We interviewed Sumaiya a week ago when she had just lost her job at Northvolt and was understandably feeling panicky. We wanted to see how her job hunt was going, and she gave us the following job search diary. She's certainly been busy.
However, even though Sumaiya has a degree in economics, and a master’s in applied economics and data analysis from Jönköping university, she's still struggling, with many employers saying they want to wait until next year before they hire.
Furthermore, many employers are still insisting on fluent Swedish language skills despite Skellefteå municipality and other public organizations pleading with them to be flexible.
Sumaiya's job search diary
November 4:
Attended the job fair organized by Skellefteå municipality, where I spoke with various companies to gather information about their opportunities and requirements. I left feeling hopeful, as many expressed interest in hiring English-speaking employees. But, unfortunately, most don’t plan to start the hiring process until next year. I don’t have that much time. I returned home with a heavy heart, carrying both hope and frustration, and immediately started updating my resume to make myself feel better.
November 5:
Searched for job postings on Platsbanken, LinkedIn, Indeed, and other sites. Applied for 10-12 roles, mainly in production industries, and emailed hiring managers directly whenever possible. I also connected with talent acquisition teams from different companies on LinkedIn and reached out but received no positive responses.
November 6:
The day started with several rejection emails, which really damaged my motivation. Despite this, I pushed myself to apply for 10 more jobs and organized my week by listing companies to apply to. I made plans to apply across different industries to try every possible way forward, but the opportunities felt scarce.
November 7:
I decided to visit companies in person to show my dedication and eagerness to work. I visited 5-7 companies around Skellefteå but had no luck. Due to Northvolt’s layoffs, some companies are also reducing their workforce, so none could offer any concrete hope. I received a call from a consultancy about potential job opportunities, but, once again, my lack of fluent Swedish was an immediate barrier.
November 8:
Travelled to companies outside Skellefteå. One was impressed by my motivation and initiative and immediately arranged an informal interview and contacted the recruiting manager. After reviewing my profile, they encouraged me to apply next year, when more entry-level positions might be available. The position I applied for was an entry-level role, but it still required two years of experience. Overall, I do have the necessary experience, but I got the impression they weren’t planning to hire until next year. However, my work visa is nearing its expiration date. I worry that I'm going to run out of time. I don't want to leave Skellefteå - it's become my home.