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Jobseeker: ‘I hope I get to slaughter all of you’

A twenty-year-old Norwegian man sent a series of job applications in which he praised mass killer Anders Breivik and threatened to blow up his prospective employers.

Published: 1 October 2015 22:33 CEST

Jobseeker: 'I hope I get to slaughter all of you'

Oslo's high court, where the man will be tried. Photo: Haakon Mosvold Larsen / NTB scanpix

The man, who unsurprisingly was not invited for any interview, has been charged by police and will appear in court next week.

According to Norwegian web news site ABCnyheter, the man made his first threats in an application for a job at Akershus University Hospital.

In the middle of his application, the man wrote: “Damn racists. I hope I get to slaughter all of you soon. It's not so fucking strange that Anders Behring Breivik became a terrorist in Norway.”

After failing to get that job, he applied for a job at a local council in Oslo.

“What should I do?” he wrote in the application. “Yes, I tell you what I'll do. I'll blow you all to bits. Bomb the crap out of you all (…) Long live Anders Behring Breivik.”

Again, the man was not offered a position.

He then uploaded his CV to the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration's (NAV) website.

The CV included the phrases “I will get my revenge,” “Death to all NAV dictators”, and “Long live the Islamic State”.

The man's defence lawyer Bjørn Rudjord told Norway's TV2 broadcaster that his client planned to plead guilty to making the threats, but hoped to be able to explain that he had been feeling frustrated at the time.

Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people in two separate attacks in 2011, by placing a bomb in the government quarters in Oslo and shooting 69 people at a political youth camp.

First steps: What to know when searching for a job in Norway

Norway draws thousands of foreigners to the country for work each year. High wages and decent job security mean that many who arrive in the country for work end up staying.

Whether you’ve recently arrived in Norway, lost your job, or are looking for your next challenge, there are several crucial steps you need to take to aid your search.

Register as a job seeker or unemployed, and register with the police

Those who have already worked and paid taxes and national insurance in Norway may be able to register as a job seeker with the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) and receive financial support while they search.

NAV is also one of the go-to places for job listings in Norway, along with Finn-no, so it should be considered an excellent place to start your search.

Meanwhile, others may need to register with the police that they have lost their job under the conditions of their residence permit.

READ ALSO: How work permit holders can stay in Norway if they lose their job

Therefore, if you have already spent some time in Norway, you need to check whether you are required to register as a job seeker.

Be aware that some forms of financial assistance from NAV can delay your eligibility for some citizenship and residence rights. This mainly concerns økonomisk sosialhjelp, but you should still check the rules.

If you are required to register as a job seeker with the police, be sure to do so as soon as possible.

Take time to refresh your CV and do some research

Before getting fully stuck into your job search, it may be worth seeing if there are any ways you can tweak your CV to make it any more appealing to Norwegian recruiters.

When it comes to writing a CV, there are plenty of templates online adapted to what’s typical in Norway.

Additionally, many recommend replacing the word “I” with “we” where appropriate to show you are a good team player.

If your Norwegian skills are good enough, try and write up the CV in Norwegian. If not, stick to English. If you submit a CV that somebody else has translated for you, the employer may feel that you are trying to deceive them by pretending that your Norwegian skills are better than they really are.

Some foreigners in Norway have reported changing their names to a more “Norwegian one” on their CVs. While this might sound like a smart hack on the surface, it could lead to awkward situations later in the job-hunting process.

READ ALSO: The dos and don’ts of writing a killer CV to impress Norwegian recruiters

Research can also provide a massive boost to your job hunting. If you only have the language skills to work in English, it’s best to put together a shortlist of all the companies in your industry with English as the working language.

Additionally, Statistics Norway, the National Data Agency for Norway, keeps quite detailed statistics on the average and median wages in certain professions and sectors. This should give you an overview of how much you should expect to earn and will prove advantageous further down the line.

Looking for jobs

There are several places to look for jobs in Norway. As we’ve mentioned, NAV has most of the job listings in the country offered on its site. Users can also filter jobs by whether they require English or Norwegian.

Finn.no is most people’s place to look for jobs. On the site, you can fill out a profile and be sent a weekly roundup of jobs that match your profile.

Besides these sites, LinkedIn is also popular. Many international companies with English as the working language post their opportunities on Linkedin; therefore, it’s worth making a shortlist of companies to follow on the site as you’ll be notified whenever a job is posted.

The Local Norway also has a page featuring jobs and opportunities across Norway.

It’s also common to find jobs via one’s personal network. If you have a network established in Norway already, you should heavily consider asking around.

There are also several recruiters in Norway who can help match you up with a job suited to your skills and experience. If you need a new job and an income stream as soon as possible, recruiters offer plenty of opportunities.

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