Network Network Network

Have not posted very much this week, due to being incredibly busy with the Hurtigt i Gang course.  Who ever would have imagined that perfecting a CV would take so long?  Another good thing is that as more people come back from vacation, the number of job listings has increased.  But we've been told a million times this week that basically it is not what you know, but who you know: the best thing was to send out unsolicited applications and "use our network". The Kevin Bacon 6 Degrees of Separation was explained to us.  (Yeah the worst part of that is our seminar leader said, "You know, Kevin Bacon...from Footloose".  Not many people seemed to recognize him, but that mention put the film's annoying song in my head for the rest of the day!)

Hearing that "networking" piece of advice really kills me, because I wish that one of the first official papers I received from the Danish integration ministry and/or the university would have said, "People get their jobs through their network 70% of the time. Go forth and make connections!"  That is to say, one has only a 30% chance of getting a job the traditional send-in-the-CV route. This 70% figure is said to be a little lower here on the island of Funen.  I wish I would have been told these things, because I would have made a lot more attempts at trying to connect with the natives, and also built up a stronger expat network.  Alas, hindsight is 20/20. 


So the increasing number of job listings is a positive sign that companies are hiring.  I know that at my old job, we regularly received unsolicited apps (and when we didn't, there was always an ongoing ad for sales reps.  I think that was meant to light a fire under the current reps.  But that is a whole other story!).  In any case, although we had received unsolicited apps for a particular position, when that position came open, we did advertise for it, to ensure that all the best possible options could be considered.  And having sat through NUMEROUS interviews for potential hires at my old company, I have first-hand experience of finding out that although a person is awesome on paper, doesn't mean that she/he's that way in person.

Speaking of apps, there are some that I do need to write now.  Having some peace and quite early on a sunny Saturday morning is quite conducive to concentrating on them.

Just remember: if you are moving to Denmark for ANY reason whatsoever, work really really REALLY hard at making connections with all different kinds of people, because at some point, you'll need them!  Your future livelihood depends on it!