Queen Margrethe II, the Little Mermaid, football and votes on joint EU affairs may be some of the first things that come to your mind when confronted with the word Denmark. And true, all of the above aspects are central to Danish culture and the Danish self-understanding. However, if you decide to come to Denmark to work you may also come to appreciate other aspects as well: The social welfare system, the concern for the environment, women's equal status with men, the Danish openness and informal behaviour, and much more.
This article gives you a brief introduction to the Danish labour market and provides you with some ideas of where to look for work in Denmark, how to apply for a vacancy, and how to behave during a job interview.

About Denmark

With about 44,000 sq.km. spread on one peninsula and many islands, and with a population of about 5.3 million, Denmark is one of the smallest countries in the European Union. Denmark has been member of the EU since 1973 and is today generally recognised for having one of the strongest economies in the Union. Many decades ago, agriculture formed the cornerstone of the Danish economy. Today, however, two-thirds of the Danish GNP derives from services provided by the public and private sectors, while the lion's share of exports comes from industrial goods and services rather than agricultural products. Danish business life is dominated by small and medium-sized companies; the bulk of Danish industrial companies - more than 75 per cent - employ less than 50 people.
The Danes are subject to one of the world's highest tax rates, on average 50 per cent of the salary. Consequently, the reception of social benefits and education are free of charge and, additionally, these public services �are of a high quality. 

The Danish Labour Market

As an EU citizen you have the right to reside in Denmark for the purpose of employment. Permanent residence is given to those workers of EU member states who can prove that they have obtained employment of unlimited duration in the host member state. Foreign employees have equal rights as Danish employees regarding salary, working conditions, social security etc. Resident foreign nationals from all over the world comprise 4.5 per cent of the total population in Denmark.
Despite an average unemployment rate of about 8 per cent of the labour force, the need for qualified and well-educated employees in�creases rapidly in Denmark. One of the topics in today's political debate is bottleneck pro�blems, which in some industries have resulted in serious difficulti�es in recruiting adequately qualified employe�es. There is a general increasing demand for graduates from almost all fields of studies. In particular, graduates with quali�fi�cations within the areas of high-tech research, information and comput�er-tech�nology, and medicine are highly demanded. A final tendency worth mentioning is employers' increasing focus on international - and especially European - business markets. Thus, the need for employees with good and diverse language skills is currently growing. Consequently, there are good opportunities for foreign graduates to get a job in Denmark, although, in the long term, a knowled�ge of the Danish language will be essential.

How are Vacancies Advertised?

In general, a large number of vacancies are advertised in the national newspapers on Sundays; for instance in "Berlingske Tidende", "Jyllands-Posten", "B�rsen" and "Politiken". Some vacancies are advertised in professional papers, published by the trade unions. Finally, companies in Denmark are using the Internet as information channel in their search for future employees.
However, it has also been estimated that more than 60 per cent of all jobs in Denmark are attained by word of mouth and, thus, a majority of vacancies are not advertised in either newspapers or other media open to the public. Therefore, an additional method is to send job applications on one's own initiative, which is commonly done by Danish gradua�tes. Foreign graduates would be well advised to adopt this approach in addition to traditional advertisments. Finally, the Danish volume equivalent to this guide for graduate students - "Karriere Vejviser 2000" - contains a great number of company profiles, on the basis of which foreign graduates may forward their uninvited job applications to potential Danish employers. "Karriere Vejviser 2000" can be provided from the publisher of this graduate guide.

Curriculum Vitae - CV

There is no set formula for the preparation of a C.V. or a covering letter. It should, however, be emphasised that any application and C.V. should be adapted� to the company and job in question. Furthermore, the covering letter should �include the applicant's own thoughts about how his or her specific quali�fications and educational profile could be of value to the company. One general rule of thumb is to keep the covering letter within the limits of 1-2 pages. The C.V. should contain data, presented chronologically, which presents a general view of the applicant; that is personal data (age, gender etc.), educational courses, knowledge of foreign languages, IT-skills, professional quali�fications, hobbies etc.

The Job Interview

The atmosphere in the Danish labour market is generally described as relaxed and informal. The job interview is no exception. There are very few formaliti�es and the dress code is casual but neat, depending on the line of bus�iness. It is essential for a successful job interview that the appli�cant is well prepared; all available informa�tion about the company must be carefully gathered and should, before the inter�view, be thoro�ughly compared with the graduate's individual qualifications. Different kinds of tests are used to some extent, primarily psychological tests, whereas the use of health tests (particularly ge�netic tests) is in the process of being firmly restricted by law. Generally, tests are used as a supplement to personal interviews, in order to support the employer's overall impression of the applicant.
When being accepted for a position in a Danish company, the type of contract varies. Both traineeships, temporary and permanent appointments are common. A general Danish working week is 37 hours with half an hour lunchbreak, and employees are entitled to five weeks of paid vacation every year.

There is a Danish equivalent of Success and Career called " Karriere Vejviser ". www.go.dk

It is available at a cost of 25 CHF (plus extra for postage and packing) at Success and Career.
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