How to find a job in Norway - Advice from a professional

When people come to Norway, they have very different rationales why they are searching for a job. I had the pleasure to interview Sara Trajchevska who completed her M.Sc. in Finance at BI, mastered all challenges, and is now working as a Financial Analyst at one of Norway’s most popular employers – Equinor.

Full Name: Constantin Rihaczek
Home Country: Germany
Bachelor's degree: B.Sc. in Business Administration
Previous University: Frankfurt School of Finance and Management
Current programme at BI: M.Sc. in Sustainable Finance

When people come to Norway, they have very different rationales why they are searching for a job. Some might look for a way to finance their living expenses, some want to gain new experiences during a summer internship in one of the world’s largest funds and lastly, a lot of people also aim at securing a future in Norway that goes beyond their studies. However, all these intentions have in common that it can sometimes be quite daunting to find a job in Norway. I had the pleasure to interview Sara Trajchevska who completed her M.Sc. in Finance at BI, mastered all challenges, and is now working as a Financial Analyst at one of Norway’s most popular employers – Equinor. In the following, Sara shared valuable experiences that hopefully help each of us to succeed in Norway.

Sara, how did you find your job?

I found my job through BI’s Career Portal. The career portal is often updated with the newest job postings, and I would highly advise all current and future BI students to regularly visit the portal. Here, you can find part-time jobs, internships or a full-time job. For me, the Career Portal has been a true blessing as I found my past part-time job as a Student Assistant at BI, my summer internship, and my current full time-job at Equinor on this platform.

How important is it to speak Norwegian?

That depends on the company that you are applying for. There are many companies that don’t recruit non-Norwegian speakers, so for those companies, it is extremely important to be proficient in Norwegian. However, there are also many big companies, whose official working language is English, so for those companies – Norwegian is not a requirement. In Equinor, the working language is English, and it is not necessary to speak Norwegian. However, I would still advise to learn the language if you wish to stay in Norway long-term.

Which challenges were the hardest to overcome and how did you master them?

In Norway, almost everyone starts searching for a job a year before they graduate. So, I dedicated the first semester of my 2nd MSc in Finance year to job applications rather than to the subjects I was undertaking. Personally, I found it very hard to balance between the studies, my part time job and the preparations for all the job interviews (which were quite lengthy and demanding). Also, it is important to note that most likely you will be met with several job rejections. The most important lesson is not to give up and continue trying as practice makes perfect – and one failed interview can teach you how to do the next one better.

Do you have any other tips?

Firstly, I would recommend doing thorough research on the company you are applying for, bring some of the things you’ve learned about their strategy/operations to the interview. The same applies for the cover letter and CV that you should tailor to the position and where you should highlight each extracurricular activity you’ve been part of. Don’t just write where you’ve worked, but rather write about what you have achieved within that position. Last but not least, if you’ve attended norskkurs (which is offered by BI), make sure to add it to your CV as it’s a sign that you want to stay in Norway long-term and that you are willing to integrate fully into the culture.

I am optimistic that these tips and inspiration will be very useful for all of us and wish good luck to every current or future BI student!

How to find a job in Norway - Advice from a professional

Sara, how did you find your job?

How important is it to speak Norwegian?

Which challenges were the hardest to overcome and how did you master them?

Do you have any other tips?

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