Life doesn't always give us time for regular language classes and signing up for a course only to miss some of the lessons can be really demotivating. So, instead of holding weekly lessons, New in Sweden has one-off workshops so you can come when you want to and not pay for sessions you can't make.

Our workshops are packed full of language all around just one topic, so you learn as much as possible in each and every workshop. 

Workshop schedule:

8th October 2019 - All about food

15th October 2019 - All about conversations

22nd October 2019 - All around Sweden

Each workshop is in three levels at the following times:
A: 09:00 - 10:30
B: 11:00 - 12:30
C: 13:30 - 15:00

Read more about the workshops and book them here:

Sometimes a helping hand can make all the difference. If you are looking for a boost for your career, to refresh your skills and increase your confidence, keep reading.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Stockholm has a mentoring programme running each year that provides support and a mentor to professionals working in Sweden. This year they even have a separate stream for executives who have 15 or more years of work experience.

The 2019-2020 program starts in mid-November. Seats are limited and applications due October 15th.

The programme is designed for ambitious professionals who are looking for an edge, to advance with new approaches to solving issues at work, to meet people who challenge them and those who think differently.

It provides three key things:

1. a great mentor,
2. a thriving community and
3. eight workshops that are well-rounded and give practical tips for your personal and professional lives.
   

Results from the program:

• You’ll have a deeper understanding of team dynamics and collaborative leadership
• A broader network of like-minded, aspiring people 
• You’ll have sharpened your personal brand and heightened your profile
• You’ll know yourself a little better, after listening and discussing case studies with others
• Advancement.  Many of the mentees advance to the next level of their careers while in the program.
  
  

Yes, of course it does 🙂 but do you know what else needs to be insured to be on the road in Sweden? 

Here is a list of other vehicles that must have motor third party liability insurance if they aren't registered as 'off-road':

• Motorcycle
  
• Moped
• Electric bicycle
• Tractor
• ”Quad bike”/ATV
• Snow scooter
• Garden tractor or riding lawn mower with towing hook or eye
• Truck
  
• Lorry
• Bus
  

There are exceptions to the list, for example if the vehicle is only driven on an enclosed track and not on the road.  

If you have a vehicle that isn't insured, TFF - the Swedish Motor Insurers Association - will charge you a fee per day which works out far higher than insurance premiums would be.

If you have any questions, get in touch with TFF and check out their English website: https://www.tff.se/en/ 

We are running language, culture and professional career advice workshops in October at our offices in Danderyd, north side of Stockholm. Dates and subjects of the workshops are almost ready.

Would you like to get all the info about them? Please click here to fill in a short form and we'll be in touch in the next few days with all the details.

Living in Sweden, you quickly get used to a quiet sense of calm in day-to-day life. Just occasionally though, real passion shows through and ice hockey games are really, really loud! Check out this short clip of fans of the Stockholm team called Djurgården playing at home against the town of Karlstad's team, Färjestad.
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Apartments by Ligula is a hotel concept for longer-term accommodation – when a standard hotel room is a bit too small and you want to feel at home while you are away. They provide modern studio apartments of different sizes containing a kitchenette and everything you need for a relaxing stay.

Apartments by Ligula, Hammarby Sjöstad, offer modern rental apartments which are located opposite the Mårtensdal tram stop in Hammarby Sjöstad, 17 minutes from Stockholm city. Here, you will find everything you need to enjoy a relaxed stay, such as a kitchenette and kitchenware, Carpe Diem beds, TV, free WiFi and rainshowers in the bathrooms. Weekly cleaning is included for all apartments and they also offer a laundry self-service and gym in the building. Rental is primarily on monthly basis.

Prices:
 
Medium 24 – 31 m2: 1 – 2 persons   Price: SEK 18 900 per month*
Large 32 – 40 m2: 1 – 4 persons Price: SEK 21 700 per month*
XL approximately 45 m2: 1 – 2 persons

* All stated prices are inclusive of 12% VAT. The weekly cleaning service and a final cleaning on the departure day is included in the rental fee.
 
