JOB SEARCH

Here, you'll learn about the following:

• How to prepare for the job search process

• Where to search for jobs
  
  

How to prepare for the job search process

Prior to job searching, you will have to make sure you meet the requirements set by Danish legislation:

• You need to make sure you meet the requirements of living and working in Denmark. If you are from outside of the EU/EEA, you will most likely need to obtain a residence and work permit to live and work in Denmark. On the website of the Danish Immigration Services, you can read more about about residence and work permits.. 

   

• If your profession is regulated in Denmark (which means that authorization is required), you cannot work in your field without an authorization. Read about authorization on the website of the Ministry of Higher Education and Science.

In addition to this, it might be a good idea to get your educational qualifications assessed by the Danish authorities. This may improve your chances of finding a job. Learn more about this in the ´Assessment and recognition of foreign qualifications´ section of this guide.

You can give yourself the best start on your job searching process by addressing the following:

1. Identify your skills and competences (what are you good at, educated in, have experience with?).

    

2. Get a clear idea of which positions you will be able to hold based on step 1. LinkedIn is a good source in this exercise to see what others with similar profiles and skills are working with – and in which companies.

    

3. Consider which positions you may be qualified for but do not find desirable (if any).

    

4. Consider which other types of employment you are willing to take (e.g., positions below your qualifications or unskilled work) if your need or wish of getting a job outweighs other factors.

    

5. Think about commute time, working hours and other criteria you have for your next job. Should some of them be more flexible? The broader your search is and the less criteria you have, the greater chance of success.

    

6. Once you know what kind of jobs you are interested in, find out which job titles, key words, etc. you should use in your search for relevant job openings or companies. As a rule, you should always use key words in Danish and English when searching for relevant job ads. This way, you will be sure not to miss out on interesting positions for which you could be a potential candidate.

Where to search for jobs
There are many different approaches to job searching, and some might suit you better than others. However, your chance of finding a job increases when you know and apply all available resources in the right way.

In all your searches - on job portals, for open positions or during research on relevant companies - remember to use keywords in English as well as in Danish. This way you will get more – and more relevant – results.

Job portals

There are many job portals to choose from when looking for jobs in Denmark. Some have helpful features, where you can set the language to either Danish or English at the top of the page to make navigation on the website easier. The portals give you an overview of the possibilities within your field and interests, as well as helps you find relevant/interesting job listings.

On many of the databases, you can make a simple or a more advanced search for specific keywords, companies, job categories, geographical areas, etc. It's a good idea not to make your search(es) too narrow, as you may risk missing out on important job opportunities when searching.


As you search, consider:

• selecting more job categories
• choosing a broader geographical scope (commuting in Denmark is quite easy and distances are short)
• using different keywords (also in Danish) and being flexible when it comes to titles and positions
  
  

Once you've chosen your search criteria, you're sometimes given the option of creating a Job Agent. A job agent will send you e-mail notifications when new positions that match your criteria are posted. You can create as many job agents with different search criteria as you like. And you can easily delete them again.

You can also register your CV to most job portals by uploading it to their CV databases. By posting your CV, you will be visible for employers and head-hunters, who can contact you if they have a job matching your qualifications and search criteria (including jobs that are not posted).

A job portal may also have an ad archive function where you can see previously advertised (no longer open) positions. These archives can be a good source of inspiration and provide information about specific companies, departments, positions, or tasks. Information that can prove very valuable while preparing for a job interview or writing an application. Furthermore, the job ad archive can give you a list of companies that have hired people with similar skills to yours in the past. This information can be very helpful in your future job search since you will know which companies to follow and approach with an unsolicited application.

To help your further, some job portals provide additional inspiration, relevant information, tips and tricks for your job search:

Free career guidance, e-learning courses about job search, courses for unemployed people (note: can have admission requirements) to upgrade your job search skills, application engines where you can see examples of job applications, company specific statistics on job development over time and ratings from previous and current employees.

Workindenmark

Workindenmark is the official Danish office and website for international recruitment and job seeking.

Workindenmark’s website offers great job search video tutorials and an e-learning course on job search containing four modules:

• Job search in Denmark
• Contacting companies and succeed in job interviews
• The use of LinkedIn in your job search
• An introduction to Danish workplace culture

Furthermore, you can search for interesting positions in Workindenmark’s job portal and create your CV on the EURES portal.

Finally, make sure to visit Workindenmark’s guide to living and working in Denmark.

Jobnet

www.jobnet.dk is the public job centres’ website for jobseekers and employers in Denmark. Jobnet allows you to search for a job among many thousands of vacant positions. Apart from this information in English, the website is entirely in Danish, but Google Translate can get you far. Like on Jobindex, you can search for jobs in the Jobnet job bank. The website also includes a CV database. To upload your CV there, you need to register as a job seeker on Jobnet. After you register, you are obligated to “follow up” by logging on to Jobnet at least once every 13 weeks for your CV to remain visible to recruiters.

Odense Robotics

Odense Robotics is Denmark’s cluster for robots, automation, and drones. You can see a list of the cluster’s member companies and associated partners here and use it as inspiration for which companies to contact about job possibilities. On the website you can upload your resume to the CV database and search for interesting positions in the job bank. 

All companies need a variety of different skillsets to function, so even if you are not a robotics genius or a software wizard, there might be a job for you too.