How to find and attract international expertise?

No single method suits all needs, but there are many different ways to proceed. Technology can be your enabler and within this area, LinkedIn is probably the most well-known and effective tool to use.

But just posting an advertisement isn´t always enough, you could also consider contacting talent directly and position your company within the job market. For example, if you are looking for employees within the tech-industry, you should highlight what makes your workplace especially interesting. 

It is also important to state in the job advertisement that Swedish language isn’t necessary and that you will help arranging work permits and assist with the move to Sweden. 

EMPLOYER BRANDING

Remember to focus on employer branding and ask yourself the question “why would people choose to work here” and “why should we be their number one choice?” Especially if you market yourself to international talents, it is a good idea to say positive things about the company’s culture and work-life, for example after work activities, fika’s (things that we in Sweden might take for granted, but will be new to an international employee) or what is applicable for you. 

It is always a good idea to keep your own web-page updated and attractive for both customers and potential employees. Also offer your website, or company presentations in relevant languages. 

MAKE USE OF EURES

If you would like to begin by looking in a European country, one option is to contact Eures, the European job mobility portal, in which the public employment services participate. As an employer in search of global talent, you can register, search the CV bank on your own or get help to make your wishes more widely known. It's free, and the aim is to make the recruitment process as smooth as possible. Read more on the Arbetsformedlingen or Eures websites. 

WORK PERMIT CONSIDERATIONS

No work permit is necessary for employing an EU citizen; more information is available on the Migration Board website.

In the case of expertise from the rest of the world, you must apply as an employer for a work permit, which entails a longer procedure. However, it is your company’s need for labour that is the determining factor, not any civil authority as was the case before. Read more at Migrationsverket.

RECRUITING TIPS

• Link the company's requirements for skills with ambitions to reach new markets. This will help you create a value-added recruitment process.
• Referrals can be a preferred route for international recruitment. Ask your colleagues and network for tips on good candidates. If you find some, Skype interviews are a cost-effective first step.
• Once you find the right candidate, it’s a good idea to involve a colleague early on, who can answer questions and provide support to the new arrival during their settling in period in Sweden.
• Expect the process of recruiting a person from another country to take longer. Have the right expectations and plan accordingly. 
• Engage your employees into providing tips about good candidates or make enquiries in their own networks, this is a good, cost-effective method.
• It could also be an idea to attend career & university fairs, both in Sweden and abroad. 
• If you do not have the time/skills, it might be a good idea to engage a recruitment agency or search company.

'We employ many methods to find the best expertise'

Marcus Nilsson, founder of Ghost Games

“We are constantly searching for the world's best expertise and use many methods to find it. We enjoy a great advantage by belonging to EA Games, which is a major international company with studios around the world. It means we can move skills around internally within EA, and that recruiters at EA Central can keep tabs on global talent. We also have our own local personnel, who work with the issue. Two important tools in this work are LinkedIn, where we both advertise and carry out our own searches, and tips from our employees about former colleagues or people in their network.

When the time is right, we bring the person concerned here and we usually also let them bring their family too. We hold interviews and simulate various problems for the person to solve. Then we showcase the city and try to promote Ghost, Gothenburg and Sweden in an effective way. It’s often quite a job trying to explain to people what you get for all the money you pay in tax; it can be difficult to show that there is a value in the tax burden.

We also showcase the city and try to promote Ghost, Gothenburg and Sweden in an effective way.

By this time, we’ve often decided that we want the person in question, and so we present a contract proposal while they’re here in Gothenburg. When it’s time for the actual move, we outsource most of the work. EA has an entire department that works with relocation, and we also use external relocation companies to organize the practical details. There is much to be done and recruiting internationally is a major responsibility. At the same time, we need to remember that we cannot take responsibility for everything. We cannot take responsibility for the way things go at school for children, just as we cannot for someone who comes from Sweden.”