“I sent 20 CVs and nobody even replied”
This is one of the most frustrating moments after arriving in Norway.
You know you can work.
You have experience.
At your previous company people were happy with you.
You send the first CVs.
Then more.
And then more.
A week goes by.
The phone is silent.
Your inbox is silent.
After a while the thought occurs:
“Maybe here you can't find a job without connections.”
Or:
“Maybe no one is interested in my experience from Poland.”
Don't draw that conclusion after the first dozen or so applications.
Very often the problem is not that there are no jobs.
The problem is where you look for them, under what job title, and how you show the employer what you can really do.
First, check job listings in Polish
If you're just starting out in Norway and your Norwegian isn't fluent yet, it's good to first understand the ad itself.
That is why we created a separate section on TwojaNorwegia:
Job offers in Norway in Polish.
There you will find ads from different regions of Norway; you can filter them by location and type of employment and check how to apply. The Polish version is meant to help you understand the offer, but remember: language requirements are still determined by the employer.
Start here:
TwojaNorwegia — job offers in Norway in Polish
This isn't just a list of articles about work.
It's a separate job search engine.
You can:
search by position or employer,
filter listings,
check the region,
see the application deadline,
see the type of employment,
set notifications for new listings.
The site also has a notification system that lets you receive new listings as they appear or once a day.
This is a good starting point, especially when Norwegian job titles are still new to you.
But don't stop at just one place.
The best results come from using several sources in parallel.
Second place: Arbeidsplassen NAV
Arbeidsplassen is the official job listings service run by NAV.
Here you will find listings from across Norway and you can filter them, among other things, by:
location,
occupation,
industry,
working hours,
experience,
working language.
Search listings directly here:
Arbeidsplassen — current job listings
If Norwegian is still a barrier, you can also search for listings where English is the working language. NAV highlights this option to people seeking employment in Norway.
And here an important difference emerges.
On TwojaNorwegia you can start with the Polish version and more quickly understand the content.
On Arbeidsplassen you have direct access to NAV's official database.
It's worth using both.
Third place: FINN Jobb
FINN is primarily associated by many people with housing and cars.
But it also has a huge section of job listings.
FINN Jobb gathers thousands of advertisements from all over Norway and allows you to filter them, among other things, by region and type of position. The current search contains offers from areas such as health, construction, engineering, sales, gastronomy, administration, IT and logistics.
Open FINN Jobb here:
FINN.no — job vacancies
And again:
don't choose between:
NAV or FINN.
Use:
Twoja Norwegia + Arbeidsplassen + FINN.
Why?
Because not every employer posts a job in exactly the same places.
If you check only one source, you may simply not see the listing that perfectly suits you.
How would a Norwegian name your job?
This is one of the most important questions when searching.
Assume that you are a warehouse worker.
You type one word.
You find five listings.
And you conclude:
"There's nothing here."
Meanwhile, a similar job can appear as:
lagermedarbeider
terminalarbeider
logistikkmedarbeider
truckfører
warehouse worker
lageroperatør
The same happens in many other industries.
A mechanic may appear under several names.
A production worker as well.
Caregiver.
Cook.
Machine operator.
Welder.
Driver.
So don't search only for the Polish job title translated into Norwegian.
Also search by:
the tasks you perform,
the machines you operate,
certifications/authorizations,
the industry,
the names of similar positions.
Example
You have a forklift license.
Don't limit yourself to:
warehouse worker.
Also check:
truckfører
lager
logistikk
terminal
produksjon
It may turn out that a position suitable for you exists, but the employer called the role something completely different.
Don't enter only the name of your city
This is another common mistake.
Do you live in Drammen?
Do you search only for:
Drammen.
And ten or twenty kilometers away there may be listings in:
Lier,
Øvre Eiker,
Asker,
Kongsberg.
Do you live in Oslo?
Also check:
Lillestrøm,
Lørenskog,
Bærum,
Nordre Follo.
FINN shows listings by regions and locations, and similarly you can expand the search area in Arbeidsplassen.
So don't ask only:
"Is there a job in my city?"
Ask:
"How far am I realistically able to commute every day?"