Both check-in and check-out is done at the reception at Motel L, street address Hammarby Allé 41. The reception at Motel L is open 24/7. Check-in takes place from 2 pm on the day of arrival and check-out no later than 12 pm on the day of departure, unless otherwise agreed. Apartments by Ligula has its entrance at No. 47, on the same street as Motel L.

For more information, contact Chris Jolly chris.jolly@ligula.se +46 (0)707-25 21 34
Apartments by Ligula, Hammarby Sjöstad
Hammarby Allé 47
120 30 Stockholm, Sweden
https://ligula.se/apartments-by-ligula/

However, Sweden has almost the lowest number of unskilled jobs in the EU, with only Switzerland and Norway having less.

What does all this mean? It isn’t easy for Swedes or expats to get jobs, the job market isn’t as open as in other countries, the population (and therefore available jobs) is much smaller and the whole system works in a different way. Understanding how the job market and recruitment processes work will make a huge difference in the success of any job hunt and here are some tips from us:

-  Visit employment fairs
Big Swedish companies, such as IKEA, Volvo and Skanska regularly tour employment fairs to meet potential new employees. Employment fairs are great places to network with potential employers in your field, to take part in interviews and go to useful seminars. Make sure you go to the fairs prepared with a stack of CVs and cover letters. Decide which companies you want to talk to and what they might be impressed by before you go. After the fair, send follow-up emails to the people you spoke to – this is often the crucial step.

- Make sure that your employer is the real deal
This might not seem like a big deal. As long as someone says you've a job waiting, you're in the clear... right? Well, the situation is unfortunately a bit more complicated. Before jumping to the next step of actually obtaining a work permit, you should make sure that your employer is registered as such. If this is not the case, your supposed employer doesn't even have ability to pay you a formal salary. This could jeopardise your ability to receive a permit and also cause you to put a lot of energy into something that will turn out to be fruitless.

- Learn Swedish
While it’s true that nearly everyone in Sweden speaks English and many large companies – even Swedish ones – have English as their corporate language, being proficient at Swedish will open up lots of doors when it comes to finding work and building work relationships. Even if you apply for a job that specifically demands fluent English or where a native English speaker is preferred, your ability to speak even conversational Swedish will make you better qualified.

- Apply for a work permit
If you will need a permit to work in Sweden, collect together all the relevant information before you start the process, such as your correspondence with your employer, a copy of the job advertisement and your passport. Take everything to the immigration office, Migrationsverket.
 
- Take an internship
Internships can be a great way to gain relevant experience and build your professional network. Even if they don’t lead directly to a job offer, you’ll have a reference from a Swedish company and a notable update for your CV. Look out for advertisements – there are often plenty around - or contact a company you’d like to do an internship at directly.
 
- Register yourself at Skatteverket
Once you have a valid work permit, you will also receive a residence permit card. This enables you to obtain a personal identity number. This number is your key to being a part of the formal society. It enables you to open a bank account, pay taxes and deal with all administrative issues. Read more about personal numbers in our post here.
 
Register yourself at the tax office (which also handles anything to do with the population of Sweden, including personal numbers) – Skatteverket – as soon as possible.  Pretty much everything in Sweden revolves around a personal identity number and not having one will act as a barrier between you and an easy life!

- Contact employers directly and network to build connections
When you look at Swedish job ads you may notice they include contact details for an employee who can answer questions about the post. That person is often involved in deciding who gets the position, so it can be worth your while to call them up, ask a few relevant questions and engage them in conversion. Hopefully you’ll impress them enough to remember your name when your application lands on their desk. If that isn’t possible, try to go to events in your field to make connections that can help you get in touch with the people that are hiring.

Job hunting in Sweden isn’t always easy so to help in making the process a bit simpler, use these tips. They might not all work for you but they should give you a head-start at least.