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WORKING IN NORWAY

The best websites to look for jobs in Norway 

If you're looking for your next career challenge in Norway or are indeed new to the country and looking to explore the job market, these are some of the best websites to look for jobs. 

Published: 16 March 2023 16:39 CET
Pictured is somebody searching for jobs.
Here are the best websites to look for work in Norway. Pictured is somebody searching for jobs. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

One of the most important aspects of life in Norway is your job and career. Some moving to Norway will be required to have a job offer on the table before they can apply for residence. 

Those with different residency situations will be able to have a bit more flexibility and won’t need a contract offer to be granted a permit to live and work in Norway. 

Alternatively, you may have been in your job for a few years and are now wondering where the best places are to help you search for your next career step. Below we’ve included Norway’s best places to look for a job and some options that will help you broaden your search if you are stuck looking at the same websites. 

The Local Jobs 

The Local actually has its own jobs site. You can use it to filter for jobs by career type and by which of Norway’s major cities you are searching for employment in. Whether you think your future lies in software, sales or social media. Most of the job descriptions are also offered in English. 

Arbeidsplassen 

Norway’s Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) has its own job portal, Arbeidsplassen, that you probably will have heard of. Like some of the obvious picks for this list, it’s obvious because it’s one of the best places to search and home to more opportunities than other sites. 

You will probably have to use the site via google translate, but that doesn’t mean that English-speaking opportunities and job descriptions offered in English aren’t plentiful. 

Additionally, the tools to filter jobs by area, public or private sector, full or part-time employment and profession are robust, allowing you to hone down your search for the opportunities best suited to you. 

There isn’t a specific way to filter for only English-speaking jobs, but if you enter terms like “English”, “English-speaking”, and “speak English”, you will tend to find roles aimed at English speakers. 

These jobs are mainly aimed at tradespeople, construction workers, international school teachers and tourism and hospitality workers. 

Another perk to the Arbeidsplassen site is that you can use the speedy application feature once you create a job profile. 

Finn.no 

Norway’s largest ad listing site is also home to many vacancies. Again, you will likely be required to use a translation tool. However, this site has a number of key advantages over other sites offered in Norwegian though. 

For starters, you can filter by jobs where the primary working language is English. This is beneficial for those who have yet to quite get to grips with the language. Although, the English working language section also includes plenty of opportunities that require Norwegian language skills. 

You can also filter by seniority, so you can search strictly for management, leadership and executive roles if you want to use your years of industry experience effectively. 

A final perk for those who like flexibility is the fact that you can also search for openings that allow you to work from home or a mix of working from the office and from home. 

Webcruiter 

You will need strong Norwegian language skills for the majority of jobs listed here as there are in the Norwegian public sector. Some of the jobs are also in professions which require you to have your previous experience verified too. 

The downside to this is that it means quite a few of the jobs listed are out of the reach of the typical foreign resident. 

LinkedIn 

Depending on your industry, you may already be active on LinkedIn. LinkedIn itself is incredibly popular in Norway among private-sector workers. 

Therefore, having an active profile can aid you in your job hunt. LinkedIn is also home to plenty of job listings in Norway. 

You can also search companies you’d be interested in working at and see whether they have any openings available. 

Temp agencies and recruitment agencies

For those whose residence isn’t reliant on holding a position isn’t dependent on possessing essential qualifications relevant to the job you will be taking, then a temp agency can help you hit the ground running and start earning cash quickly. 

There are a number of firms in Norway that either recruit on behalf of employers or help find you an opening which matches your skills. Some of these firms include Manpower, Adecco and Kelly Services Norway. These firms are also valuable to those who need a specific job to meet residence requirements. 

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For members

WORKING IN NORWAY

EXPLAINED: How to boost your career chances in Norway

High wages and an excellent work-life balance attract many to Norway for a job. Once you've settled into your new role, you'll want to keep your career moving forwards.

Published: 9 June 2023 10:43 CEST
EXPLAINED: How to boost your career chances in Norway

Upgrade your language skills

Plenty of jobs and careers can be done in Norway without strong Norwegian language skills.

However, to advance your career, including with firms where the working language is English, you will want to invest in learning the language.

Generally, the B1 and B2 levels of the Common European Framework of Reference should be enough to help you navigate working life in Norway. However, taking things to the next level and moving up to the C level could boost your job prospects. A C-level certificate helps demonstrate your Norwegian language proficiency and that you have invested in Norwegian.

The better your language skills, the more options you will have open to you. Not just this, conversing with Norwegian colleagues in their native language will also help you gel with your team more, which will prove beneficial if you wish to progress your career within one company.

Get to grips with Norwegian working culture

Like most other countries, Norway has a hierarchical structure in workplaces. However, great emphasis is placed on the belief that all employees can express their opinion on the best way to tackle the task at hand. Transparency and honesty are valued.

Workers in Norway are also expected to be able to take the initiative and work independently when required. This means many should be confident in making their voice heard constructively and getting to work rather than waiting for direct instructions or orders.

Due to the more laidback and informal office culture, workers are expected to, to varying degrees, socialise outside of work, either in the form of after-work drinks or team-building activities.

While every office or department has its own politics, coworkers should be seen much more as collaborators than competitors.

Building a rapport with your colleagues will ultimately play into your hands if you wish to progress your career. Furthermore, while the dress code is more informal than in other places, punctuality is seen as a form of respect – so you mustn’t take a relaxed attitude to turning up for meetings on time.

Make sure your CV is suitable for Norwegian recruiters

Ensuring your CV is adapted for Norwegian recruiters will also help you make that leg-up.

Consider a design with not too much information squeezed in. Key qualifications are a management summary of your skills, experience, qualifications and soft (or interpersonal) skills. Some information, such as hobbies and interests, helps the recruiter relate to the person behind the CV.

One thing to consider is that unless applying for a job in a competitive environment, you should make achievements and accomplishments less about yourself and more about the team you were a part of.

Additionally, when it comes to a CV, you should only submit one in Norwegian if you are confident and comfortable enough writing one in Norwegian. If you have someone translate your English CV into Norwegian but aren’t comfortable with the language, employers may feel you are trying to deceive them.

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

Networking

Having a robust professional network can bolster your career opportunities. LinkedIn is a very big deal in Norway, so it’s worth ensuring your profile is fully up to date and you create or share the odd post to highlight to recruiters doing some background that you are invested in your career and networking.

There are also typically a decent amount of industry or networking events held in person. Staying on your colleague’s good side will also pay off when it comes to networking. Personal recommendations from recruiters can go a long way. Therefore an ex-work friend putting in a word with your prospective employer because you left them with a good impression can help you get a boost in your career.

Getting your qualifications officially recognised in Norway

There are around 160 or so regulated professions in Norway, which means you will need some qualifications, training or education to qualify for the role.
If you have obtained qualifications abroad, you must have these officially verified and recognised by the relevant Norwegian authority to perform certain roles.

There are multiple agencies responsible for checking and verifying whether qualifications and training obtained outside of Norway are of the required standard.

For example, healthcare workers must assess their written and verbal Norwegian language proficiency and may be sent on additional courses to learn about the country’s health system. Applicants must cover the cost of additional language training.

Getting your qualifications verified confirms to Norwegian employers that your training equates to the corresponding Norwegian qualification. 

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