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Seven things to consider before switching jobs in Sweden

For expats in Sweden, finding a job to begin with can be a challenge in itself. So leaving your stable job to scout the job market might seem like a terrifying prospect. However, scary as it is, it’s not impossible...

Published: 13 November 2018 08:51 CET
Seven things to consider before switching jobs in Sweden
Photo: Rawpixel/Depositphotos

If you’re fed up of the daily grind and desperate to try something new, go ahead and trust your gut. But there are certain things you should keep in mind before taking the plunge. Presenting The Local’s top seven things to consider if you want a stress-free change of job or career in Sweden.

1. Ask yourself why you want a change

First of all, you should take stock of why you want to change jobs. Has your current job not lived up to your expectations? Is it because you want to try something new after years of sitting at the same desk and drinking from the same cup? Or have you outgrown your role with no chance of progression?

Ask yourself what you need from a job or a company to feel fulfilled. What would this new career bring you professionally or personally? Once you’ve gathered your thoughts, you’ll be in a better position to know whether jumping ship really is the right decision.

Photo: Simon Paulin/imagebank.sweden.se

2. Are you financially stable enough to make the switch?

A career change will, without a doubt, affect everything in your life — not least your financial situation. While the period between jobs may just be temporary, you still need to ensure you have enough money to cover your outgoings. 

If you’re a member of the unemployment insurance fund Akademikernas a-kassa, you qualify for benefits even if it was your decision to leave your job. Just be aware that there is a seven-day suspension period before you can claim if you were made redundant while the wait is nine weeks if you chose to resign. But after that, the compensation period is still 300 days — more than enough time to consider your next move. The same applies if your employer isn’t happy with your performance during your probationary period (provanställning in Swedish). You will usually get a two week notice and be able to claim your benefits after that. 

Find out more about the conditions for claiming unemployment benefits from Akademikernas a-kassa

3. What are your options?

Research your dream job and assess the necessary steps to take that will make a suitable candidate. Would you have to relocate? Or perhaps you’d need to take a course in order to learn some new skills?

While claiming benefits from Akademikernas a-kassa, a fund specifically for people with a bachelor’s degree or higher, you can begin to explore your topic of interest; however, there are certain conditions. You can study part-time for 20 weeks under certain conditions, or you could take a two-week long short course to strengthen your skills.

Photo: Simon Paulin/imagebank.sweden.se

Ultimately, the time will come when you need to find a new job. Your first step is to get in line at your local job agency, arbetsförmedlingen. The Swedish Public Employment Service will help you navigate the Swedish job market, giving you resources to find a suitable position.

If you want to job hunt online (because no one likes to queue — even in Sweden with its efficient ticketing system), there are several websites listing English-speaking jobs in Sweden such as The Local’s job board, Indeed, or Linkedin. Make sure your CV is in good shape before sending it along with your cover letter directly through the jobs board. It’s that easy.

4. Could a Union help?

Joining a union might be frowned upon in certain countries, but in Sweden — where around 70 percent of all employees are unionists — it’s the done thing. There are many benefits to joining a union including access to help relating to career guidance, salary negotiations, professional advice on how to boost your career or helping you solve difficulties in the workplace. 

5. How long is your notice period?

If you’ve decided to leave your job and simply can’t wait to plan your next venture, you might have to hold off for a few weeks (or even months). Take a look at your contract to see how long your notice period (uppsägningstid) is before booking on to any courses or making any immediate decisions. Notice periods in Sweden typically vary from one to six months depending on the duration of your employment; however, it can be negotiated with your employer. This is precisely the time being a member of a trade union may come in handy! 

Protect yourself with unemployment insurance from Akademikernas a-kassa

6. Do you just need a break?

If you decide to take a leave of absence, or tjänstledighet in Swedish, you are able to take some time off (usually without pay, unfortunately) while keeping your employment status and job security. Of course, this can only be taken under certain conditions. Not if you want to climb Mount Everest, sorry. 

Photo: ridofranz/Depositphotos

Leaves of absence have different purposes, but if you want to explore a new path, this could be your chance. You could, for instance, take time out for educational purposes if you wish to pursue a higher position at your company in the future. In this case, a leave of up to six months can be taken (still unpaid — nice try, though). 

7. Do you want to start your own business?

Itching to start work on your new business idea? Becoming your own boss might be an excellent prospect, but it can also be financially risky. Fortunately, Sweden is a very entrepreneur-friendly country — since 1998, employees have had the right to take a leave of up to six months to start their own business provided it doesn’t compete with their current employer. 

If you want to start a business in Sweden, you should begin by formulating your business plan and studying the market. Once your research is done and dusted, select the type of company you would like to set up at Skatteverket, the Swedish tax agency. Different types of company are subject to different rules, so pick wisely. Then you’re ready to start your new adventure. Lycka till!

This content was produced by The Local’s Creative Studio and sponsored by Akademikernas a-kassa.

 
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READER INSIGHTS

How to find a job in Sweden: Five tips from those who’ve been there, done that

The Swedish job market poses unique challenges for newcomers. The Local's readers share their best tips for cracking the career code.

Published: 10 April 2024 11:32 CEST
Updated: 13 April 2024 15:50 CEST
How to find a job in Sweden: Five tips from those who've been there, done that

Network, network, network!

A statistic that often gets tossed around is that seven out of ten jobs in Sweden are obtained through personal connections, and there’s no doubt that a good network is crucial to your job hunt, making the labour market extra challenging for newcomers to the country.

In fact, networking was the main tip mentioned by The Local’s readers.

