Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
PRESENTED BY AKADEMIKERNAS A-KASSA

Eight things to do once you get a job in Sweden

Grattis! You've finally found the sometimes-elusive expat job in Sweden. You've called your mum and uncorked the champagne – but now what?

Published: 4 May 2021 10:00 CEST
Eight things to do once you get a job in Sweden
Photo: Getty Images

Swedish work culture can take you off guard if you’re not prepared. Here’s a checklist to make sure you’re ready for what lies ahead….

1. Join a-kassa

Congrats, you now have a salary. But what happens if you should lose it?

No one likes to think in those terms, but it’s good to be prepared – especially given that different types of temporary jobs are common in Sweden. So join an arbetslöshetskassa. (Long name, we know – it’s affectionately dubbed a-kassa for short.)

Being in an unemployment insurance fund means you can get up to 80 percent of your salary if you become unemployed. That includes if you decide to switch careers and end up in between jobs for a while.

Sometimes banks and other institutions also require you to be in an a-kassa before they grant you a loan, for instance for a mortgage. Again, there are multiple a-kassas to choose from – but one of the largest, and most affordable, is Akademikernas a-kassa, which is open to anyone with a Bachelor’s degree and working in Sweden.

You take it for granted that you insure your house and your car – why wouldn’t you insure your salary which pays for it all?

Read more about the benefits of joining Akademikernas A-kassa

2. Join a union

In some places in the world union is akin to a dirty word. Not so here. In fact, some Swedes might raise an eyebrow if you’re not in a union.

Yes, a union. There are many. There’s a union for civil economics, for physical therapists, for lawyers, for architects, for dentists, for veterinarians…you get the idea. 

It’s certainly not a requirement to join a union, and you don’t have to, but there are many perks to being a member.

Not only will they back you up if there’s a conflict at work and give you advice on things like salary discussions, but many unions also have some sort of scholarship or stipend for members to take ”competence development” (kompetensutveckling) classes. Depending on your union that could be anything from learning French to an industry conference to a social media intensive course.

3. Brace yourself for taxes

You’ve heard it said: Sweden has some of the highest tax rates in the world. This is both true and false. Actually the rates are quite reasonable, and comparable to many other places in the world. But it’s true that about 30 percent of your paycheck might magically ‘disappear’ each month.

However, the real magic is what you get in return. Free education (as long as you have a residence permit in Sweden, for the main purpose of something other than studies), almost-free healthcare and prescriptions, remarkably clean streets, paid vacation….In short, it’s worth it.

Still, knowledge is power – so be prepared and plan the tax rates into your budget, don’t expect to get your full salary in your account each month or you’ll be disappointed!

Photo: Jenny Jurnelius

4. Remember to get dressed before video meetings!

Swedish work culture is known for being pretty relaxed in terms of what you can wear. In most industries, smart casual wear is just fine and you can be fairly liberal in your interpretation of that.

Since the pandemic began, however, the temptation to work all day (or all week!) in your pyjamas may have become overwhelming. 

Don’t make the mistake of joining a video call looking like you just rolled out of bed. Giving a little attention to your hair and what you’re wearing – at least above the waist – won’t be that challenging, surely?

5. Plan your (very long) vacation months in advance

Hooray, you have a job! Now it’s time to start planning when you’re not going to work.

It might sound counterintuitive, but one of the most important parts of Swedish work culture is the time you take off.  Everyone working in Sweden is entitled to 25 days of paid vacation each year, and some companies offer even more than that.

It’s also encouraged to not spread it out too much but to rather take a long period off – even a month at a time in the summer. But obviously Swedish companies have to plan around that, and hire temporary cover during that period – so make sure to notify your boss well in advance of when you’re planning your Swedish holidays.

Oh, and be prepared to get even more in your bank account than you expected – not only is vacation paid, you get an extra amount (semestertillägg) to make sure you have the money to do something fun on your holidays!

6. Learn about types of leave

Speaking of not working, there are plenty of other reasons you might be gone from work.

You’ve probably heard about Sweden’s outstanding parental leave. But did you know you can also get leave for studying? In the public sector you can even get leave for trying out a new job.

7. Beware long notice periods

On that note, if you do end up looking for a new job or receive another offer, double-check your contract to see how much notice (uppsägningstid) you have to give.

Americans might be used to giving something like two weeks’ notice, and may be shocked to discover their contract in Sweden might require three months. Anything from one to three months falls in the ”normal” range – so check that out before you tell a new job when you can start!

8. Do your taxes (on your phone)

Finally, with all these perks and all those taxes comes one final duty: to file your Swedish taxes, of course.

Luckily, in Sweden it’s easy! Many Swedes just send a text and voila, they’re done. You can also do it online or via the tax authority’s app.

There’s a long list of things to do when you first get a job in Sweden, but signing up for an A-kassa is a good start. Click here to find out more about Akademikernas a-kassa.
 

For members

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.

READ ALSO:

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”.

SHOW COMMENTS