Finding Work in Sweden
There are different ways to find a job in Sweden. The main sources being the EU Public Employment Service (EURES), private job portals and company websites. And even though most websites are in English it might help if you look for the position you want to fill in Swedish. There are official websites available that will give you the exact Swedish term for each job title.
EURES is a collection of job listings from EU countries’ public employment agencies. Through EURES you can search for jobs by profession or location and post your CV. Citizens of non-EU countries must apply for jobs that have been advertised on the EURES portal in order to be eligible for a work permit. This is not true for citizens of EU/EEA/Nordic countries, as they can search for a job anywhere, even though the EURES database is a pretty good way to start the job search.
Should you find a job that you are interested in on a company website as a non-EU citizen and find out that this job isn’t listed on the EURES site you can contact that company and ask them to list the job through the Swedish Public Employment Agency. This way the job will appear on the EURES website as well and if you were offered that job you would be eligible for a Swedish work permit. Please note that the job has to be offered through EURES for at least 10 days so that your work permit will be approved.
Once you have found a job offer you are interested in you usually send in your CV and a cover letter. If the company is interested they will call you in for an interview. Some companies are requiring additional information or portfolios, so it is always best to contact the employer directly and ask what they need.
Your CV should be one to two pages long and include an overview of your work experience, studies, achievements or awards, special skills, and references. Your contact information should always be included at the top of the first page.
Your cover letter should outline why you are the right person for the position on one page. Try not to repeat the information given in your CV, but rather try to make connections between what the company asks for in the job listing and your own skills and experience. This is your chance to show the hiring manager why you are the best person for the job.
The company will review your documents and contact you if you have gone forward to the interview stage of the recruitment process. During the interview, you have the chance to show your enthusiasm for the job at hand and give the employer a sense of who you are as a person. You will probably be asked questions as well, that are not really work-related. They might want to know about your family and hobbies among other things.
If you are applying for a job in Sweden from abroad, your first interview may take place via phone or video-conference (e.g., Skype). If you are invited to come to Sweden for an interview, bear in mind that citizens of certain countries may need a visa.
The employer will let you know what to expect from there on and how the rest of the recruitment process will look. Depending on the field and type of position, you may attend several interviews or complete a test.
After your interview, the employer will contact you to let you know if you have been selected for the job. Once you have a job offer, your country of citizenship will determine your next steps as to how to obtain your work permit.
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