My post about Korta vagen was really positive and inspiring for many people who read it (and told me this). Positive energy and happiness shined from it. Well, here comes the next stage – reality! It is not that I am less happy or not positive, it is just facing the reality that it is really hard. 🙂
Continue reading How is it? (to work in Sweden…Korta vagen 2)
The Local · 11 Aug 2015, 13:45
Even a tourist, walking through Stockholm this summer, would notice something unusual. The city has new visitors, who are changing its character. They sit outside coffee shops and on street corners, outside underground exits and bus stops; friendly people, saying ‘hej hej,’ while holding an coffee cup filled with a crown or two. Their belongings are often kept in large piles in the street, which no one moves. To visitors, it’s baffling: why is this tolerated? Where are the police? Why does no one keep order?
On health, wealth and equality Sweden stands atop the world league tables. But when it comes to sharing that prosperity with immigrants – well, that’s where Sweden falls down. In 2013, the OECD published an integration index: the unemployment rate for immigrants, relative to natives. In Britain, the USA and Canada there are hardly any differences; that means they are pretty good melting pots. But the unemployment rate for foreigners in Sweden is a scandalous 2.6 times as high as for natives – the most daunting ratio in the developed worlds, except for Norway.
There are many explanations for this. Swedish is a tricky language to master, even for Europeans – and Swedish employers are notoriously insistent on good language. So if you don’t know your ‘ljus’ (‘candle’) from your ‘jos’ (‘juice’), you may struggle to be hired. Then come the more subtle factors like Sweden’s un-hierarchical employment system, where bosses prefer to drop hints rather than issue instructions.
To outsiders, it can be tough to play this game of guess-what-the-boss-really-wants. The concept of “lagom” is hard for outsiders to understand, but at least there’s a word for it. No word covers the strange rules of the Swedish workplace.
Moreover, it’s very hard to fire workers in Sweden – so bosses are wary about hiring. Strong employee protection laws build a wall around the world of employment – great for those inside, but dismaying for outside. Often the young, and immigrants. When there are riots in countries with high employee protection, like Sweden and France, you can usually spot certain ethnic minorities who struggle to find work. When Britain riots, as it did four summers ago, it’s like a Benetton advert: the racial composition reflects that of the cities themselves. It’s a strange advert for British race relations: ebony and ivory, looting in perfect harmony.
One of David Cameron’s many reforms has been deregulating the labour market; making it easier to fire people, and harder for employees to file spurious complaints against their boss. Never has it been easier to fire workers in Britain; and never have more workers been in employment. Cameron was able to boast at the last election that more jobs had been created in Britain than the rest of Europe put together. Around two million new jobs in all, half attributable to immigration. The British jobs miracle has been shared with the world.
But we must also consider the type of immigrant. Britain’s economy hungrily digests Polish plumbers and Greek baristas – the UK has been lucky to have some of the best immigrants a country can ask for (and, reader, I married one). But while Britain has focused on economic migrants, Sweden’s speciality has been taking on asylum seekers; significantly more of them than the UK. Quite something, when you consider that Britain’s population is six times as large.
Britain has huge concerns about EU membership; we’re even having a referendum to decide whether to pull out. But we’re pretty good at finding jobs for the immigrants who want them. And almost all of them do (our immigration policy sees to that). Cameron has created more jobs for Frenchmen than Francois Hollande; more for Greeks than anyone in Athens.
It’s a paradox: Britain may be queasy about immigration, but it loves immigrants. For Sweden, the reverse is true. It loves immigration so much that its last Prime Minister lost an election by telling worried voters to ‘open their hearts’ to the newcomers. But when it comes to actually hiring them? In Britain, the phrase ‘EU migrant’ could call to mind a Polish workman or a French financier. It’s odd to see that, in Sweden, even the Prime Minister uses ‘EU migrants’ as a euphemism for beggars. And, to me, it’s a slur on the vast majority of EU migrants who came to Sweden to work, to fit in, and to be good citizens.
A controversial anti-begging campaign by the Sweden Democrat party. Photo: Pi Frisk/SvD/TT
My wife’s parents were, once, ‘EU immigrants’ to Sweden; refugees who fled Soviet Czechoslovakia. They were given accommodation, taught Swedish and given everything by a wonderful, generous country whose famous openness was – and remains – a beacon for the world. But that openness may now be eating itself. And for those of us who love Sweden, it’s painful to watch.
