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The Local _ Scania _ Swedish/English Jobs around Helsingborg
Posted by: dlearyous 11.Mar.2018, 06:51 PM
Greetings all, this is my first post as I just found the forum. I apologise in advance as I'm sure this post or something similar has been made many a time.
I'm a 33 yr old American that is back living in Helsingborg after a few years abroad. I speak(ish) Swedish and use it on a daily basis though I may not be 100% comfortable with it. I would say that I understand it much better than I speak it though that being said, I've never spoken English with my boss nor any of my colleagues at work.
Ok, so, my question. I'm very curious as to what type of jobs there are out there for a Swedish/English speaker and how I could be using my english speaking abilities to benefit myself. I figure there must be Swedish companies that are in need of native english speakers for many different reasons but where do you find those listings?? Does anyone have any tips on where to look or what may be my best plan of action? 
Posted by: nicola4444 11.Mar.2018, 10:04 PM
What's your work background?
Need a bit more information to answer your question
Posted by: dlearyous 12.Mar.2018, 06:07 AM
Posted by: Uncle Fred 12.Mar.2018, 07:39 AM
Posted by: Saywhatwhat 12.Mar.2018, 08:18 AM
Posted by: Gamla Hälsingebock 12.Mar.2018, 10:09 AM
Diving school...Sounds like a plan, there is a lot of history on the bottom of the Baltic...
Posted by: Svedallas 12.Mar.2018, 12:11 PM
I'm a 33 yr old American that is back living in Helsingborg after a few years abroad. I speak(ish) Swedish and use it on a daily basis though I may not be 100% comfortable with it. I would say that I understand it much better than I speak it though that being said, I've never spoken English with my boss nor any of my colleagues at work.
Ok, so, my question. I'm very curious as to what type of jobs there are out there for a Swedish/English speaker and how I could be using my english speaking abilities to benefit myself. I figure there must be Swedish companies that are in need of native english speakers for many different reasons but where do you find those listings?? Does anyone have any tips on where to look or what may be my best plan of action?
Plan of action, maybe look at Germany.
Unless you study Swedish full time for at least 2 years.
It is hard to get a job in Sweden.
Posted by: Billy_UK 12.Mar.2018, 03:22 PM
Posted by: Svedallas 12.Mar.2018, 04:38 PM
Unless you study Swedish full time for at least 2 years.
It is hard to get a job in Sweden.
Isnt there a demand for teachers?
Posted by: dlearyous 12.Mar.2018, 08:44 PM
Posted by: TheExpatEagle 6.Mar.2019, 08:22 PM
Posted by: Svedallas 6.Mar.2019, 09:09 PM
Having lived in Sweden for 18 years I've seen many a job where they say they want a native English speaker only for the job to go to a Swede. I've seen Swedes get English teaching jobs over an English, English teacher. Sure, maybe they were the better teacher and I don't have a problem with that.
What they basically mean when they want a native English speaker is someone who can speak English as fluently as a native and many can.
I doubt you'll find a job where your English is an advantage unless you start your own business or find a job as a translator.
Scandinavia isn't like mainland Europe where we would have a big advantage in the job market where an English speaker is required. When I moved here in 2000 all 10 year olds I met in schools in Stockholm were fluent in English.
When there are many Swedes who speak just as good, if not better English, it is almost impossible to get a job without a certain level of fluency written and spoken Swedish.
Impossible.
This is Sweden. Not England or the United States.
And the first language is SWEDISH.
Posted by: skogsbo 6.Mar.2019, 09:53 PM
Impossible.
This is Sweden. Not England or the United States.
And the first language is SWEDISH.
Whilst the thread is old. There are certainly two places in sweden where it is possible to get job without Swedish if you have the skills, one is Ikea, the other is in the financial or IT sector, primarily in Stockholm. I've seen jobs advertised there in English, asking for cv and covering letter in English. Of course speaking Swedish as well will only increase the odds of success.
Posted by: Svedallas 7.Mar.2019, 05:11 PM
Ikea are you kidding me. Have you seen the names for the furniture?
In all my life, I have never met an english speaking person in ikea in Sweden.
IT would be a closer chance, but that too is extremely competitive.
Posted by: skogsbo 7.Mar.2019, 05:23 PM
In all my life, I have never met an english speaking person in ikea in Sweden.
IT would be a closer chance, but that too is extremely competitive.
The names of the product have no relevance to the language they operate in.
You'd be surprised how many people who work in the various non shop Ikea companies aren't Swedish etc.. or have very little Swedish speaking ability. That doesn't mean their first language is English though.
Posted by: TheExpatEagle 7.Mar.2019, 07:54 PM
Impossible.
This is Sweden. Not England or the United States.
And the first language is SWEDISH.
Where did I say Swedish shouldn't be the first language? The topic was about finding a job where the op's English will benefit him, I was saying having English as a 1st language is not an advantage.
Posted by: TheExpatEagle 7.Mar.2019, 07:56 PM
If you want to take things to an niche market then air traffic control is a job that solely uses English...
Posted by: TheExpatEagle 7.Mar.2019, 07:57 PM
In all my life, I have never met an english speaking person in ikea in Sweden.
IT would be a closer chance, but that too is extremely competitive.
I had an interview at Ikea last month and can confirm my English skills were of no use whatsoever.
Ten years ago I had an interview at Ikea IT and it was also not an advantage to have English as my native language either.
Posted by: skogsbo 7.Mar.2019, 10:20 PM
Ten years ago I had an interview at Ikea IT and it was also not an advantage to have English as my native language either.
My sambo works several projects for Ikea... hr,it, finance. According to her most of those she works with aren't Swedish and she spends a large proportion of her time speaking in English, all the project stuff she does is in English too, as it gets flung around the hqs, Poland, Holland etc..
But perhaps we are both correct and just have evidence that matches our views!
Posted by: dlearyous 5.Apr.2019, 08:06 AM
The first year of so that I was back in Sweden I ended up just taking whatever jobs I could find and tolerate. English was of no help. I have since changed to a job working as a surveyor where when interviewed and asking if my English would be of any help/use they replied 'no, most of us speak English anyways'. I now am basically in charge of all contact with our distributors. In Sweden or not. They now admit that though they speak and understand English, they dont have the same ease and flow that I do. I basically only use English when e-mailing or calling distributors and Swedish with my colleagues but it does at least keep me sane to be able to speak English a bit. As good as many Swedes are at English, my experience is that the majority prefer speaking Swedish. Not so odd when, well, we are in Sweden after all.
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