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These guides will help you find and build a career in Sweden

From the job-hunt to the interview to the all-important salary negotiation, here are the guides you need to accompany you as you start a career in Sweden.

Published: 25 February 2020 14:00 CET
Updated: 30 December 2022 14:29 CET
These guides will help you find and build a career in Sweden
Bethany Legg / Unsplash

How to kick-start your Swedish career: Six top tips for job seekers

Planning on moving to Sweden for work? Make sure you arrive well-prepared by following this detailed advice about complying with permit rules, optimizing your CV, and overcoming cultural differences to make the transition a smooth one. Click here to continue reading.

11 ways to optimize your search for a job in Sweden, even if you’re overseas

Non-EU workers usually require a job offer before they can relocate to Sweden for work, and EU citizens might also prefer to have a job contract before uprooting their lives. It can be daunting to look for a job from abroad, but it’s not an insurmountable obstacle, so if you want or need to start your job-hunt from outside Sweden, these tips should improve your chances. Click here to continue reading.

Being far away from Sweden doesn’t have to be a barrier in your job hunt. File photo: Eugene Chystiakov/Pexels

Searching within a specific sector? These articles might help:

How to write the perfect Swedish CV and cover letter

Personal networks account for a lot of career opportunities in Sweden, which makes the job-hunt a daunting task for foreigners. But with the right CV and cover letter, you can impress hiring managers and secure your dream job in Sweden. Click here to continue reading.

How to impress at a Swedish job interview

Can you ever be too early to a job interview? Are you supposed to wear high heels in snow? How to answer the dreaded question ‘tell me a bit about yourself’? Job interviews in a foreign country present a whole new set of questions and worries. Click here to continue reading.

File photo: Rawpixel/Pexels

Networking in Sweden: The steps to making valuable professional connections

Personal contacts are the key to seven out of ten jobs in Sweden, and 60 percent of companies use informal networks and contacts to recruit, a survey by the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise shows. Many jobs end up never being advertised at all, and even for those which are, having personal connections in the company or the industry can help you get the inside track and boost your chances. Click here to continue reading.

Should foreign workers in Sweden join a union?

Sweden has one of the world’s most unionized workforces, with around 70 percent of workers a member. For many international workers in Sweden, joining a trade union might not be something that crosses your mind, especially if it’s not common in your home country. Here are the benefits and key things to bear in mind when considering joining. Click here to continue reading.

Why Sweden doesn’t have a minimum wage and how to ensure you’re fairly paid

New arrivals to Sweden are often told how generous the country’s working hours and benefits are, so it may come as a surprise that there’s no minimum wage as such. That doesn’t mean salaries go entirely unregulated. Instead, they are agreed by negotiations between the employer and either the individual employee or a trade union which represents them (or often, both). Click here to continue reading.

Photo: Lieselotte van der Meijs/imagebank.sweden.se

For statistics within your industry or region, check the following guides:

How to play Swedish office politics… and survive

Most articles on Swedish office culture gush about the lack of hierarchy, the reasonable working hours, and the absence of dog-eat-dog competition. But most newcomers soon realize it’s not (always) quite as nice as it appears. Click here to continue reading.

Everything you need to know if you lose your job in Sweden

Moving to another country for work is an adventure and a privilege, but also a risk. Sometimes things don’t go according to plan and however meticulously you prepared for your life overseas, you could get thrown a curveball, like losing the job that brought you here. The good news is that even as a non-Swedish citizen, you have certain rights when you become unemployed in Sweden, and there are systems in place to smooth things over for you. Click here to continue reading.

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WORKING IN SWEDEN

Over 35,000 summer jobs still available in Sweden

Students and other people looking for summer jobs in Sweden shouldn't give up just yet - there are over 35,000 positions still to be filled, according to the Public Employment Service.

Published: 16 May 2023 15:14 CEST
Over 35,000 summer jobs still available in Sweden

“The labour market is so far showing resilience in the economic climate and employers need to hire new people,” said Alva Johansson, labour market analyst at the Public Employment Service.

“Staff is above all needed in the healthcare sector, but also in industry and trade.”

The majority of employers want applicants to have completed upper high school – an equivalent of a Swedish gymnasieskola education.

“My best tips now is to take contact directly with employers who interest you. Tell them you’re interested in working there and what you can offer,” said Omid Rahmanian, job application expert at the Public Employment Service.

Although many foreigners in Sweden need a work permit to work in the country, EU citizens and non-EU citizens here on other permits, such as student permits or permits as accompanying family members, are able to work without needing to apply for a work permit first.

For these groups, a summer job can be a valuable way to gain work experience in Sweden, create a professional network and perhaps even land a permanent job.

Other tips for applying for summer jobs listed by the Public Employment Service include contacting employers directly to let them know how you can be of use to them and why you’re interested in working for them, as well as concrete examples for what you could help them with in a summer job.

They might, for instance, have a lot of customers who speak English, or another language you’re fluent in, where not being Swedish could be an asset. 

It’s also a good idea to research the place you’re applying to, so you can make a good impression in your first contact.

Summer jobs can also be a good way to try something new – maybe you have qualifications from your home country which aren’t recognised in Sweden, or maybe you just fancy a change?

Here are the most common job titles among 125,000 summer jobs advertised by the Public Employment Service between December 2022 and April this year:

  • assistant nurses in home care, care homes and rehabilitation: 27,124 jobs
  • healthcare assistant: 13,489 jobs
  • mechanic: 6720 jobs
  • carer, home carer: 5922 jobs
  • retail worker, specialist trade: 4599 jobs

You can see the Public Employment Service’s list of summer jobs here.

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