Find Job In Norway By Following These Easy 19 Steps

by Dejan Mladenovic | Last Updated: April 30, 2021

To find a job in Norway is a journey on its own for every person individually. I have personally applied for a job in Norway from abroad and gain some experience during that process. In this article, I will present to you 19 steps that will increase your chance to find a job in Norway.

You can click on the title link and will be transferred to the post describing the step in more detail.  Here we will list all the steps with a short description.

When someone decides to look for a job in Norway it is natural to ask yourself where to look for a job. That is the content of our first article in this series of texts to find a job in Norway.

Every Journey Starts with the first step.

01 – Where To Look For Job Vacancies in Norway

Most of the jobs in Norway are advertised on the internet so that should be your first pick but there are some hidden jams that might be useful and applicable in your own search. Please read more details in our article Where To Look For Job Vacancies in Norway.

02 – Find The Best Job Listings In Norway

You continue on the track of looking for Job Vacancies in Norway and research to find the best websites where the most jobs advertisement in the Norwegian Job market are listed. Check out the Job portal websites with most of the Job Vacancies advertised for the Norwegian Job market, recruitment agencies, and more…

03 – How To Keep Your Job Search Focused In Norway

Learn how to use Job Alerts and Job Agents to focus your job search so you can be more efficient. We have prepared the practical example and show you how you can do it as well.

04 – How To Find Job Vacancy In Norway

You have already accomplished a lot and now it is time to pick the most attractive Job Vacancies on the market and start preparing job applications.

05 – SMART TO GOals For Job Search In Norwegian Job Market

Looking for a job is a job on its own and you can look at it as a project. Every project needs management and goals. This step you need to have on your mind while you are in the job application process and not just as an isolated step.

S.M.A.R.T. TO. stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistics, Time Framed, and Take Ownership as you can see on the infographic below. Set up your goals and manage your project (Find a Job) towards them.

06 – Learn To Use Competencies Cornerstones For Job Search In Norway

Competencies Cornerstones is a professional and personal mapping of your competencies (both formal and real), motivation, values, personal characteristics (attributes) that will turn into strengths and social skills. You can do the mapping separately and then use the results in your job application process or you can combine the mapping with Job Vacancy Analysis (which we recommend) and do a certain matching between the two.

The most important takeaway is that Competencies Cornerstones Mapping and Job Vacancy Analysis (presented next) go hand in hand and probably two the most important steps in these early stages of the job application process.

07 – How To Analyze Job Vacancy In Norway

You have found the most interesting Job Vacancies worth your time and effort applying for them. However, even before starting to apply you should analyze Job vacancies and gather extremely valuable data used in the further job application steps (Elevator Pitch, Phone Call, Cover Letter, Resume, etc.).

As you can see on the infographic below there is a matching of valuable data from two worlds Job Vacancy Analysis on the one side and Competencies Cornerstones Mapping on the other side. If you find out some doubts or unclear information in Job Vacancy you should write them down as potential questions for the contact person and ask them when you do a phone call as explained in step 9.

Just remember that both Competencies Cornerstones Mapping and Job Vacancy Analysis go hand in hand and if done the right way will tremendously save your time while accomplishing other steps in the job application process. In addition, you will be well prepared to target the position and be the right candidate for a job interview.

08 – How To Make Perfect Elevator Pitch When Applying For Job In Norway

Elevator Pitch is a short self-marketing message that you can pitch to the contact person usually during the first phone call (we will describe next).

The idea with Elevator Pitch is to make a first impression and grab attention as the potential candidate even before applying for the position.

Second, you will gather valuable information about the position and company by asking smart questions. Answers to these questions will help you to go back and finish the Job Vacancy Analysis that will be fundamentally valuable to write a targeted Cover Letter and Resume.

Make sure that you have prepared and executed your pitch perfectly which will increase your chance to stand out from the crowd and become among favorite candidates for the Job interview.

09 – When To Call Job Vacancy Contact Person In Norway

A phone call is your first impression to the potential future employer so make sure to make it right. All the preparation work that you have done in previous steps must be executed perfectly in this step.

Be prepared, be focused, and be sharp.

All the steps following this one (Cover Letter, Resume, Job Interview, etc.) will be adjusted, targeted, and based on the information gathered in this step.

