PORTUGAL | Internship: At work | DOs and DON´Ts
DO
- ask the company about the working hours
- ask if there is a dress code
- ask, what bureaucratic matters should be taken care of, if you are covered by work insurance and personal accident risks
- address your superiors formally, by ‘você’ and/or Sr. (Senhor) / D. (Dona), Dr. (Doutor) / Drª (Doutora), Engº (Engenheiro) / Engª (Engenheira)
- shake hands in work and/or business situations
- respect the company’s internal regulations
- try to build good relationships with co-workers
- have patience when in contact or doing business with the Portuguese; the whole process of building a relationship needs time
- be polite in your manners and when speaking with people
- be punctual in professional situations
- avoid confrontations and other unpleasant situations with other people; the Portuguese take everything to heart;
- be active and have initiative in the workplace and in other work related situations
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be flexible and open to new situations and realities
DON’T
- forget that even in casual work environments you should always be presentable
- limit yourself to the tasks that are asked of you. Initiative is very much welcomed
- forget to greet people everyday and address them by their title, unless invited to address them informally
- be surprised with small-talk or get-to-know-you conversation in professional settings
- assume that agendas, calendars and plans are to be carried out to the letter. The Portuguese have a relaxed attitude towards deadlines
- interrupt someone when they’re speaking, you should wait for them to finish before commenting or asking questions
- expect to be included in the decision-making process; the person who is in a position of power usually makes the decisions