Finding and getting a job in Norway

Hello again!

So, I came to Norway , I had studied for two years in the magistracy. As I said, the funding I had only six months, and then extended for another six months, and then came to finance itself. Therefore, except for job search by specialty was pressing question of job search during study. About his experience searching various works and I'll tell.

General moments h4> As I wrote in order to start working, you must obtain a tax card - skattekort. The tax system in Norway progressive tax increases with income and can reach 49%, without a tax card, the employer will be obliged to pay the same 49%, who knows what. Since I was absolutely sure that I will find a job in the extreme case in September, I immediately after receiving a personal number went in and ordered a tax card, explained the situation, and a week later received a card of 36% (do not know, maybe I did look as a person who for 3-4 months before the end of the year will earn 500 thousand kroons, but that is what it is). So, I have free time, personal number, tax card and eligible to work up to 20 hours per week. Forward the work!

Working while studying h4> The first thing that is required - resume - CV. In it should be painted, details: contacts, photos, education, work experience and personal qualities. That's just on the last two points, and the emphasis should be. Education should write only to show that it is not a fool, but on the personal qualities is very much to focus. Resumes are one for all the sites, and even for each job should be bid - søknad. It has you talk about yourself and make sure that it is you fit for the job. I'll be honest - none of my resume is not shot. I treated it in warehouses, cleaning companies, hotels, shops, even in, but no. The main problem - the language and the size of the city. City upon a student, 8-9% of the population - are students, the amount of work is very limited. As a result, get a job, you can practically only an acquaintance with a few exceptions. One of them - sykehjemm, something between a hospice and nursing home, most of the guests have certain diseases, even to complete paralysis. But there requires language, so I was again passing. Some have successfully arranged a coach - but that requires experience (even from Russia will do), but I was flying again. In the end, I arranged an acquaintance in the same hotel where I carried her up to this one did not resume. Briefly - half years worked on the rag, do not worry, the work was irregular, but the 6000 just came out a month, during any Slyotov conferences and monthly salary reached 12 thousand and CZK. That is enough to life.

Job by function h4> It is unlikely that the dear reader would like to read about polotёra so close to the main topic.
Since the job search process by 90% - remote, you need to prepare a presentation package yourself (or if you will - portfolio), where you have to gather all useful information about yourself.

Russian diploma h5> Many advise Russian diploma wipe and throw away. In fact, this is not entirely true. I have my diploma translated and made several copies. One copy of the translation of the diploma and certificate I sent to a special office to validate foreign education - NOKUT. You must fill out a questionnaire in English or Norwegian and send the whole thing in a large envelope for 100 kroner (so reliable is), and six months later comes confirmation that the Russian education is counted and converted into credits. My 5 years Speciality turned 240 points - Bachelor and Master's year. Just nice to have an interpreter to ask for conversion into electronic form, applying neat text files much better than scanned copies (better readability and less weight).

Summary h5> I did not bathe and took as a template Europass. Many will say that it's corny, but this approach also has several advantages. One of them - a familiar form for HR, plus many sites allow you to download resume in this format and parse it from different fields, it is convenient. What to write in a resume? Most importantly - relevant work experience. No experience? Well practice a university-all passed, is not it? The level of language you can write the words, but you can put down the level, A1, A2, B1, and so on.

About the study - for each place of study to write 2-3 lines of what has been studied (cultural studies and the basis of bibliographic knowledge is not necessary to write), write better about diploma - a theme that has been done, and that in the end will do (do not be afraid to give yourself assessment - diploma came classy, ​​all standing ovation). If you participated in some societies - write, what to do. I was not so active in Russia, so joined the Student Parliament in Narvik. Yes, people are not shy about what comes into parliament purely for the sake of the beautiful lines in the summary, but just sit there too, do not.

Guarantors - this is very important. Pervosti I wrote the teachers with whom communicate well, then entered the boss with the hotel. It is advisable to fit those who can tell you from a professional point of view. And do not be afraid to replace some people on the other. For example, a teacher from the school Narvik replaced by professors from the University of Trondheim-coagulant. 2-3 people, no longer stands.
Hobbies? Be sure to write, but briefly. Still, the summary should be no more than two pages. In Europass also worth stitch - a position which pretenduesh. Since the resume is written one in almost all, I wrote Electrical / Automation Engineer.

