Spørsmål
I am finished with my studies since quite a while, and therefore need to move out of studenthousing by August. I need to find a job to be able to afford moving out, and now I have this deadline. I have not written applications immediately after finishing my studies because I was struggling with my mental health a lot (still do), but finally write applications. I even got some interviews, but I always got rejected. It's not been a long time since I started applying (ca. 4 months) and it takes time, but it's still frustrating and I have this overwhelming fear that I might have to go back to my home country, rely on and disappoint my parents. I am also worried if I have to move back I might lose access to mental health counselling because it's basically impossible to find something there. I don't know how to handle this fear at the moment, and I don't know what kind of backup plan I could come up with if I fail to find a job and housing in time.
Sosionom og karriere svarer
Thank you for sharing your difficulties with us. This sounds very stressful.
I understand that most things in your situation right now are about finding a solution so that you can continue staying in Norway. At the same time, you tell us that you do not know how to handle the fear you are feeling. I will therefore answer your question in two parts.
Difficult feelings
Sometimes we have difficult feelings without there being any real danger. Other times, we have strong feelings because we are facing a problem that needs to be solved, a problem with consequences for us. I understand it as the latter in your case, that this situation has major consequences for you.
Because of this, we cannot remove the feelings completely, but you can try to calm yourself down a little. This may not be easy, but doing things that are good for you right now is probably important. If you have people in your life that you feel safe with, those are the people you should spend time with now. You may not need to challenge yourself in other areas right now, not before you have solved this challenge. I would also recommend that you try to be kind to yourself.
This may help somewhat, but of course the problem itself also needs to be solved before you feel better.
I altso hope that you can talk to your therapist about the fear and the difficult situation you are experiencing.
Finding a job/ who can help
When it comes to job searching and applications, I recommend not only applying for advertised positions, but also actively using your network, both professional and personal. Talk to people you know and let them know you are looking for opportunities. You can also use LinkedIn to contact relevant companies directly and ask whether they are recruiting or in need of short-term assistance. The main goal is to get a foot in the door; this can sometimes lead to more relevant or stable opportunities over time.
It’s encouraging that you have been invited to job interviews, as this confirms that you are applying for relevant positions and are perceived as competent. You may consider asking for feedback after interviews to gain a clearer understanding of why you didn’t get the position. I don’t know whether this applies to you, but in my experience, job interviews in Norway tend to be more informal than in many other work cultures. Small talk is common, and topics that may be considered too personal elsewhere are often perfectly acceptable in a Norwegian context. Employers are looking for a colleague, not just a qualified professional. If this resonates with you, one possible approach is to practice typical interview questions within a Norwegian context. Ask someone more experienced in your network for mock interviews, or consider contacting the local career center at the county authority (Fylkeskommunen. Here is the career centre in Oslo
Another service that may be relevant for you is NAV. There, you can register as unemployed and possibly get help finding a job. I would recommend that you look into whether you have any rights there.
I hope things work out for you and that you find a job in Norway!
Regards
Clinical sosial worker and Career advisor.