(edit title) Looking for Finance work Stockholm to Borlange Options

[dgd]

I am looking for Finance work (my expertise is internal auditing) in the Stockholm, Uppsala, Vasteras, Borlange areas. Current experience indicates that there are plenty of jobs available but that only the large multinationals (where they tend to use English as a corporate language) are the only realistic option. I can speak some Swedish (enough to be independent) but am certainly not fluent.

My experiences so far are as follow:

-Most applications are handled via e-mail by third party agencies. Generally, there is no human contact and in most cases you will not receive a rejection e-mail (!), you just assume that you haven't got the job. In some cases, they'll wait under the recruitment process is complete (this can be months) before they send you a rejection e-mail. So even if they read and rejected your application immediately they won't inform you of this until the job is filled(!!).

-A number of jobs are advertised externally, but then cancelled or simply given to internal candidates. This can be quite frustrating as you've spent time completing an application only to be told that there wasn't really a job in the first place.

-I've had a few interviews directly with the employer at their workplace. This feels very similar to the English experience, but once again don't be offended if you feel that the interview seems to go well only to be rejected by default with no phone-call, letter or e-mail. I did find this strange to begin with and it does seem discourteous, but it seems that its just the way things are.

-Qualifications obtained abroad do not seem to be held in the same esteem as those obtained in Sweden. I'm a (twice) qualified accountant from the UK. Once again this feels unfair, but its exactly the same in the UK - employers look down on people who obtained their qualifications abroad.

I welcome any thoughts/observations

[Puffin]

I think that some employers fear that candidates with foreign accountancy qualifications will be more work and perhaps be less aware of Swedish finance law and accounting rules

Some employers prefer candidates who have done the Accountancy conversion exams for overseas accountants run by the Swedish Supervisory Board of Public Accountants
http://www.revisorsnamnden.se/rn/english/english.html

[Puffin]

have you checked out the jobsinstockholm site? for English speaking professionals - there is a finance and audit section
http://www.jobsinstockholm.com/

[dgd]

Thanks. The Accounting Board weren't incredibly helpful, but told me that I only need pass an oral examination (in Swedish!) to qualify (I'm already CIMA and ICAEW qualified). Some jobs (but not all) require the Board authorization.

Having been looking at lots of job sites (di.se, monster.se, michaelpage.se, arbetsformedlingen, hays.se) and there seems to be plenty of jobs.

I'm working on the Swedish language first to get up to a decent standard.

DGD

[Puffin]

Employers want to know that you can
1. read, speak and write reports etc in fluent Swedish using the correct terminology for accounting etc

2. That - for Swedish firms - that you understand Swedish accounting law and business culture

[Puffin]

Am I right to assume that you are looking to find work before moving to Sweden?

The JUSEK association that represents professional finance, accountant, legal and social scientist staff runs a specific Swedish language training course in Stockholm to help this group enter the labour market. It requires 6 hours study/5 days per week for 1-1½ years

http://sfx-yrke.se/eng/our-courses/swedish...awyers-etc-sfej

[dgd]

Thanks Puffin.

Yes, I am trying to get a job first before moving. This downside of this is that my language skills won't be up to scratch, i.e. easier to learn Swedish if living in Sweden!

[skogsbo]

try a different angle, apply for contracts or register with agencies that work out of the UK and sometime have work abroad, but still working for a UK employer or client company. You'll have to add a different CV mention your level of Swedish etc.

My Swedish partner when we lived in the UK often did business consultancy work in Europe for GM(Saab), Nordea, Sun Micro systems etc.. It's not quite what you want, but it may get you working in Sweden, even if it's just for 3 or 6 months.

[Stebro]

Perhaps there's something if you look at Michael Page International or Page Personell?

[Yorkshireman]

Also try DFind Finance: http://www.dfind.se/finance/

or one of the big companies like Ernst & Young: http://www.ey.com/SE/sv/Home/Article

Most companies would want proof that You understand Swedish reporting requirements as well as the normal GAAP etc..., and that You are fluent in Swedish, since the Tax Office often hold information evenings where company finance representatives can attend to hear about latest changes etc...

[dgd]

Thanks - some of the agencies such as Dfind (Poolia are another) aren't at all helpful. In some cases they won't speak to prospective applicants. For a job market that's so small I can't believe that there are so many agencies!

MichaelPage were ok and I nearly (but not quite) got a job with Ernst & Young. It all looked hopeful when they paid for me to fly to Sweden from England, but after the face to face interview I was left with the dreaded wall of silence.

[Yorkshireman]

How long ago was it that You had Your interview with E&Y ?

To take the cost to fly You into Sweden means You were quite high on the list of condidates.

The wall of silence can often be:
- they are either continuing with interviews through to a closure date for the position.
- currently negotiating contract terms and conditions with another candidate (all is not lost, maybe they cannot agree)
- sometimes, they have picked a candidate, waiting for the notice period, or has started already, and there is a 1 to 6 months trail period in the contract. (some employers will leave the door open to candidates for that duration, and later say no thanks to other candidates)

...and in some cases, depending what Union agreements they have (if any) ... salaries for positions need to be agreed with the Union, which can take time, so they wont come with an offer before that.

How about trying someone like E&Y in the UK for a period, with a view to an internal transfer to Sweden