The Swedish job market playground

Hello everybody and welcome to this new post! Today, we are going to talk about job opportunities and employability in Sweden. Both as a student and as a graduate, Sweden has a lot to offer, from attractive salaries to an excellent work-life balance. Let’s dive into the Swedish employment market together!

How to find a job in Sweden

Whether you’re looking for a small part-time student job or for a permanent position or internship after your graduation, the best tools remain the same. In particular, it is common to look for jobs on LinkedIn or job-search websites like Indeed or Blocket Jobba, but don’t forget you can also directly contact the companies you’re interested in, especially if you’re looking for a project or student job! I know people who managed to land some collaborations in this way, and I’m sure they are great value for your curriculum too.

Also, don’t be too worried about Swedish. It is true that it may increase your chances to get a job, especially when it comes to part-time jobs to do while studying, but it is also true that it is almost never a requirement for the more qualified jobs you’ll do after you degree. Still, learning Swedish is always a good idea!

Lastly, as a general advice: start early. Especially when it comes to thesis or Summer work. There are plenty of opportunites in Sweden, but there is also quite some competition: starting early can increase your chances of getting to an interview.

Work hard, play harder: the Swedish work culture

But how is it actually like to work here? Sweden boasts a progressive and inclusive work culture that emphasizes work-life balance and personal development. In Stockholm, you’ll find a thriving job market with diverse opportunities in various sectors – from engineering to communication, from big companies to smaller start-ups.

In general, companies here are known for their innovative spirit and a flat organizational structure that fosters collaboration and open communication. In particular, the feedback culture is really strong and no one is ever afraid to speak up and discuss about issues with the managers and colleagues. This means you can freely express your ideas and contribute to the growth of the organization, regardless of your position or experience level. At the same time, various job benefits are usually provided: discounts on transportation, remote working, gym discounts and even free massages are relatively common, as you can see from a quick LinkedIn research.

The role of KTH

One aspect that made me choose KTH is how close the university is to the industry and current research. While studying, you have multiple chances to come into contact with the Swedish and international job reality. Fairs, company visits, conferences and events are happening all around the year, and all of them give you the chance to get to know new companies and to leave your contacts and CV to them. There are even some courses completely developed with companies, like the Aeroelasticity course in the Aerospace Engineering Master’s programme.

Also, don’t forget that KTH offers a highly practical education: all the projects and laboratory work you will carry out during your studies will be of great value when it comes to looking for jobs, and they will really make your profile stand out!

Lastly, there are multiple job opportunities also within KTH. You can work as a (Digital) Student Ambassador, as a teaching assistant, or maybe as a lab assistant. Feel free to contact professors for open positions, or to join some projects: these are usually unpaid but provide you with excellent experience to put in you CV as well as an opportunity to deepen your knowledge in the topics you like the most (and maybe even publish a paper).

Conclusions

Personally, in Sweden I feel very appreciated as a student and as a worker with not a lot of experience. I think that opportunities are not scarce and that numerous companies are not hesitant to dedicate time and resources to train their future colleagues, and this makes me want to stay in Sweden even after my studies.

As a final recommendation, I would say do not hesitate to send applications and contact people! You have potential and you will find your way, no matter how long it takes or how difficult it may be.

This is all for today’s post. We had already written about how to create a perfect CV or an eye-catching portfolio on this blog before, and I recommend you to give those posts a look. Also, why don’t you check Martyna’s last post on education at KTH?

Thank you reading, and I’ll see you on the next post!

// Lorenzo