Lost in Stockholm

This post is part two in the Living in Sweden Series.  In the first post, we discussed how to find a job in Sweden.  Now, once you found a job, you need to create a polished resume and prepare for potential interviews in Sweden.

A CV, curriculum vitae, is a longer form of a resume.  If you are from the US, you should revamp your resume to include a few more details that should be on a CV in Sweden.  From the Arbetsförmedlingen guidebook on finding a job, this is what you should have on your CV.

• Studies/training
• Job experience placements
• Training courses
• Other information: travel, computer skills, language competencies, special achievements, and community organizations
• Work experience
• Personal: Interests and hobbies
• References: 1-2 professional references and maybe 1 personal reference (not your mom or dad!) that can vouch for your personality, work ethic, and achievements for a long period of time.

Made it this far? When you apply for a job in Sweden, just as in most countries, you should also include a cover letter stating why you want the job.  Write what experience you have that can complement the job as well as what makes you different, i.e. a stellar candidate, from other applicants.  Most employers are okay if you write the CV and cover letter in English, though if you have the knowledge (don’t fake it) do write in Swedish.

The Swedish Job Interview:
First off, if you get your foot in the door with an interivew, more than half the battle is won.  A job interview, in Sweden or anywhere else in the world, is your  opportunity to prove that you are the best person ever for the job.  Period.  You are awesome, you get the job.

Prepare for the interview:

• Read up on the company. – Especially if this is a big company, know about their history, what revolutionary things they are doing, their balance sheet (if going into finance/accounting).
• Find out about recent news about the company. – If you do not understand Swedish, then enlist your friends to find recent articles about the potential company.   For example, if Saab is announcing a big job cut, you can ask why are they still hiring.
• Read industry related blogs/sites. - Maybe going in marketing?  Then read blogs (you should already be doing so, otherwise why are you applying for this job) and industry news.  When you are at the interview, you can then say “I keep with industry related activities by reading X, Y and Z blogs.  I also found one Swedish blog that is great as well, and I am always looking for more.”
• Find out who is interviewing you and what their title is.

What to take to an interview:
Because you are a foreigner, I would carry additional paperwork to satisfy any questions the interviewer may have.  You probably won’t need it, but you never know and do not want to slow down the interview because you left papers at home.

• Copy of your diploma
• CV and cover letter (if you wrote a cover letter)
• Transcript of grades – good if you are applying to a fairly academic or research oriented position (like quantitative math analyst at a financial firm)
• References – At least two people that can vouch for you (and the ones listed on your CV is preferredu).  Have their phone numbers and emails on hand to give to the interviewer.

I have had several interviews in Sweden. Preparing for a job interview in Sweden or anywhere else is a daunting task, especially if you know nothing about the culture.  Swedish job interviews tend to be more personal than American interviews and more subjective based. They also don’t spend as much time giving you lots of “situations” or number crunching exercises.  Here are few questions I remember from my interviews and some from the guidebook.

Potential questions at a Swedish Interview:

• Why did you move to Sweden? What interests you about Sweden?
• Do you intend on living in Sweden for an extended period of time?
• Do you speak Swedish? Are you willing to learn? – If you happen to know some Swedish, speak it.
• Tell me about yourself. Give a 2 minute spiel about coming to Sweden, what your education is, and what is your experience.
• Why are you good for this job?
• Can you accept criticism?
• Can you solve problems?
• Can you give examples of problems you have solved?
• Is there anything in particular that you are proud of?
• Can you tell us about something you have achieved?
• What will you be doing in 5 years from now?
• How would you describe a good colleague?
• Can you tell us about a mistake that you’ve made, and what you learned from the experience?
• How would your friends describe you?
• How would your manager describe you?
• How do you function in a group?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• What gives you job satisfaction?
• Why should we employ you?

If you made it this far, be sure to thank the interviewer and ask what the next step is. Send a thank you letter as well.  If you applying for a job at a traditional Swedish company, then mail one to the interviewer.  If you are applying to a high tech, very internet based company, an email will suffice.  If you do not hear anything in one week, send a reminder and find out how the interview selection is going.  Ask if there is any paperwork that you could provide to help them.

I also would tell my future employer that I must have a Swedish work visa in order to work in Sweden.  , that my future employer must file all the necessary paperwork and pay the fees.  I had one employer give me a job offer on condition that I do all the paperwork.  No thanks, you can’t do that.   Job offers have to be approved by a union board, so going your own way is a very very long and tough road.  If your employer is not willing to help you with a visa, it is a sign that they may not help you with many other things at the company.

Of course, be enthusiastic and excited to work in Sweden and work for a Swedish company.  Be relaxed and know your stuff and you will be okay.

Good luck with your job interviews in Sweden!

