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The Application Letter
A letter of application (personligt brev) should create enough interest to make the potential employer want to look at your application more detailed and hopefully invite you for an interview. Your application letter, however, should not provide too much information about experience and qualifications; this will be provided in your CV.
A standard format for the covering letter should cover one typed or handwritten sheet of A4 paper only, refers to which job you are responding to and where you found it and includes your signature. The style is short, formal and straightforward, although a personal tough is highly appreciated (conclude information on your private life, your family, leisure activities, etc.). The content and the way of writing are extremely important.
The cover letter has an introduction, main part and conclusion. The main part tells why you are eligible for the job. In ending the letter, it is common to say that you are willing to explain your application in more detail during a personal interview. Try to address your letter to a specific person and sign of with ‘Yours Sincerely’. In your covering letter you have to include your name, address and telephone number (including international access code). You also have to include your Swedish fiscal number. If you are not (yet) registered in Sweden, your date of birth is sufficient.
The Curriculum Vitae
A Swedish CV (meritförteckning) is rather short, maximum two pages. It can either be in chronological or reversed chronological order (most recent activities first). You start with your personal details (name, date of birth (note that you write densely together first the year, then the month and finally the day), address, phone number (including international access code) and your civil status (this is not obligatory).
Subsequently, you mention your education (including results), practical experience (mention apprenticeships, student jobs and holiday work too). It is common to mention in your CV whether you have a driving license or not.
Never attach copies of diploma’s and testimonials or photos, unless asked specifically !
The Application Procedure
Application interviews are a standard element of the selection procedure for jobs at all skill levels in Sweden. A recruiter wants to have a full picture of the person he or she is going to select. Be prepared for questions about yourself, your hobbies, membership of associations or sporting clubs, and on your strong points and your weaknesses.
Bring copies of diplomas and testimonials to the interview, if you have not already sent them with your application letter. Assessment centres are becoming more popular, especially when applying for higher positions. They cover interviews, aptitude tests and job simulation tests, which focus on teamwork and working under stress.
During public sector interviews a trade union representative, working within that particular organisation, is usually present to ensure that everything goes according to the rules. Furthermore, be prepared to ask him/ her some questions at the end of the job interview. The amount of times you will be interviewed depends largely on the function and the company or organisation.
On-line applications are nowadays common. In fact, a lot of job agencies, but also employers who publish their vacancies on-line provide the opportunity to complete the job application form on-line.
If we got you started on Sweden – get the guide ''Looking for work in Sweden'' to help you secure that job.
http://www.labourmobility.com/organisations/recruiting_abroad/
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Recruiting in Finland
The importance Finns attach to interpersonal relations is reflected during the interview. Candidates will try to prove their social skills, communication skills and teamwork abilities. For Finns teamwork skills are more important than a candidate's technical competencies.
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Recruiting in Australia
In a country where class barriers are virtually non-existent, employers are more interested in whether a candidate is able to do the job, than to which school or university he or she went. Fake behaviour and bragging is not much appreciated in Australia - down-to-earth honesty and straightforwardness are preferred. Employers are more interested in 'the right attitude'. For candidates it is more important to demonstrate what they have done with their talents than showing what talents they might posses.
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Recruiting in Canada
The application procedure in Canada is more commercial than in most other Western countries. By consequence both the letter and the resume (Canadians speak about resumes instead of CVs) contain words that express accomplishment and action. This said, there are some differences within the country itself. In English-speaking Canada applying for a job is very much like in the US: You have to sell yourself. But in the French part of the country it is more formal and a little less direct.
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Recruiting in the United Kingdom
The British are focussed on results, competencies and competition. This is clearly displayed in the format of the British CV in which reached goals, achieved results and hobbies hold a prominent position.
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Recruiting in the United States of America
Americans use many ‘power words' in their resume (note they do not call it a CV) that show accomplishment and action. Bear in mind that looking for a job is much like selling a product. Accordingly American candidates might appear very forceful and strong in their quest for a job.
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Recruiting in Italy
To recuit the best graduates in Italy try to organise a dinner at the campus you want to recruit from and ask the professor to inform you which are the best students. Spend some time and money in making sure that the dinner is excellent. Invite a good guest speaker. Ensure you have your (local) recruiters seated at each of the tables. This will give you the excellent opportunity to select the best candidates, without having to go through all the reactions that a press advertisement will automatically lead to.
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Recruiting in Japan
Most Japanese candidates are not that familiar with writing CVs and resumes and might find it difficult to write a good CV. For them it is more common to complete a standard application form.
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Recruiting in Luxembourg
Please note that Luxembourg does not have a full university system.
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Recruiting in the Netherlands
Dutch candidates are rather direct in their approach of employers. Even with little or no experience they might respond to jobs that require management experience. The economic downturn in the Netherlands has brought the market slightly back into perspective: Candidates again need to be able to demonstrate that they are good at something.
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Recruiting in Romania
Please note that degree relevance is important in Romania, i.e. economics students become economists and language students become teachers.