“The job market is quite hot in Sweden, and talent is in short supply. People hiring do not have a lot of time to find the right talent, and tips from friends, colleagues and former colleagues are the way to first, find out organisations are hiring, and secondly, get your CV on the short list,” said Kyle, a Canadian reader who works in innovation management in Gothenburg.

“If you are going for a major employer like Volvo, network gets you in the door, as HR does not have much to do with hiring… the hiring managers do all of it and have no time, due to the insane number of consensus meetings. If you are looking for smaller organisations, they have even less time to find people, and networking is their primary way to find talent,” he added.

NETWORKING IN SWEDEN:

Some of the networking tips readers mentioned were going to job fairs, getting an internship to help you establish connections in your preferred field, joining clubs (this could be anything from your local gardening association to meetups for coders, but focus on clubs that may be popular among people working in your chosen field), and drawing on your organic network of friends, neighbours and others.

Don’t neglect the groundwork

The saying “dress for the job you want, not the job you have” is getting worn out (and people may look at you funny if you turn up to interviews in a Batman suit), but there’s truth to the notion of making sure you know what you want – and preparing for it.

In other words, don’t wait for a job ad to appear before you start to customise your CV and figure out what skill set you need. Create your CV now so that you’re ready to tweak it to your dream job – you could even have a general look at job ads in your field to see what requirements are needed. And don’t forget to spruce up your LinkedIn profile so that it fits with your career goals.

“I believe that several factors contribute to successfully landing a desirable job in Sweden. It’s essential to prepare to meet the requirements beyond just having a university degree. Many individuals realise these requirements only after completing their studies when they start searching for a job, which can be too late,” said Adnan Aslam from Pakistan, who works as a food inspector.

“I recommend identifying the job advertisements for positions you aspire to hold in the future and then preparing for those requirements during your studies. For me, acquiring a basic level of proficiency in the Swedish language and obtaining a Swedish driving licence were crucial. I pursued these goals during my studies and was able to secure a desirable job before graduating,” he added.

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Felipe Cabral even has a GPT assistant trained on his own CVs and old cover letters, and said the set-up only takes ten minutes if you already have your documents. “With that in place, you can give instructions like: Read this job description and create a tailored version of my CV and letter for it. (…) Remember to always review and ask it not to create data aside from your documents.”

Be flexible and ready to adapt

Moving to a new place inevitably means having to learn not just the practicalities such as how to write a CV or which websites to use to look for job openings, but also learning how to navigate a new culture with all its unspoken expectations.

Swedish workplaces are generally less hierarchical than many other countries, but that doesn’t mean you can say whatever you want whenever you want without anyone raising an eyebrow. Swedes are usually direct, but be careful of being too abrasive or boastful: raising your voice, even during a spirited argument, or banging your own drum to show off your skills may not go down well.

“Talk, deliberate, complain like a Swede and you’ll come across like you know what the job entails, so your trustworthiness increases,” said an Indian data analyst who preferred to remain anonymous.

“Office politics are just as strong in Sweden as anywhere else. The flat hierarchy is deceiving as social hierarchy is enforced quite a bit in that lack of formal hierarchy. Take your time in learning these dynamics wherever you work before revealing your talent and capabilities. Expect those internal politics to happen, and they won’t hurt so much when they do,” said Kyle, the Canadian reader in Gothenburg.

This article about Swedish office politics may be useful.

Stay true to yourself

Adapting to your surroundings is one thing. Completely changing who you are is another.

For one thing, your happiness is as important as your career progression, and for another, your foreignness need not be an impediment: it’s also a skill that sets you apart from the rest. It means you have unique experience, and also, in the right setting, provides an opportunity to sometimes violate those social rules we mentioned above, because people assume you will, anyway.

“Trust is key. Build trust in your network, work with integrity. It’s OK to violate jantelagen if you are maintaining integrity. Sometimes your outsider and more honest/open opinion will burn bridges, especially those that may feel threatened by talent. But it will build trust with other colleagues who see it as brave and more trustworthy to work with,” said Kyle from Canada.

Hunker down for the long haul

We don’t want to scare you, because there are plenty of examples of people who quickly find their dream job in Sweden and settle into their new workplace, enjoying perks such as long summer holidays, generous parental leave and the famous work-life balance.

But if you do find it tougher than you expected: know that you’re not alone.

Several readers who responded to the survey said they were still trying to find a job in Sweden.

“I found jobs all over Europe but not here. They say they have a lack of experienced senior engineers but the don’t seem to be doing much to solve this,” said a Brazilian in Gothenburg.

A reader from Bangladesh said she was “at a loss” as to how to make a career change from her current AI role in Stockholm, despite many years of experience as an IT project manager.

“Over the past 18 months, I’ve submitted over 600 applications to various organisations. Unfortunately, despite being overqualified for some positions, I’ve faced rejections at every turn, from both large and small companies. The job market here, especially for foreign-born women, feels overwhelmingly challenging,” she said, adding that the struggle had impacted her mental health.

The Local has on several occasions reported on foreign residents’ struggle to get a foot on the Swedish job ladder, with many facing hurdles such as employers’ unfamiliarity with international degrees, discrimination, or a lack of network that can provide paths into a company.

So during the job hunt, don’t forget to care for yourself. Share your concerns with fellow job-seekers, ask for help and join networking groups – this is good not just for creating new contacts, but also in terms of your social well-being and meeting people who are in a similar situation.

And finally, as one British reader in Stockholm advised, keep looking: “Be open-minded with the opportunities that present themselves. It isn’t an easy market to enter and doesn’t feel inclusive.” But he added, “don’t give up”.

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