Technical Writer at a Lisbon software company: applied direct, hired in 22 days
I had been applying for technical writing roles across Europe when I found a job on the careers page of a Lisbon software company. Before any recruiter call they wanted a writing sample. Take a 600-word section of their public documentation and rewrite it. Send it before they even schedule the first video call. I almost decided not to do it. A 600-word rewrite sounds simple until you open their documentation and see that the section they chose was dense API reference material, with inconsistent terminology, three passive sentences one after another, and a structure that assumed you already knew what you wanted to learn. I spent four hours on it, exactly the time the brief suggested. I respected that they said this clearly instead of pretending it was quick. I restructured everything, made the definitions tighter, used consistent names, and added a short summary table that I thought would help people who read fast. I did not know if that last part would be appreciated or look arrogant. They liked it. They moved me to three video rounds over the next two and a half weeks. The first was a recruiter asking the basic questions. The second was with the lead technical writer and an engineer, who asked precise questions about how I handle conflicting input from subject-matter experts. The third was a short panel that felt more like a working conversation than a formal interview. Twenty-two days after I sent that first application, I had an offer: a full-time hybrid role in Lisbon at 28,000 EUR. I accepted quickly, with almost no negotiation. They asked me to start within ten days because the team was missing a writer and the problem was visible. I changed my plans and made it possible.