How to look for work in Buenos Aires

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Foreigners who speak Spanish and are willing to work for Argentinean wages or do an unpaid internship are more likely to find a job. Since 2005 the Argentinean government has been conducting a campaign to reduce the number of unregistered workers, imposing fines on both companies and individuals working illegally. Prior to this date, many employers attempted to save money by ignoring the requirement to register employees for taxation and social security purposes.

For those seeking higher wages, multinational companies frequently have offices or branches in Argentina. Companies from the United States, France and Spain are especially well represented. Argentina is also a host for several nongovernmental agencies (NGOs) and aid organization. The department of foreign affairs (or similar office) in your own country can supply you with a list of NGOs which operate in Argentina.

Newspapers and magazines like La Nación and El Clarín, have jobs posted in the classifieds sections in the newspaper and also online. In addition, several expat newspapers also have job listings. One example is the Buenos Aires Herald.  Foreign media such as Le Monde and Le Figaro (France) and Frankfurter Algemeine Zeitung (Germany) also sometimes carry job openings for Argentina.

It is common practice in Argentina to submit speculative applications by email and Internet usage is common practice in Argentina.  Do your research and find the name of the contact person for the department or company you are interested in to increase your chances of being seriously considered.  This can be an effective method for finding unpaid internships or seeking jobs as a teacher in a language school. Language schools often provide matching services for volunteer work or internships for a fee. Also try contacting national chambers of commerce for your own country within Argentina for lists of companies which are active in Argentina. Some national chambers of commerce also allow job seekers to register their CVs.

Private recruitment agencies are listed in the yellow pages. Some are especially geared for short-term positions. Many are internationally known, such as Adecco, Manpower and Sesa Select (owned by Vedior). Employment agencies should be a secondary source for job listings, as most positions are obtained by contacting companies directly. Several online recruitment agencies are active in Argentina, for example Bumeran. Online recruitment sites allow you to search the database and post your resume.

Labour offices (Bolsa de Trabajo & Oficinas de Empleo) are owned by the government and maintain databases with companies and job openings. They offer work related resources on a not-for-profit basis. A database with companies and job openings is kept at the offices.

For interviews, appearances are very important. Dress in your best suit or business ensemble. Job interviews for professional positions in Argentina usually require several rounds of appointments, and often include psychological tests. Concentrate on making a good impression but do not exaggerate your skills. Your curriculum vitae (CV) should be organized in reverse chronological order and include the following sections:

  • Personal details ( Datos personales): full name; place and date of birth; marital status; address; telephone number; email; etc.
  • Education ( Formación académica): especially post secondary education
  • Extra curricular activities ( Otros títulos y seminarios): activities outside of school or university
  • Professional experience ( Experiencia Profesional): company name, job title and description and dates of employment .
  • Languages ( Idiomas): the languages spoken and the level of fluency.
  • Computer skills ( Informática): software training and experience
  • Miscellaneous ( Otros datos de interés): other relevant professional data such as availability, driving license, military service, etc.

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Update 3/01/2011


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