If you have a car, your job search area can be much larger.
If you use the train, check towns along the same line.
Sometimes expanding the search by 20–30 kilometers changes everything.
You found a company but don't see a listing?
Don't write it off immediately.
Imagine that you are a mechanic.
There are twelve workshops operating in your area.
Only two have an active job posting.
Do the other ten definitely not need anyone?
It's unknown.
That's why there is such a thing as:
åpen søknad
which means an open application.
NAV points to this option as one of the ways to contact employers who happen not to have published a specific advertisement.
However, don't send a message:
„Hello. I'm looking for any kind of work.”
The employer still doesn't know what you can do.
Better:
„I have five years of experience as a car mechanic. I've worked on diagnostics, brakes, and suspension. I live in the area and can start working next month. Are you currently, or in the near future, planning to hire a mechanic?”
Brief.
Specific.
The person on the other end knows why you're writing.
Don't send the same text to everyone
One document.
Ctrl+C.
Ctrl+V.
Fifty companies.
Technically you can.
But what's the point?
The employer is not looking for:
„a person who is looking for a job”.
They are looking for:
mechanic,
nurse,
electrician,
operator,
salesperson,
driver.
NAV recommends that an application respond to a specific advertisement and show experience relevant to that particular job.
Official NAV guidelines on applying:
Arbeidsplassen — how to write a good application
You don't have to write your entire resume from scratch for every employer.
But the person reading the document should see:
„This person has read our job posting and really fits this position.”
Do you need to know Norwegian?
Sometimes, yes.
Sometimes, no.
There is no single answer for the entire labor market.
In some sectors, English is sufficient.
In others, communication in Norwegian is very important.
There are also professions where language can matter for safety or for contact with customers and patients.
So don't think:
„I don't know Norwegian, so I have no chance.”
Better:
„Which job offers are available at my current language level?”
On Arbeidsplassen you can search, among other things, for vacancies with English as the working language.
On Twoja Norwegia you can first read the Polish version of the advertisement and calmly check, which language the employer actually requires.
This is important:
The Polish version of the advertisement does not mean that the job is in Polish.
The working language is determined by the employer.
A phone call can help, but don't call without a reason
In many advertisements you will find:
the contact person's name,
phone number,
email.
If you have a specific question that the advertisement does not clarify, you can call.
However, don't call just to say:
„I sent my CV. Did you receive it?”
if you sent the application an hour ago.
A better question:
„I see that you require experience with CNC. I worked three years on Mazak machines, but not on exactly the models you listed. Is such experience acceptable to you?”
Now the conversation makes sense.
Did you send the documents? Answer the phone
That sounds funny until you experience it yourself.
You send an application.
Then an unknown number +47 calls.
You do not answer.
Two days later it turns out that it was the employer who called.
If you are actively looking for work:
check your phone,
check your email,
check your spam.
If the job posting had a specified application deadline and there is no information for a long time, you can later ask about the recruitment stage.
Register notifications instead of starting from scratch every day
You do not have to open ten pages every morning and type everything from scratch.
On Twoja Norwegia you can set notifications about new job offers.
You choose your preferences and can receive new offers as they come or once a day.
Set up the search here:
Twoja Norwegia — job listings and job alerts
This is exactly so that a job listing can find you before you remember in the evening that you were supposed to search again.
On FINN you can also use features for following searches and listings available on the site.
So the best system looks roughly like this:
Twoja Norwegia — Polish database and alerts
Arbeidsplassen — NAV's official source
FINN — a large Norwegian job marketplace
plus:
company websites that really interest you.
Do you need to register with NAV?
No.
You do not have to register as unemployed just to browse listings and send applications.
You can search for work on your own.
However, if you need help from NAV, you can register as:
arbeidssøker
that is, a person seeking work.
After registration NAV assesses your situation and can determine what kind of support you may need.
Register here:
NAV — register as arbeidssøker
If you are registered as arbeidssøker, you must also remember to continue confirming your status according to NAV's rules.
We will cover the topic of registration step by step in a separate guide P0-23.
Check whether you can actually start working
This is very important.
