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How to get your Swedish career back on track after the pandemic

If you've lost your job due to the coronavirus crisis, you're certainly not the only one. Unemployment figures in Sweden — and elsewhere, for that matter — have increased dramatically the last couple of months. But here's a look at the steps you can take to boost your career in Sweden even now.

Published: 22 May 2020 11:25 CEST
Updated: 8 June 2020 07:59 CEST

Understandably, your first priority may be to secure your finances during unemployment. The government has pledged to support companies and individuals who are struggling financially as a result of the coronavirus and its consequences, with a series of support packages and tax exemptions. If you recently lost your job, the chances are that you are entitled to unemployment benefits.

But you may also be hoping to get on the labour market again as soon as possible. So we spoke to experts to find out what your options are under current circumstances, and where to start.

Register at the Public Employment Service

First thing's first: if you lose your (Swedish) job, it's imperative to register at the Swedish Public Employment Service, Arbetsförmedlingen. Do this on the very first day of your unemployment, so that your unemployment insurance fund (arbetslöshetskassan or a-kassa) can establish your right to receive benefits from that first day onwards, if you've been a member of one of these funds long enough.

Find out more about the funds here – Sweden's government has changed the rules during coronavirus so that more people are eligible for this insurance.

A second step is planning a meet-up with Arbetsförmedlingen. To get the most out of your meeting it's advisable to come prepared: update your CV, get hold of proof of grades or other qualifications, request letters of recommendation from former employers or others who can attest to your abilities, and think about what you'd be hoping or willing to work with.

Search at Platsbanken, in particular under the hashtag #jobbjustnu

Arbetsförmedlingen has the largest job database in Sweden with about 35-40 percent of all available jobs showing up in their system, their adviser for European recruitment Thomas Engel told The Local Sweden. The database is called Platsbanken.

And despite the fact that the coronavirus is having a devastating impact on the Swedish economy, there are also employers with an urgent need for staff. These employers are encouraged to publish job openings under the new entry #jobbjustnu, ‘jobs right now', so be sure to be on the lookout for this section.


File photo: Maskot/Folio/imagebank.sweden.se

Unsurprisingly, many of these jobs are in the healthcare sector; there's an exceptionally high demand for doctors, nurses and other healthcare or elderly care staff.

What if you'd be willing to lend a helping hand in the public health sector, but you have little or no experience? “Some employers”, Engel said, “offer short training programs after which you can start working as, for example, an assistant nurse”. It's just a matter of reaching out and asking what options are available.

Other sectors are in need of personnel, too; about one fifth of the job openings on Platsbanken are in marketing. And then there's also seasonal work, for example in the forest or berry-picking industries.

Keep in mind that Platsbanken features many but not all available jobs, so make sure to also look through postings at, for example, Linkedin, other job databases, or simply visit the webpages and job listings of companies or organizations you could imagine yourself working for.

Approach potential employers

What Engel advises more than anything else is to get in touch with people working in the sector(s) you hope to work in and establish some degree of relationship.

“In Sweden the job market is not as formal as in many other countries. Here, it puts you in great advantage if you approach possible employers as a professional, not just as a job seeker,” he explains. This means that alongside formally applying for jobs, it will increase your chances of finding work if you actually get in touch with relevant people in the field and describe your situation.


Photo: Martina Holmberg/TT

An organisation that could assist you with this is Yrkesdörren, an organisation that connects foreign born workers with someone who works in your industry, or the industry you're interested in, and is well-established in Sweden. They can help with questions like CV and interview tips, information on the industry within Sweden, and giving advice on how best to get a job in your sector.

After your meeting you'll get connected with two more people working in your field, the aim being that with a larger relevant network, the bigger the chance that you'll find a suitable job at some point. 

The organizations claims that about one in four find a job or internship thanks to the connections they make through Yrkesdörren. The services Yrkesdörren provide are free.

Study yourself out of the crisis

Have you been living in Sweden for a while but never got around to actually learning Swedish? This might be the time, said Engel.

“We highly recommend expats and other non-Swedes in the country to learn the language – whatever sector your expertise is in. It's one of the best investments you can make and it broadens the scope of job opportunities drastically,” he advises.

Another popular option is to start studying (again). For nationals of EEA countries, there are no higher education fees. Alternatively, you may be able to apply for a loan or funding at CSN. 

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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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