4: To stand a chance of securing a job, the following must apply - as a minimum a: There must be a vacancy to match your qualifications. b: You must have the requisite experience. c: You must do well at the interview.- IMPORTANT d: The employer must want you as an employee. e: You must bring a skill to the table which is needed. f: You MUST have decent references from recognised individuals. g: These references MUST be written in decent English. h: You must speak clearly and properly in decent English - a fake English accent will not impress anybody. i: You must want to work - not just want a job. j: You must be properly dressed for the interview and not smell of curry or alcohol. Just as a note: It is a Supply and Demand situation. The average overseas qualified doctor (as an example) may interview 1-100 times before landing a decent short term position. 5: It is easy to think of "racism" and "discrimination" - which is surely there BUT eventually, the strong applicants with a good attitude to work will survive. and do well. There are loads of examples of Goans who have done well - Almost everyone of them has had to overcome hurdles. It is the 'Survival of the Fittest'. Complaints are for losers. 6: There is NO shame in doing any work one has to do to pay one's bills. I know some of my physician colleagues who worked part-time in restaurants (washing dishes), in gas stations and in super-markets (as cashiers) to make the extra funds. Today, they are on the top rung of the ladder in the medical field. 7: The economy is tight all over the world. The competition is tough. We need to cut our expenses and do whatever work we have to do - to pay our bills. We also need to continually upgrade ourselves (educationally) to meet the opportunities of the future economy which will certainly rebound. 8: If we cannot make it - we should 'accept our inability to overcome hurdles' and return home to Goa. 9: Remember now ...the Portuguese nationality only gives Goans the edge over non-EC citizens when it comes to jobs. How Portuguese-Goans compete for jobs against other EC citizens, is entirely up to the individual. 10: If any Goan is thinking that "obtaining Portuguese citizenship" automatically will find him/her a job in the EC ..... please think again. _________________________________________________________________ News, sports, entertainment and fine living…learn the ropes on MSN India http://in.msn.com
