Inspiring stories
Natália's student job plunged her headlong into the informal Danish culture
Published online: 12.03.2023
Inspiring stories
Natália's student job plunged her headlong into the informal Danish culture
Published online: 12.03.2023
About Natália Konopásková
- Nationality: Slovakian
- Study programme: Culture, Communication and Globalisation at AAU in Aalborg
- Years in Denmark: 4 years
- Student job: Marketing Coordinator and Business Development Manager at Nordic Computer
Unsolicited job search quickly paid off
It was when Natália was about to finish her bachelor, she decided to look for a relevant student job. She worked in a restaurant and volunteered but feared it wouldn’t be enough to land a job in the highly competitive Danish labour market.
‘Firstly, I was solely applying for open positions. After 3 months of only a few interviews but no further success, I sent a few companies an unsolicited application.’
‘In less than a week, I got invited to an interview. On the one hand, it was a stroke of luck as not long before that, their marketing student assistant finished her studies. On the other hand, they found the combination of my marketing and intercultural competencies interesting, while my fluency in Slovak and Czech languages useful for their entry into Slovakia and Czechia. Thus, they hired me as a student assistant helping them with marketing and business development in these markets.’
Danish work culture and independence
Natália describes her experience with Danish work culture as largely positive. From day one in her student job, everyone seemed very friendly and helpful.
“
Integrating into a Danish workplace might be very challenging for a foreigner; however, it is crucial to be proactive and ask questions from the beginning as it shows your interest.
‘Even my supervisor assured me that “there is no such thing as a stupid question”, meaning it is always better to ask if you do not understand something.’
‘I have a high degree of independence in terms of what I would like to learn, as well as managing my time and tasks. It is very flexible – I can choose which days I want to work as long as I meet my deadlines and attend meetings. I can also work from home if I need a quiet space to fully concentrate or want to visit my family in Slovakia. It does not matter what time you come to work or leave as long as you stay productive. Many Danish companies function like this, which is really cool as it allows you to have a healthy balance between work and personal life.’
Equality, informality and socialising
Natália also noticed that openness and equality are important in the company:
‘When we have a brainstorming session, everybody is welcome to pitch their idea or opinion regardless of their position. The talk is mainly informal, and we have no assigned dress code. Titles are not important, and people from different departments eat lunch together.’
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2 months after I started, we had a ‘julefrokost’, and I somehow managed to sit right opposite our CEO. I was surprised, but we had a pleasant conversation, and I understood that this is quite normal in Denmark.
‘This also brings me to the fact that socialising is important for Danes. It frequently happens that a colleague stops by and asks me about my day, so I try to do the same. We also have parties regularly, and it is an excellent way of getting to know your colleagues better and having some fun.’
Natália also says that it is essential to understand at least some Danish to know what is going on:
‘Most meetings, internal emails, small talks, and lunch or Friday bar conversations are carried out in Danish.'
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One of the reasons the company hired me was that I was already in the process of learning Danish.
‘Although I don’t speak Danish with my colleagues yet, I’m glad I can understand some Danish as it allows me to find out what is happening in the company. Besides, I believe that if I had already spoken Danish when I started, it would have allowed me to integrate faster into the workplace.’
Natália’s advice to you if you want to find a job in a Danish company:
1.
Learn Danish. You will have more opportunities to land a job in Denmark. Even if English is the corporate language, Danish can help you integrate better into a Danish workplace, as small talks and lunch or Friday bar conversations are often carried out in Danish.
2.
When you land a job in a Danish company, be proactive, pitch your ideas and ask questions as it shows your interest in the company you are starting in.
During the process, Natália learned:
- 1
Be persistent and don’t give up
Most people will not find a job within a month. It takes some time and hard work on your CVs, cover letters, and some thorough preparation for interviews until you get the final offer.
- 2
Ask for help
There are organisations or programmes dedicated to helping students in career guidance and job search. I participated in Young Professionals in Denmark shortly after I got my student job, and now I know what I should improve in my future job search process.
- 3
Send unsolicited job applications
I have heard before that many people in Denmark found jobs through unsolicited applications, and in the end, that is how I got a job as well.
- 4
Networking is important
It is sometimes a way of finding a job or getting a referral. I used my network and friends to get advice on my job search process.
- 5
Stay productive throughout your studies
It is a huge benefit if you have volunteering experience or even unrelated job experience. Skills (such as communication, teamwork, or customer service) gained during volunteering or in a student job in a restaurant, a hotel, or a shop can be easily transferred to the role you are applying for.
About Natália’s student job
'As Marketing Coordinator, I am responsible for content creation, email marketing, implementation of online marketing campaigns and updating the company’s website and social media. I do practical tasks such as creating and sending out a monthly newsletter, developing marketing content for social media (including graphics, blog posts and videos), creating landing pages on our website and tracking customer analytics. I also did a competitor analysis and research about sustainability within the industry. I developed and launched a new strategy on Instagram and represented the company at student career fairs. There’s always something new and exciting happening in the marketing department!
As Business Development Manager, I support the sales team with sales tasks and communication in the Czech and Slovak markets. I take care of client relations, client acquisition and B2B lead generation. Although I had never thought I would work in sales, I must say that the tasks and responsibilities related to this position helped me step out of my comfort zone, gain confidence, and improve my communication competencies and thus proved invaluable for my future prospects.’