Finding a job in Norway

Looking for part-time work, or recently graduated and looking for your first job? This article will guide you through the Norwegian job market, and provide a few tips and tricks on how to land your first job!

 

Many Norwegian employers require a good command of Norwegian. But if you don’t speak Norwegian, applying for positions within the hospitality and tourism sector could be a great place to start!

A lack of work experience often makes finding a job difficult, and some employers prefer experience from the country in which you’re applying. If you’re finding it difficult to land your first job in Norway, volunteering is a fantastic way to get hands on experience with Norwegian work culture, expand your CV, and build your social network. Part-time positions are often filled through unofficial channels, so expanding your network is a great way to find out about more job openings. Once you’ve landed a job in a company, you have a greater chance of getting a more relevant position there.  

If you’re an international student, keep in mind that there are regulations for how many hours you are allowed to work.
 

Where to find job listings  

There’s many websites you can use to find job listings here in Norway, many of which you can set up to notify you when a relevant job listing becomes available! Here are some of our go-to sites: 

Unfortunately, many of these are only available in Norwegian 

Many start their careers with a recruitment agency, where you can get both short and long-term contracts. This is a good opportunity to get relevant work experience and to check out different sectors and companies. When your contract ends, it is not uncommon that the company you have been working for will offer you a permanent position — and if not, you’ve still acquired useful work experience. 

Whilst job boards are a great place to start, not all positions will be advertised there. So if you find a company you’re interested in working for, be sure to check out their website and follow them on social media to stay up to date on potential job listings! Following Facebook pages specific to job vacancies in Bergen may also be helpful.
 

Finding part-time work 

Having a part-time job is not only a good way to increase your student budget, but also to learn and practice Norwegian! Even if your Norwegian skills aren’t the best yet, you can often find part-time, mostly unskilled jobs. The following businesses might be a good place to start: 

  • Cafes/Bars/Restaurants 
  • Hotels 
  • Cleaning agencies 
  • Production/Industry/Warehouses 
  • Paper route/Advertisement distribution 
  • Souvenir shops/Tour Guide 
  • International companies with English as the working language 

It could also be worthwhile chatting with your professors or advisors about research assistance jobs! 

If you are looking for part time work in shops and cafes it might be a good strategy to pop by in person. Ask for the manager and hand in an open application. If they don’t have any openings now, they might remember you the next time they are short of staff. You’ve got nothing to lose in showing your interest, and potentially making a new connection.
 

Get help from the career centre 

Sammen Career Center is a service from the student welfare organisation in Bergen. They offer individual career counselling to all students in Bergen, free of charge. You can participate in job search courses, get feedback on your CV and motivational letter or get individual interview training. 

More information on what Sammen Career Center offers is available on their website.
 

Networking opportunities 

Networking can help international students landing a job. There are several network meetings and fairs you can attend to get to know people who might be useful contacts: 

  • Join Internations, a group for networking with other expats in your area. Internations generally has one (free) meeting a month at a local venue – helpful for meeting people and making network connections. 
  • There are also other expat networks, for example the Facebook group Bergen Expats 
  • Get a student membership with the Bergen Chamber of Commerce (400 NOK in 2022), and get invited to events frequented by local business leaders and politicians.  
  • Attending career fairs may be a good opportunity to meet representatives from different companies. Bergen Chamber of Commerce organises an International Career Fair which aims to link people with international background and local businesses. 
  • If your Norwegian is adequate, the career fair in Grieghallen organised by the student organisation Springbrettet might also be useful!
     

Internships 

Most internships and trainee positions in Norway are paid positions and are therefore just as competitive as other job prospects. Finding an unpaid internship is quite unlikely.  

Regional trainee programmes in Vestland county are offered both by Framtidsfylket and Trainee Vest. Participation in these programmes requires basic Norwegian.  

Whilst there isn’t really unpaid internships available, many of the academic institutions do offer the possibility to do work experience as part of your degree.  

Finding a job can be quite the challenge, and even more so when faced with a new language and work culture! Try not to lose hope if you don’t get offered anything right away, just keep searching and applying for relevant roles. Good luck on your job search!