Congratulations on getting a job, Olivia!

When did you first arrive in Stockholm, and how long did you take to find a job here? What challenges did you face?

The Swedish interview process is extremely in-depth and you really need to know yourself, your competencies, your likes, dislikes, motivations, aspirations, and challenges. They are not trick questions; they are genuinely useful in whether you will be happy and succeed in that work environment. I think I skipped that step initially when we moved to Stockholm in June 2018. I applied for a few jobs and even had a few interviews! However, nothing materialized. I started SFI (tips, go to SIFA!), and then took almost one year of parental leave when I had my son in April 2019. From the day my husband started his parental leave, it took 3 devastatingly busy weeks before I had my first (and second) job offer(s). I really think that timeline was so fast because of all the pre-work I had done for the first 1.5 years I lived here (understanding the Swedish job market and understanding myself) … and a lot of luck and support from the people around me!

What is your current job title and what makes you motivated about the job?

1 April, I will join KTH’s international relations team as an “International Officer to EIT Digital.” I’m motivated by a great team to work with while expanding my international experience (and languages), and continuing to work on process improvements and streamline reporting. I am fortunate and grateful to have found a fun and welcoming team at the same time as interesting work that matches my education and experience!

How did SDCN help you in your job search? Career Support Group? Say-it-in-Swedish Group? Professional events? Networking? Other?

All of the above! I started attending SDCN events regularly in fall 2018, and I think I have been to just about every type of event! Through SDCN, I grew my Swedish skills, fine-tuned my application materials, learned how to reach out spontaneously to persons I found interesting, made friends!!, and even had people help me practice for an interview I needed to conduct in Swedish! I think the most important component, though, was positivity. I can’t count the days I might have given up hope of getting anything I found interesting (or anything at all), but this really is a SUPPORT group in that sense. I owe many thanks to the people who were a part of that support <3

What are your top tips for other SDCN members looking for employment in Stockholm?

1. Channel the movie “Yes Man” starring Jim Carrey…and keep that mentality. Say “yes” to every opportunity to meet someone. Think “Yes, and…” like improv.
2. Take time to think about who you are and what you want; give those typical Swedish interview questions some genuine thought.
3. Learn enough Swedish to introduce yourself professionally, and then try to learn how to pronounce it correctly;)
4. Try not to get too depressed by the fact that you already did all this before, and possibly achieved what you wanted before moving here. You made a great choice moving to Sweden (I promise!) and you WILL be somebody again!

Last updated 2020/03/12