Jobs in Sweden for English Speakers

While the cold of winter is here, one option is to go and explore some of the snowiest and most wintry places out there. One such possibility is Scandinavia, a uniquely fascinating region with so much to offer.

What makes Scandinavia so different? There’s so much, from the breath-taking landscapes, social lives and the languages, including names, which often have an unusual Scandinavian story to tell.

Scandinavia has much to offer that is recognizable and accessible to the English speaker. A great example of this is Sweden, from the cosmopolitan capital city of Stockholm, through to smaller towns and villages across the nation.

You can find multiple opportunities for English-speakers in Sweden if you look it up online. Be sure to have a reliable internet connection so that you can stay updated about jobs for English-speakers and are ready to respond to any recruiters that come your way. On that note, reach out to Xfinity customer service to hook you up with a fast-speed internet plan with seamless connectivity.

Below is a simple guide to some of the work that is currently available in Sweden for English speakers. Some of these may seem fairly obvious, while one or two may well be surprising. Read on to find out more!

TEFL (or Teaching English as a Foreign Language) teacher

English is not the first language of native speakers of Swedish. There are occasional exceptions, such as expatriates or couples who grew up in a bilingual household, but in general, there is a place for English teaching in Sweden.

TEFL is the way in which the English language is taught to speakers of other languages, and one of the most popular places to teach English right now is Sweden. Partly this is due to the close proximity to mainland Europe, making continental travel simple and efficient.

Additionally, Sweden has a modern and contemporary feel to life than some other more conservative nations around the world. This means they are more understanding of newcomers coming in for all kinds of reasons, making any potential adjustment feel smoother than it could perhaps elsewhere, where features such as language and culture are markedly different. This approach of openness to others could ease any feelings of homesickness that a new TEFL teacher might have when first moving to Sweden.

In any event, Swedish schooling policy is similar to most others in that they favour TEFL candidates with TEFL certification. This helps to ensure the very highest qualified candidates apply, and then are able to be retained for the long haul.

Also, for the new TEFL teacher, these courses are designed to ensure that the most rigorous training takes place, from a refresher on the most essential grammar skills, all the way through to how and when to use specific phrasal verbs. For instance, the phrasal verb ‘to make out’ has very different meanings for British and American English speakers, so could cause confusion if not used correctly.

These programs are organized and taught by a team of experienced TEFL experts, who understand the subject like the back of their hand. Due to this, their advice is honest and fair, and ought to make it easy for any new TEFL teacher to hit the ground running with their work.

Tour guide

Whether taking visitors on a stroll through a big city such as Malmö, or to one of the many islands around the Swedish mainland, becoming a tour guide is an excellent way for an English speaker to work in Sweden. For one thing, a lot of visitors who come to Sweden are not proficient in Swedish, but instead do tend to have at least a passing knowledge of the English language. This makes English a more comfortable language option for receiving a tour.

Furthermore, these guides can often provide a glimpse into the sides of Sweden that a native might just forget to overlook. Frequently, when people from a specific nation are asked to talk about their homeland, they sometimes forget things which may just be fascinating to a foreign tourist.

An English speaker would probably not overlook such details, and instead incorporate these into an insightful and fact-filled tour. This might include a brief history of some of the more famous global Swedish brands, such as IKEA or H and M (which stands for Hennes and Moritz, Hennes actually meaning ‘females’ in Swedish).

When island hopping, by contrast, the viewpoint of an English speaker could be dramatically different than typically seen on British shores. For instance, the wooded and secluded nature of some of the islands off the coast of Sweden does differ hugely from the hustle and bustle of big English cities, like London or Birmingham.

For this and many other reasons, an English speaker ought to think about the benefits of becoming a tour guide in Sweden.

Swedish holidays: The traditional holidays in Sweden

Hospitality

During popular tourism seasons, the world of hospitality is full of opportunities for English speakers. One such option is that of a waiter in a restaurant, which frequently fills up during the summers, when the days are long and the nights are short. Although work days can feel a bit long, this creates the chance for earning more money as well as tips, of course.

Alternatively, life on a cruise ship could be just the ticket for an English speaker, as more and more cruise liners go around the Scandinavian countries all year round. These positions are intense but they do offer the chance to travel and see the region while getting paid, and are often followed by longer periods of repose to recover from the high workload while on board.

Back on the mainland, many Swedes are becoming more accustomed to a cafe culture, needing a quick espresso to start them on their day, or a more relaxing cappuccino over lunchtime with friends. For this, an English speaker might find the relatively limited cafe menu a refreshing change of pace from full-on language conversations, and it could be a gentler introduction into life in Sweden.

For all of these positions, not to mention working in bars, hostels, or high end hotels, a high level of energy, commitment, and willingness to be flexible are all vital. In a nutshell, working as an English speaker in Sweden requires these attributes, so why not think about the many positives that working in Sweden could offer today?

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