So You Want a Job in Norway?
Start Learning the Language!
By Louise Rankin, Norway Career Advisor

Unpleasant as it may be, if you're planning to work in a foreign country, it certainly helps to speak at least a little of the country's language. This is a good idea not only for your own sake—helping you to adapt culturally—but also for the job market.

There was a time in Norway when speaking only English was sufficient. It is true that nearly everyone in Norway speaks English, to a greater or lesser extent, but that is not the point. A willingness to learn the language can tell the Norwegians more than the best qualifications in your field of expertise.

So how do you go about learning Norwegian before you arrive?
Well, before you come to Norway, you could join in a local class, if you can find one, which is not always easy. Sometimes the Norwegian embassy in your country will be able to put you in contact with teachers of Norwegian.

0r, you could borrow or purchase a set of the many language tapes that are available. For example, there's Learn to Speak Norwegian Language Learning. Their total immersion accelerated learning method can be hard for some to swallow, but it is effective and their directions are well defined.

You could also sign up for some online training in the rudiments of the language. Contact me at or browse Google for more options.

What if you get here and still don't speak the language?
There is a great offer available for all foreigners coming to Norway. The Folkeuniversitet are responsible for arranging the government-funded courses for foreigners from beginners to advanced levels. You may take as many of these courses as you need free of charge. A word of warning though: they take the courses very seriously and you are expected to enroll in quite an intensive series of training sessions, which can be time consuming. In fact, it might be worth arriving some weeks earlier to take advantage of the offer in the best possible manner. The courses' start times vary widely, but there's usually a course you can start almost immediately. Contact the Folkeuniversitet in your targeted area for more details.

If the free Folkeuniversitet courses don't appeal to you or don't work with your schedule, consider private lessons, available from individual tutors or through consulting companies that offer corporate training packages. There are many local organizations offering these services and the Folkeuniversitet will give you recommendations.

Just beware that there are two current languages in Norway. Bokmal is the most widely spoken these days and Nynorsk is more common in areas with strong dialects and amongst the older generations. It would probably be best to start with Bokmal. Good Luck!

For more information on conducting an international job search, go to www.goinglobal.com. Direct link to article: http://www.goinglobal.com/hot_topics/norway_rankin_language.asp