Photography, I believe you need. Still in Norway is very important personality of man, for many resumes with a face - a summary of the person, and no face - from the candidate. And the picture is to be more alive than as a passport, you can with a small turnover, background too obtravlyat not worth it. Not a bad option - photographed at the computer or on the background of the board, light natural smile too, will not be superfluous.

Application h5> I prefer to write in the language in what was published vacancy. Also worth statement to specify the name of the company and the job (like "I saw that your firm," Horns and Hoofs, "look for the engineer"), the statement is necessary to specify which of the skills or knowledge to fit exactly under this position.
That for me was a surprise - in Norway do not begin with the letter «Dear sir or madame», a «Hei».

Social Networks h5> is recommended to create a profile in LinkedIn, as a reference point in his resume is better than Facebook or other social networks.

Publications-operation h5> It is clear that everything should be translated into English. I've downloaded what was on LinkedIn, it's easier.

In general, all the documents are ready, it's time to enter the labor market. We must do this in advance. Firstly, send more - more chances, and second, with each letter of the text will be better and better, some minor defects will be corrected. Phrases will be reconstructed. It was especially noticeable as changed my letters in Norwegian.

I was looking for a job - 1-2 work site (for example, nav.no - just filter by profession. If a vacancy somehow approach I had sent a letter back. It is clear waivers fell one after another. And then it came -

Næringslivsdagen and summer job h4> It's something like a job fair at school Narvik. Many companies, such as ABB, Siemens, Stattkraft, Jernebane and many smaller ones. They can socialize, take contacts, learn about opportunities summer job or write a diploma with the firm. For the whole day talking I almost fell off the tongue (plus my level of English and Norwegian at the time had an effect), but the entire stack of resumes I still distributed. What's the funniest thing - a couple of weeks I received a call from one firm, Demas AS, which is located in the town Brёstabotn - Brøstadbotn - to 487 people. I was offered to work for the summer fitter in a factory for the production of electrical cabinets for 5 weeks. I gladly agreed.
I will not dwell too much on what I was doing there, I will say what I got: First, good salary (about a third higher than in the hotel for an hour, plus many more hours); Secondly, a certain amount of practice in the industry; Third, the practice in the language (although Brёstabotn dialect - that song yet); and fourthly - beautiful lines in the summary in the "work" and "guarantors." In the process, I have several times hinted that I loved, and I would be happy to work with them then, but somehow the conversation went no further. Therefore, on arrival in Narvik I began to look for work further.

The first call h4> I decided not to bother much and just accept the carpet newsletter. Mainly on two counts: to write a diploma in the company and position in the company (including internships - trainee). Slalom 3-10 resume a day, come October, again held in Narvik Næringslivsdagen, where again I was like, with the best level of language to communicate, collected a pile of business cards with contacts. After meeting with representatives of Demas, I saw in them an ardent desire to take me to work, so I started with a vengeance to send a resume. First sent to those who met at the event, and in the letter wrote obligatory "hello, remember we are in Narvik met, was a very pleasant conversation," then added to those whom found on LinkedIn. The letter certainly pointed out that "on the basis of a conversation with you, you are very good conditions for workers, and this is very important." Generally the event all say that they have many, many jobs require them all at once, but this is not always true, that's life. In response, I received answers like "Dmitri, with you it was very pleasant to talk to, I passed on your resume. Now we create a budget for the following year and, based on this, to tell you about the decision. " Needless to say that 95% of nothing more is written?

However, just a couple of weeks I received a call from an unfamiliar number, which is also not defined in the telephone book of Norway. Taking off the phone, I heard a cheerful Bergen dialect understood from the words "filed, work aktalno" and a question mark. After thinking a moment, I began to proudly report that, yes, I gave (when ??) in your company (any company?) To open electrical engineer, and is more relevant. "Fine," I hear a reply, I'll get in touch with you more. Then we called up a couple of times, and I was invited for an interview on Skype from the company TS Group. Just a couple of days, when I had almost learned by heart the whole website, Stine (personnel officer of the TC) writes that if I did not understand what I want to arrange to work with subsequent delivery to hiring a company Motus Technology, here type of link to the site. I'm in a panic began to study what the Mutyus. Yeah, solutions for oil and gas on the sea, cool, Cho.