As Oxford University’s Paul Collier argued in The Spectator recently, if a country accepts immigrants faster than it can integrate them then it creates problems. Sweden is better than almost anyone at welcoming immigrants, but worse than almost anyone at integrating them in the workplace. This is the recipe for a political disaster.
If the main political parties fail to talk frankly about those problems, they create a vacancy for a party that will. In Sweden, that vacancy is being filled by the Sweden Democrats – who now claim the support of about 20 per cent of Swedes. And the Swedish Conservatives and ruling Social Democrats so abhor this upstart party that have persuaded themselves that, if they start to talk frankly about immigration, it is a sell-out and a concession to the enemy. It’s a bad case of political myopia: an ability to see the party, but not the voters behind it.
And what of the SD voters? Are they deemed ‘racist’ and ‘neo-fascist’ too? Or might they be ordinary Swedes, concerned about the future of their country – and sick to death of the failure of mainstream parties to talk about this like adults? I make a living being critical of David Cameron and the now-departed Ed Miliband, but I’ll say this much for both: they were able to talk frankly to British voters about immigration, its benefits and its challenges. Votes for the British National Party fell by 99 percent at the last general election.
Cameron toughened his stance on immigration, saying he’d will deny welfare to newly-arrived EU immigrants and deport those – French or Romanian – who lack the means to support themselves. During the UK campaign, I met a delegation of Swedish political advisers who had come to study the debate and they were shocked by the coarseness of the language in Britain. Even the Labour Party wanted to deny welfare to new immigrants! But both were trying to win back voters from Ukip; the Tories actually succeeded.
Here lies the paradox: Britain’s politics may sound dirty, but that’s how we keep things clean. Britain has its (many) problems, but you won’t find many stories of beggars being viciously attacked in thestreets.
I will admit that I am in the minority in arguing that immigration to the UK has been a stunning success. But I truly believe it – and now, when I’m in Sweden, that success seems even more remarkable. Cameron’s immigration target has been a laughable failure, but he won points for trying. If there is a lesson that Swedes can learn from Brits, it is this one: it’s amazing just how far you can get with open, calm and honest talk about immigration. It may be uncharitable, but I’d quite like to see the Sweden Democrats crushed – but the way to do this is by open conversation with lost voters, not calling your enemy names.
Fraser Nelson is the editor of UK-based political magazine The Spectator. This column for The Local is a revised version of a debate article originally published in Swedish for the Svenska Dagbladetnewspaper.
It is hard to present more in any other way than this one she managed to do! I could watch it for 100 times. Enjoy it! 🙂
It might looks like Sweden is a country of extremes; extreme winter, extreme quietness, extreme safety, extremely good social welfare system ….. well, for me it looked like that at the beginning until I have discovered the reason behind Swede’s excessive use of the word “Lagom”. Moderation has strongly made its way in Sweden through the word “Lagom” which according to Lexin’s definition means “not too much, not too little, just the right amount”.
The heavily used word reflects how moderation is important in every aspect of life. Maybe a big part of the “lagom thinking” comes from equality values that are centric to what Sweden as a country and as a population stand for…maybe. But that lagom word is what came to my mind when a guest speaker recommended us as students in the Körta Vägen program not to show off in our interviews. Although I blindly agree with him as that is a failure get job strategy, his advice was more into showing out fitting abilities more than education or work experiences. During my last trip to the Italian city of Milan, I have noticed the huge amount of fancy cars in a country that is not really in a good economical shape like Sweden but Lagom is what makes Sweeds own functional cars, smaller houses and shopping malls that mostly close at 18:00 in the evening. Luxurious life style definitely exists here but maybe with a different perception where the focus on quality, functionality and simplicity are what matter.
I just like how a person sees a less consuming based culture in Sweden specially in the smaller cities and even in the capital Stockholm, of course the malls are crowded in the center but that is because not so many shopping complexes.
