CV, application and job interview in European countries

A Swedish application is short and to the point:

• a personal letter (personligt brev) – very short, no more than one A4 page, saying clearly which job you are applying for,
• a CV of 1–2 pages, most recent first: personal details, education, work experience, positions of responsibility, language and computer skills, driving licence and interests; you can use the Europass CV,
• certificates and references – only if the ad asks for them; otherwise write that references are available on request.

Read the ad carefully and adapt your application to it. Job ads are usually in Swedish, and employers expect an application in Swedish unless the ad says otherwise.

The interview: learn about the company, prepare your own questions and bring copies of your certificates and references. Expect questions about your education, work, interests, strengths and weaknesses. You may meet a panel – for example an HR officer, a union representative and a future colleague – and there may be several rounds or tests.

Diplomas: the Swedish Council for Higher Education (UHR) evaluates foreign qualifications – you can download a statement to send to employers – and is Sweden’s ENIC-NARIC office, with information on regulated professions.