Interview h4> Here I am prepared, and laid the pieces of paper with the words, clues, and took a fully charged tablet occupied free audience in school and waiting for a call. Up at the appointed time, I turn and smile sweaty fingers hit "reply with a video." Hello, see the moving lips of two people, but can not hear anything. Explain the situation, I called back a couple of times, but nothing changes, hang up. I panicked ready to be killed on the wall, but I see that I call again. I answer and I see a picture with another camera, and as a bonus - and even hear. We said hello again, I was asked what language I prefer, I replied, "Norwegian" (knew nothing, but there was no way back), I told a little about me, what and where to teach, they introduced themselves, I do that -That understood. Then they started asking questions. Questions were different, for example, why I'm in Narvik, why do chose engineering, as in my personal front. Then they asked what I like to do in your spare time - I said that free time is not too much, and it is necessary to learn and earn additionally, Norwegian teach ... interrupted me - "Why did you teach?" I honestly said that courses we were not particularly, but without the language in any way. They honestly answer that it is their very surprised and impressed with them that I did teach the language and even somehow on it interpret. Then he asked me if I would like to visit Molde (that is where they are) for the personal interview, to which I replied that it would be interesting to visit the "City of Roses" (unofficial name Molde). At the end they asked me if I have more questions. Since panic suddenly returned, and the entire vocabulary has been spent, I asked what the weather now in Molde (and indeed I thought that the interview I successfully blew). This surprised looks in duplicate, I've never seen. But then they told me that today in Molde first snow fell, the camera turned to the window. I am told that in Narvik also snow today, and then we talked for another 15 minutes about the weather in Molde, Narvik, Murmansk, in Oslo.

After the conversation ended, I realized that we must continue to look for work. However, a week later, just after I passed on the right, I got a letter to the post that I was invited to a personal interview in January. Perhaps it was one of the best days of my life. However, after a couple of weeks when I was in Oslo, I received a letter, that to me would want to spend one more video interviews before personal. At that moment, I have all fallen. I'm straight and wrote "You doubted me? Should I prepare something on this interview? Emphasis on what issues will be done? "In response, I wrote:" It's all right, just want to spend one more interview. Prepare - If possible, use a headset for the best sound ».

I passed the second interview, when he was in Murmansk, and talk to me for three people - a bonus annexed director Mutyusa. After talking for an hour about all garbage, we said goodbye. I would like to mention a couple of points. "You do not bother to move to a small town like Molde?" - "And you were in Narvik?" - "I see." "And you is not hard to understand us?" - "Certainly hard on you three different dialects razgovarivete, my brain melted, but what to do?" - (After a pause) "Well, yes, I'm talking to the Bergen dialect - and I'm on the west - and I did on ninoshke. " That is, it was a couple of poignant moments that have managed to translate into a joke. Not to say that it was right, but my mind in any stressful situation starts stupid gag.

The job offer and contract h4> A couple of days Stine asked me to send a written work that I have available. I sent all the work in the school of Narvik and partially translated Russian diploma (explained that the translation process). A week later she called me to make a formal proposal. The question "and a personal interview?" I got the answer "to us and so everything is clear." Well, I accepted the offer, and congratulations. A week later I received the documents by e-mail, print the contract proposal, sign and send back by e-mail.

According to the agreement on June 1, I started working as an engineer in the TS Group with simultaneous renting in Mutyus and probation period of 6 months. If after a year and I Mutyus be satisfied by each other, I turn to them on a permanent basis. Thus, in mid-February, I got a job and stopped looking for another. It is worth noting also that the positive responses from the other places I've been getting up to the middle of June - in that most Norwegians will wait until the last. Maybe I would have gotten better and more interesting option, but to me at the time was anxious to shift from Narvik, and who knows, would I have another chance.

In March, I applied for a work residence permit, and in late May, I already had another card for a period of one year. 28th May, somehow I still passed his master's thesis, downloaded stuff in the car and have dinner with a couple of friends goodbye, went to Molde - 1,100 km with two ferries.

To learn how to work as an engineer in Norway, and what to spend the money, I will write a final paper of this series. This article - only about how to work looking for. If you dear readers have questions on job search - I with the great pleasure will answer in the comments.

Source: habrahabr.ru/post/234115/