Simplicity and moderation are the key in blinding in so next time a Swede asks me something in Swedish that I don’t understand “which happens a lot” I would answer Lagom and be comfortable that I have it all managed 🙂
Muna
First of all – I am still searching a job, but I am happy to share all the doors I have knocked.
Of course, language is important so I am as most of you enrolled in SIFA (http://sifa.stockholm.se/) (well, now I am pausing SIFA, because I got place in Korta vägen).
ARBETSFÖRMEDLINGEN:
– can help you get place in Korta vägen. Besides Korta vägen in Uppsala, I heard there are going to start with KV in Stockholm. So, ask around. Be persistent with your handläggare and if you get no for an answer, ask again next month, and the month that follows. Show that you care! Remember, 85% of all hiring goes through contacts (AFM statistics). KV gets you praktik wich gets you contacts. Google about KV, I found couple of people who went there on linkedin and sent them messages to ask about. Basically, program has 3 months of language studying and then you get praktik. You get help from yrkescoach all that time and have presentations about CV (what is ok to write, or not in Sweden cause some of the stuff that are standard in our countries are not standard here). I just started so I can´t talk more cause its all ahead of my KV trip.
– there is also another program Stöd och matching (http://www.arbetsformedlingen.se/For-arbetssokande/Stod-och-service.html). Don´t know much about it.
– AFM should help you with translation of your CV. It is their job so don´t settle for “no, we can´t do that”
OTHER:
– ask around in your komun. Sollentuna t.e. has http://www.sollentuna.se/Jobb–arbetsmarknad/Jobb–arbetsmarknad/Mojligheternas-kontor/ where you can get help of a coach, get your CV translated etc.
– mentorship program which helps you to get contacts and practice your Swedishhttp://mittliv.com/mitt-livs-chans/
– ask in your komun or your komun´s vuxenutbildnung to get your certification of English for free. Basically, you need to have engelska 6 for most of the companies and to get to University
– join union! This I still have to do, but they also offer help with CV and job coach.
Korta vagen – This turns out to be very interesting topic these days in Sweden, when talking about academics who immigrated here.
I’ve heard that it is not easy to get the opportunity to enter this course. It seems that I was the lucky one.
Korta vagen is intensive course where you can learn Swedish language, related to working environment, with plenty of information about Arbetsmiljö in Sweden. Everyone at the course gets an HR coach, who prepares the candidate for the job interview and helps find an internship. It seems like everyone has to start with an internship, doesn’t matter where you come from, where did you study etc… Probably there are some exemptions from this, but this is what majority has to go through. And, the most important part about entering the Korta vagen is that your supervisor at the Employment office has to decide and register you for KV. So, be persistent!
Many friends asked me about this course, so I decided to write it down here and share my experience with everyone.
As almost every other thing in life, especially when you need to put your effort, there are days when you don’t like it and there are days when you do. One thing is obvious and we all agreed on it – We started speaking Swedish. Speaking…out..loud..! 🙂
My colleagues from Korta vagen were at different courses, from several months to several years, trying to learn some Swedish, but most of them did not dare to speak. And it is so easy not to speak Swedish because everyone in Sweden is speaking English. But, at KV somehow they manage to make things happen. You learn, you speak, you speak with each other more and more, you like your teachers or you don’t, you don’t like changing teacher every week because it is summer and teachers go on holiday, but the fact is that you start speaking Swedish more and more. One day you will forget all things you did or you didn’t like, all hours you spent in traveling to Uppsala and back to Sthlm (in my case), and you will only be better and better in speaking Swedish. And even better, your colleagues will become and stay your friends 🙂
At the beginning you might feel like they at KV are treating candidates like babies, who were born but skipped one big part of life and suddenly appeared to live in adulthood, in Sweden. Even if you don’t like it, probably this is a good approach to realize a serious difference, otherwise you are convinced that it can’t be that different… And when it comes to ‘serious’, you quickly realize how seriously you take things that you shouldn’t and vice versa. When it comes to working in Sweden, there is nothing strange when Swedes tell you: “…but, your CV is too serious, like too German!” or “…you should not be outstanding, super duper candidate, you should fit to majority, be one in the group”, or very serious question “do you think you can FIKA in Swedish (FIKA is a short break from work when you have a coffee or something else and chat with other colleagues)” etc…
At the beginning it doesn’t even get to your brain, but after a while it starts to make sense. And it really makes sense… but you will get it.
