Accompanying persons got a foothold in the Swedish labour market

- "Together with our subsidiary in the Philippines, we provide more than 250 consultants per month, and carry out 500 recruitments per year, across 30 nationalities" says Douglas Ekman, Staffing and Recruitment Manager at MultiMind.

One of the candidates who received a mission through MultiMind is Federica Grosso. She has been living in Sweden since February 2020, with her husband who works at Atlas Copco. Federica saw it as an exciting challenge to give up her career in Italy, and move to Sweden with her husband, and the couple's two cats. At home in Italy, Federica worked in digital learning, and her working days were often long.

Own social network

As the couple have no children, nor do they plan to have any. It was all the more important for Federica to create her own social network. So she contacted the local Rotary Club, and started working out at the gym. But a job is still a job.

- For me, it's important to have something to do, to feel that I have a purpose. And of course I want to earn my own money, and not be completely dependent on my husband. The fact that I now have a job, if only a temporary contract, gives me the opportunity to have my own daily routine. I go to work, meet colleagues, and after work I often go to the gym. In addition, I have a social life, which is important to me.

Federica points out that she has only been working for a month, but when asked if she perceives any difference between working life in Italy, and Sweden, she replies that she thinks the work-life balance is easier in Sweden than in Italy, where long working days are common, and 12-hour shifts are not uncommon.

Moving back to Italy in the near future is not an option. She cites the political, and economic situation as two strong reasons to stay in Sweden, even if against all odds; she fails to find a job when her contract expires. But she has her tricks to succeed in finding a new job; to be proactive both on a personal, and professional level.

-I'm not Queen Elizabeth, so the likelihood of someone knocking on my door, and offering me a job, or friendship is non-existent. I have to do the job.

Two concrete pieces of advice

The advice Federica would like to give to others who have moved to another country, under the same circumstances as herself, and her husband have done is as follows:

- For starters, build a social life. It's hugely important because you've left your old one behind. A good way to do that is to join clubs, and societies, maybe volunteer. Secondly; don't be afraid to try new things! After all, breaking up your career in your home country, may actually mean that you can start a new career in your new country. Don't say no," she says with a laugh.

Federica Grosso came into contact with MultiMind through the Svenskar i Världens Programme, that Svenskar i Världens offers to all main partners. In addition to getting her foot in the door of the labour market, MultiMind got an old client back, a clear win-win. Federica is extremely happy with the contact she had with the recruiter, Douglas Ekman at MultiMind.

"The success factor is to really show your interest, and be social. Be active, and get in touch with the recruiter so you stay top-of-mind."

- I had been out of the labour market for over a year and a half, and I don't speak Swedish. The job he found had nothing to do with my previous work experience, but Douglas still saw opportunities both for me, and for Wella Company; the company that hired me for the job I have now.

Understanding and speaking the language of the country is an important component of successful integration. But in the wake of globalisation, MultiMind sees a big difference in the language requirements of companies today, compared to ten years ago.

- There is a huge difference. In the past, it was almost always an absolute requirement that the candidate spoke Swedish. At Wella Company, the corporate language is English, and this allowed us to broaden our pool of competent candidates.

When asked what makes a candidate stand out, other than competence and track record, Douglas Ekman replies:
- The success factor is to really show your interest and be social. Be active and get in touch with the recruiter so that you stay top-of-mind.

Programs to activate, and support accompanying

Svenskar i Världen offers its main partners three different accompanying programmes; one for the stay abroad, one for the move home, and one for international accompanying persons in Sweden. The programmes give the accompanying persons an opportunity to develop their own professional networks while gaining new qualifications, and support to enter the Swedish labour market.

In addition to being able to get involved as Swedes in the World representatives in the country where they live, they are also offered the opportunity to run their own projects on behalf of the organisation. The assignments are done on a voluntary basis. Through Svenskar i Världens' cooperation with the recruitment companies MultiMind, and Novare, the accompanying persons also get in touch with recruiters to discuss job opportunities, and get feedback on their CVs, or get tips on how to increase their chances of getting a foot in the labour market.

- If life in the new country works for the whole family, the employee is more likely to perform at his, or her best, which of course benefits the company in question, says Secretary General Cecilia Borglin.

The programme this autumn includes a physical networking meeting in Stockholm with MultiMind, but also the opportunity to participate in a digital lecture with Tove Sjövall, a lawyer, about the family law pitfalls for families moving to Sweden, but also about what Swedish families moving abroad should be aware of.

For more information on the Accompanying Person Programme, please contact Cecilia Borglin: cecilia@sviv.se