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The Local contributor finds work, can stay in Denmark after employer reads article

Michael Barrett
Michael Barrett - [email protected]
The Local contributor finds work, can stay in Denmark after employer reads article
Yater Dabbo. Photo: private

In November, Yater Dabbo wrote to The Local about the challenges faced by skilled foreign professionals looking for work in Denmark, and how his personal situation reflected the issue.

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Two months later, Dabbo was contacted by a potential employer who had read his contribution on our website – and was eventually offered a position which secures his medium-term future in the country.

Dabbo, a digital marketer and sound engineer who moved from Jordan to Denmark in 2014 to study at the Zealand Institute of Business and Technology, wrote in November last year about the issue.

Obstacles faced by foreign professionals include difficulties fulfilling working and residency requirements, resulting in stress on individuals and a potential loss of talent for Denmark, he wrote.

READ ALSO: Opinion: Danish odds are stacked against skilled foreign workers

After reading Dabbo’s article on The Local, the CEO of Rockfon, a Copenhagen-based company which is part of the international Rockwool group, decided to get in touch.

“Our managing director is a key googler, so we were looking for someone to join our digital team,” Rockfon’s head of communication Line Helmark told The Local.

“Because we’re in the acoustic industry, we’d been looking for someone in that particular field,” Helmark said.

After reading about Yater and finding his LinkedIn page via The Local’s article, the company contacted him and asked him to send a CV.

“Since we’re an international company, and my department is quite international, we thought ‘let’s talk to him, he has an interesting profile’,” Helmark said.

After attending an interview, Dabbo was eventually hired for a different position than the one for which the company had advertised, after a good match was found for his skill set, she explained.

Helmark agreed that the proactive approach and unconventional route taken by Dabbo to finding work was worth considering for those setting out on a professional path.

“He was following the regular procedure, it’s just that he came in differently. I think, more and more, that’s how it happens… our HR department also goes on LinkedIn, so it’s a mix of people applying themselves and finding someone interesting that we can call in,” she said.

Dabbo, who begins in his new job on Monday, stressed his gratitude for the opportunity to remain in Denmark and to everyone who had helped him.

“Since we published the story, I’ve had a lot of support on LinkedIn and on social media, from both Danes and non-Danes,” he said.

After applying for up to 100 jobs, he was contacted by Rockfon.

“They were very nice and flexible, it was a good conversation, and then we ended up taking this other role (than the one initially interviewed for),” he said.

"There was this thrilling sensation about working with a brand I knew very well from my audio engineering days. So now being able to be part of it brings me so much excitement," he added.

The job offer provides Dabbo with a work permit for the duration of his contract, which is an open contract, under the pay limit scheme (beløbsordningen in Danish), a provision that enables companies to hire employees who are nationals of non-EU countries, provided they are paid a specified minimum salary.

“During these last three months, I experienced a bit of depression, a bit of trying to figure out how things were going to go… I have a lot more white hair now,” he told The Local.

“Lots of people wrote to me to say they had experienced the same thing, and that they were very sad at having to leave Denmark,” he said.

Dabbo said that he felt at home in Denmark, where he has lived since 2014.

“I want to have stability, I want to build my life here, but I need to wait another three years yet, and I’m holding tight to this job with my hands and teeth,” the Jordanian said.

“I chose to come here and I love Denmark, I fit in to the culture perfectly. At least, this is how I feel,” he said.

Rockfon’s head of communications said she understood the challenges faced by young international professionals in Denmark.

“It’s always difficult to get that first job, for anyone, and then I think maybe it’s even more difficult when you’re not Danish,” Helmark said.

Rockwool has over 11,000 employees in 39 countries, while Rockfon’s working language in Denmark is English, she noted.

“But, you know, Yater actually speaks quite good Danish,” she added.  

READ ALSO: I took the Danish citizenship test today. What was it like, and why did I do it?

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