Regarding HR coach – this is probably the best thing with KV! Or I was lucky to get the best coach 🙂 This person helps you very much with consultations, contacts, prepares you for the job interview, gives you suggestions regarding your CV, companies, etc. This is something I would definitely pay for but at KV you get it for free. And I really appreciate it. I got two interviews, and I appreciated what my coach did for me. It is so good when you have someone you can give a call and consider all the doubts you have. My HR coach was Karin Persson, who works for “Incluso” which is HR company. This is also very important, to get the coach who is really doing this for job, not something else. It turned out to be the best combination, which is logical. And, doesn’t matter how much you have heard or read about the labour force that Sweden needs from abroad, when it comes to hiring foreigners, it is very hard and not that open as you expected. That is why you need your HR coach… and praktikplats.
It took more than I was thinking but let me just summarize all the information I wrote here:
When it comes to me, I got two places to choose for praktikplats. One is in English and another one is in Swedish. I chose another one. Even it is harder for me now, it will be better for me and my future in Sweden. Thanks to Korta vagen I managed to have a very successful job interview in Swedish after 5 months living in Sweden. 🙂
Hope that all of you who are interested in KV will now have a clear picture and get this opportunity to go to KV 🙂 If you have any questions, I am looking forward to help if I can 🙂
Lycka till!
Samra
Yesterday I had my first job interview in Swedish language. I was so happy that I managed to have an interview in Swedish, so that I can not describe that amount of happiness realizing I crossed that border and now feel like I could speak Swedish and have an interview which was big thing for me. And it is even more important that I got the place to start with my praktik.
In Sweden everyone has to start with praktik and after you show that you can work, get on very well with colleagues and get contacts and recommendations, you can get a real job. This is the way, no matter who you are and where do you come from. Of course, there are always exemptions…
So, it felt really good, especially when you live in Sweden less than 6 months and then experience this. What a feeling! Later on I will write about it more.. How was it, what was important, etc…
When I wrote the word CONTACTS, it came on my mind that this word deserves a very big chapter on this blogsite. I will write about it in one of the next posts. It is a very big thing here in Sweden, and the more interesting is a difference in perception of this term in my country and here.
There are so many things in Sweden different from the rest of the world, or at least my country, and I will write about it very soon. But there are also the facts, not only my perception…
Samra, B&H
If you have chosen to think of Sweden as a cold dark quite country with IKEA shops scattered everywhere, then we give you the benefit of the doubt and that is why we are writing this blog. Before we all decide to come to Sweden, we knew little about it but since then we have realized that what makes Sweden a quite vague place is its privacy and specialty.
This blog is about a journey that with no doubt could be the biggest life turning points adventurer we have made so far in our lives, it is about moving to Sweden and what could be an outsider perspective in the process!
We are four girls who come from different parts of world and met each other in the place where our future begins. Future as we like to call it – our Swedish dream. Just around our daily coffee break or what Swedes call “Fika”, we have realized that despite our different cultural backgrounds we have all showed a great deal of unity in the way we think about Sweden. In a country where religions play no role in public life, it seems that Swedes have found their salvation in creating the Swedish dream. In our perception of our life in Sweden, we could get to criticize sometimes or express how we find it strange in other occasions. However, we can’t help ourselves being positively impressed in one of the most developed countries in the world..
The contributors to this blog are a Russian, a Croatian, a Bosnian and a half Arab half African girl! All of us are taking part of a special program that should help us in learning Swedish which is not an easy task specially for English speakers. We came by different circumstances, expecting to live our dream and have a great future in this country. The goal of this blog is to write about everything that one can face coming to Sweden.
You will read why did we come here, what did we expect, how did we achieve something, what are the differences, what are we doing, how do we feel and many things that foreigners are having on their mind when coming here. We thought to reflect on experience of moving to Sweden in both of our professional and personal capacities. Most of the content ideas we will discuss have emerged during our Fika talks, which is one of the holiest traditions in the country but also one of the valuable times where social bonds are created in Sweden.
Stay tuned for our upcoming stories!
Elena, Iva, Muna and Samra