Readers of Twoja Norwegia have different citizenships and different grounds for residence.
Therefore you must not apply the rule:
"You are already in Norway, so you can work."
If you are a citizen of the EU/EEA, the EU/EEA residence rules apply to you and you can work in Norway in accordance with those regulations.
Check the official rules here:
UDI — employee who is an EU/EEA national
If you are a citizen of a country outside the EU/EEA, the situation may be different and in many cases an appropriate permit is required.
Check your situation here:
UDI — work immigration
Don't base such an important decision on:
„A colleague said it's possible.”
Your status may be completely different.
What about your diploma and profession from Poland?
Not every foreign diploma requires formal recognition before starting work.
For many professions, the employer assesses your competencies themselves.
But there are also regulated professions.
There, the following may be required:
authorization,
recognition of qualifications,
specific authorizations.
Therefore don't assume either:
„My Polish diploma means nothing here”,
nor:
„I have a diploma, so I can do any job starting tomorrow.”
Check your specific profession.
Don't look for just one „perfect job”
Assume that for ten years you were a manager.
You want to find a similar position in Norway.
That's natural.
But if you have just arrived and need income, you can run two job searches in parallel.
Plan A
Work in line with your experience and qualifications.
Plan B
Work you can start more quickly.
That doesn't mean giving up your ambitions.
The first job in Norway doesn't have to be the last.
It can give you:
a Norwegian reference,
first contacts,
language skills,
income,
better market insight.
And then you move on.
„But I don't have Norwegian experience”
No one has it on the first day after arrival.
If you were a welder in Poland for eight years, you did not stop being a welder after crossing the border.
If you drove a truck, operated CNC, or managed a team, you still have those skills.
The only problem may be whether you can quickly demonstrate them to a Norwegian employer.
Don't write:
„I am hardworking and learn quickly.”
Show:
what you did,
what you worked on,
what you were responsible for,
what authorizations you have.
That's much more convincing.
Make yourself a simple system
After a week of searching, it's easy to lose control.
You don't remember:
where you sent them,
what you sent,
when the deadline was,
whether anyone replied.
Make a simple table:
Company | position | source | application date | deadline | contact person | response
In the source column, you enter for example:
Twoja Norwegia
NAV
FINN
company website
Thanks to this, after two weeks you won't say:
„I probably sent like a hundred CVs.”
You know exactly:
I sent 24,
4 replied,
2 invited me to an interview,
7 declined,
11 are still pending.
This allows you to change strategy based on facts, not frustration.
What can you do today?
Don't finish this guide with knowledge alone.
Do a few things.
1. Open Twoja Norwegia and check current offers in Polish.
Twoja Norwegia — job offers in Norway
Also set up notifications so new offers can be sent to you.
2. Open Arbeidsplassen.
NAV Arbeidsplassen — job search engine
Enter your profession in at least three different ways.
3. Open FINN Jobb.
FINN Jobb — current job listings
Compare the results with NAV.
4. Expand the area.
Check the towns you can realistically commute to.
5. Find five specific companies.
Not only job ads.
Companies.
Check their websites.
6. Send one good application.
Not ten random ones.
One that immediately tells the employer:
who you are,
what you can do,
why you are writing to them specifically.
What next?
You already have places where it's worth searching.
You have:
TwojaNorwegia,
Arbeidsplassen NAV,
FINN Jobb,
and direct company websites.
You found a job listing.
Now comes the next problem:
what exactly should you send?
How should a CV look in Norway?
Should you add a photo?
Should you include your date of birth?
How to describe experience from Poland?
What does søknad mean?
Should you write in Norwegian if you're just learning the language?
And why the sentence:
"I am hardworking, punctual and a quick learner"
does little for someone who has just received 80 similar applications?
OFFICIAL AND USEFUL SOURCES
NAV / Arbeidsplassen
Official job listings and materials on finding employment and applying.
UDI
Current rules concerning the right to work and residence.
FINN Jobb
Large Norwegian classifieds site with job listings from many sectors and regions.
TwojaNorwegia
Job offers in Norway presented in Polish, search, filters and notifications of new listings.