The first step to moving to Sweden is to find a job. Without a job, you are pretty much SOL in terms of living in the country. There are a few exceptions to living in Sweden without finding a job. Here are the exceptions:
Student in Sweden – Exchange students, post secondary education, graduate students. Link here.
Asylum Seeker to Sweden – Obviously very tight regulations here.  If you are not from a war torn country, most likely you will not be approved as a refugee in Sweden. See more here.
Researcher visiting Sweden – Here’s information directly from Migrationsverket: Visiting researchers do not need a work permit but may only work as visiting researchers with the research organization (for example, university, institute or business) that has employed the researcher. The research organization must be approved by the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education. Visiting researchers who will work in Sweden for a period exceeding three months must have a residence permit.”  And for more information, you can read here.
Performing Artists in Sweden – Includes singers, musicians, dancers and circus artists, etc.  Those accompanying the artist as technicians, road managers, etc, also come into this category and must therefore have permits as well.  There are quite a few exceptions so be sure to read information page about it.
Au pair in Sweden – Fairly simple as the program is similar to other countries.  Two key notes: the Philippines does NOT allow for au pairs to any European country and you should between 18-30 years of age in order to apply as an au pair in Sweden. For more info, go here.

Employee seeking in Sweden:

If you don’t fall into any of the categories above, then go find a job, now. Yes, now!  People ask me if they should look for a job when they intend to work in three months time, that’s the point, you need to prepare to find a job now.  When I searched for a job almost two years ago, the online resources were scarce.  Today, you have the advantage of a lot of resources and helpful advice.  The merger between Arbetsförmedlingen and Migrationsverket has also reduced the paperwork and confusion when applying for a work permit.  Start with the find a job in Sweden resource from Arbetsförmedlingen; they have some great bits and I’ve summarized the most important below.  Read the full guide here.

Education:
Have it; have a good secondary education. Swedes themselves may not care about the level of education you have, but companies who are hiring foreigners do.  I know I got my foot in the door at interviews because of the university I went to and the experience I had there (btw, I only hold a BA).  If you are close to obtaining your degree, please complete it before coming to Sweden, it is definitely an intangible benefit.   If you do not hold a degree, have a strong CV documenting your experience and strengths in work.   You can check out the other page on job interviews and CVs in Sweden.

Current industries looking for employees:

• University-trained healthcare professionals
• Skilled tradespeople and engineering graduates in the industrial sector
• Skilled tradespeople and engineers in the building sector
• Specially trained chefs (especially in Stockholm and tourist destinations)
• Qualified sales representatives
• Accountants
• Drivers and motor mechanics
• Preschool teachers and schoolteachers
• Information technology graduates

If your profession does not fall into one of these categories, don’t fret, you still have a great chance of coming to Sweden.  Just know that pool of applicants will be tighter.

Places to find open job opportunities in Sweden:
http://www.workey.se – A large database of jobs.
http://www.academicwork.se – Great place to post your CV if you are a new graduate or still a university student.
http://www.jobsinstockholm.com – It has jobs in Stockholm as well as jobs all over Sweden.
http://www.arbetsformedlingen.se -  The Swedish umeployment board, a great place to look for postings.
http://www.monster.se –  The Monster in the Swedish version.
http://www.xpats.nu -  Small site that discusses moving to Sweden and has a jobs board.
http://www.manpower.se –
http://metrojobb.se – One of the major daily newspapers in Sweden.
http://www.stepstone.se — StepStone
http://www.dn.se/ekonomi/sokjobb — Job classifieds from Dagens Nyheter, another major Swedish newspaper (I think one of the best)
http://eures.europa.eu – A database for job applicants in all of Europe.

http://www.thelocal.se -  The English Newspaper for Sweden.  The quality of writing is mediocre at best, but they have a pretty extensive job listing.

Sweden Networking Sites:
http://www.swedenintouch.se – A forum from the makers of Sweden.se.
http://www.siliconvikings.com – For people who lived in the Bay Area or do business with the Bay Area (that’s silicon valley in San Francisco).

I hope this helps you all out in the search for a job.  If you have questions or suggestions, definitely post them before.  People are always looking for job opportunities in Sweden, we can all use a little help.

Inspired by my good friend Hairy Swede of Welcome to Sweden, I decided to write a moving and living in Sweden series.   My tale is about finding a job, finding a place, getting a work visa on my own.   I did not have the luxury of EU or Swedish citizenship or a Swedish boyfriend to give me easy entry into Sweden.   Instead, I arrived as a well educated, skills based employee in Sweden.   And yes, it is possible to find a job in Stockholm.   The road is not easy; it is as Robert Frost put it, a road much less traveled.   Below is the list of articles I will post over the next couple months.  The links are not live yet, but as each article posts, I will highlight the links here.

Living in Sweden: Finding a Job
Living in Sweden: Writing a CV and Going for a Job Interview
Find an Apartment in Sweden
Living in Sweden: English Bookstores
Living in Sweden: What to take to Sweden
Living in Sweden: Dress Like a Swede
Living in Sweden: Swedish Employment Benefits
Living in Sweden: Swedish Holidays or Red Days
Living in Sweden: Learning the Swedish Language

Robert Frost: The Road Not Taken (1915)
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.