10 – Use Job Application Log To Have Overview Of Your Job Applications

You should consider job search as a project and projects need management. So in order to be well-organized and to manage your project (Job Search), all you need is a good Job Application Log spreadsheet where you will have all your applications listed with all necessary data about each application.

Job Application Log will give you an overview of all your job applications and which stage in the process they are at the moment so you know what you need to do next and will focus on that.

We provide a Job Application Log spreadsheet for you so you can focus on other steps.

11 – Build Your Professional Brand And Be Visible In Norway

Professional Branding is more of a general step that you should be aware of whenever you execute all the other steps in the job application process. Nowadays we live in a digital world and your presence in it is very important so make sure that you do proper branding and build your credibility in the professional world over time.

Make your own fingerprint by branding yourself using our tips and tricks. 

12 – Connect With Your Contacts – Networking Is Important In Norway

Very often it is more important who you know rather than what do you know so be prepared to increase your pool of contacts. This step is again more of general steps like branding mentioned one step back and you should be aware of it whenever you execute any other job application step in this list.

It is not an easy task to make connections while changing country and we will give you some valuable tips on how to overcome that.

13 – Take A Time To Write Targeted Cover Letter For Norwegian Job Market

Cover Letter is your sales pitch where you will “sell” your competencies and skills to your potential future employer when applying for the position.

However, to make your Cover Letter targeted you need to gather all the valuable information from the Job Vacancy doing proper analysis as we have explained in step 7.

In addition, you should have all your competencies and skills properly laid out doing Competencies Cornerstones Mapping as explained in step 6.

Last but not least you will gather additional information by making a phone call to the contact person and executing the Elevator Pitch as we have already explained in steps 8 and 9.

Make sure that your Cover Letter is referring to the pleasant phone conversation so you will immediately stand out from the crowd and refresh the memory of the contact person when he or she scans all job applicants. In addition, give excellent examples of your previous contributions that will make you the right candidate for the position.

14 – Take A Time To Write Targeted Resume (CV) For Norwegian Job Market

Your Resume (CV) is your professional and educational biography. However, you want to stand out from the crowd and make a difference. That is the targeted resume for so make sure that in the Key Qualification section you have pointed out all your strengths and social skills that will portray you as the right candidate for the position.

To be sure that you have picked the right strengths and social skills make sure that you have done proper Job Vacancy Analysis with Competencies Cornerstones Mapping and asked the right questions during Phone Call which will give you valuable information on how the employer sees the right candidate for the position and you adjust and target your Resume accordingly.

15 – Follow Up Sent Job Application In Norway

You have gathered all your documents and applied for the position. Congratulations!

However, you do not want your application to be unmanaged. So pick up the phone and check the status of your Job application a few days after the job application deadline. By that time employer has scanned sent job applications so you are on the safe side to make a call right on time.

16 – Prepare To Ace Job Interview In Norway

A job interview is most likely to be or not be in your job application process. Make sure that you have read our valuable tips and what can you expect on a job interview in Norway.

As you can see on the infographic below we have divided Job Interview into phases and each phase has many stages. If you have never been before in a job interview or do not have much experience make sure to thoroughly read the article even several times if it is necessary.

17 – Don’t Forget To Follow Up After Job Interview In Norway

A job interview is over but the job application process is not, so you should make sure that you continue to manage it by following up on your job interview.

Be sure that you know what you need to do in follow-up, in which order, and when. 

18 – Reference Check During Job Application Process In Norway

Make sure that you have your references sorted out and on different levels. Read our tips on what to do if your references are not comfortable speaking English.

“Every day in every way I progress more and more.”

19 – Accept (or Decline) A Job Offer In Norway

You got a job offer. Make sure that the offer looks complete by looking at our list of documents that comes most likely with the job offer.

Congratulations!

Now it is up to you to do the evaluation and make a decision that can and probably will change your life.

Welcome to Norway!

We hope that you will find helpful and useful tips on this website. We have gathered them over the years from our own personal and professional experience.

Good Luck with your Job Search!

Author: Dejan Mladenovic

I moved my family of 3 to Norway in 2008 and created this website so that I can share what I’ve learned with anyone that’s thinking of moving or traveling to Norway. It’s such an awesome place, and I want you to get the most out of it!