How to search for a job in Sweden with LinkedIn
Part 3
LinkedIn is a very useful addition to other job search platforms if you are a professional looking for a job in Sweden. There are a number of helpful tools to make your search on LinkedIn as efficient as possible. In this series of articles, I share how I searched for a job on LinkedIn when I was new in Sweden. In this third and last part, we are looking into the job search in Sweden using LinkedIn.
Make an overview of companies that are relevant to your industry and that you would like to work for. At allabolag.se you will find a list of every companie in your industry all over Sweden. Then follow the companies on LinkedIn and also their recruiters and managers, as many share available jobs on their profile. A good thing to do is to occasionally comment on their posts to attract their attention.
The same applies to headhunters and recruitment agencies in your sector. Some also specialise in jobs in Sweden where foreign languages are required.
If you find job advertisements that interest you on a profile, posting or in the search function, it is important that you save them. Recruiters can see who has saved their job postings and might click on your profile as a result. Here I have an important tip! Don't be confused by the number of applications that have already been sent on an advert on LinkedIn. In fact, this number only shows how many people have clicked on the advert and on ‘apply’, but not how many have completed the application.
This takes us to the Linkedin job search function. Here you can enter keywords , the location and set additional filters. You can then save your job search with the filters you have set so that you can regularly view the jobs that match your criteria and don't have to restart each time. You can also set LinkedIn to notify you of suitable jobs. You can also choose to be notified when there are new posts from companies. This will also keep you up to date with new jobs.
However, for active job searches via linkedin, I recommend that you do not set filters, but enter keywords in the search bar. Do not focus on the headlines of the job titles, but use keywords. Jobs in Sweden can have different titles to what you are used to, and many of them are too general to be useful. For example, the title project manager or product manager won't help you if it's in a different industry to yours! Keywords can be tasks and competences in which you have experience. This will show you the jobs that contain your keywords in the job description. This could also be a language. Make a list of your skills and fields of work and enter these in the search bar without setting any other filters. This can also be helpful on other job platforms.
If there is an interesting position that you would like to apply for, I would look for a contact person listed in the advertisement. Since in Sweden it is helpful for the job search to have had an exchange beforehand, I can highly recommend that you contact the person in charge before you apply. Ask professional, open questions that show your interest. Do not pressure the employer into making decisions or asking yes/no questions, but request information and advice. Try to step out of the role of job seeker and introduce yourself as a professional who is considering applying. In the end, you are no longer a complete stranger to the recruiter and they will remember your first contact when your application is finally sent. Briefly mention the friendly exchange you have already had in your application. I also recommend this for job advertisements on other platforms. You can either contact them via mail or you can also search for the person responsible on LinkedIn and make a brief enquiry. This way, the person has the possibility to have a look on your profile and your CV!
Now you know my tips on how to effectively find and apply for advertised jobs on LinkedIn. As mentioned in the last post, you can also actively write to recruiters and briefly introduce yourself and your skills without an explicit job advertised. You can even post in groups or on your profile that you are looking for a job and see if anyone knows of anything suitable for you.
That was the last part of the series about How to find a job in Sweden with LinkedIn! Linked below you can have a look on the two previous parts. Following the guidelines, you should now have a LinkedIn profile which is ready to be seen by employers and recruiters and connected to people from your field. Through the pages and companies you are now following, you stay up to date in your industry and upcoming vacancies. You contacted managers who could find your profile interesting and you know how to use LinkedIn for your job search efficiently. When I got to this point, it was a great progress for me and I find it helpful in the long term. Please let me know your opinion in the comment section :-) .
