Search actively for a job in Sweden!
Here are our recommendations when searching actively for a job in Sweden:
- Have an updated CV and Linkedin profile
- Validate your foreign degree if you have one and attach it to your CV
- A CV in Sweden should usually not be longer than two pages, and we recommend keeping it very clear and easy to read. Give clear examples of the skills and qualities you can bring to a job. Think about what the employer wants and maybe have a few different versions of your CV for different types of work. Always ask for feedback on your CV from a friend, a study and career counselor or anyone you can think of. We can also give you feedback.
- Think about the skills you have, what different jobs could you do and could you do any work that you haven’t done before with any of your skills? Language skills for instance? Use the languages you speak when you are searching fo job ads to find ads where the language you speak is needed – that might lead you to jobs you did not know existed!
- Use a variety of search techniques. Look for ads at the national employment agency , use other sites for job sites too, contact employers directly to see if they are in need of people, ask friends where they work and how they got their job, network on Linkedin, hand out your CV directly to cafés, restaurants, smaller shops and hotels…be creative! Of course this depends on the job you are looking for, but in general, try different approaches when looking for work for a better chance of finding it!
Other ideas might be to:
Register with a recruitment agency
There are a few recruitment companies focusing specifically on job hunters who do not primarily speak Swedish. We have put together a list here, and please contact us if you want us to add any more that we don’t know about yet!
Start your own company in Sweden
You can find loads of good informationon on this site run by organizations helping people to start companies in Sweden as well as the Swedish Public Employment Office and The Swedish Tax Agency. You can trust the information here and find events and seminars to learn all you need to start your own business. Contact us if you need more help regarding this!
Join a mentoring program or a professional network
Having a professional mentor can help you find work faster. Here are a few mentoring programs:
Mitt Livs Chans
Yrkesdörren
Nema Problema
Jobbsprånget (internship program, rather than mentoring program)
Here are a few professional networks:
How can I find out if I can work with my foreign qualifications in Sweden?
The Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) has a great service, where you can send in your foreign qualifications and receive an official document stating what your foreign degree is equivalent to in the Swedish educational system. This can help you when you are looking for a job, but also when you want to plan your studies.
Some professions are regulated in Sweden and you will need to contact a specific authority to find out what steps you need to take to work in Sweden.
UHR has put together a list of these here, and if you need more help understanding what applies for you, contact us!
How can I find a job in English in Sweden?
There are a few different ways of doing this. Looking for job ads at www.arbetsformedlingen.se and using keywords such as English or Multilingual (be creative here!) instead of a specific profession will show you job ads where your language skills are wanted. Also, this might give you an idea of the type of work you could find in English and show you companies that value multilingual or English speaking staff.
Linkedin can also be a great place to network in the Swedish context. For more input and individual guidance, contact us!