I still cannot imagine sitting here in my internship company and writing about this topic. It was a journey but I never regret about this experience. I choose doing internship because I know it is an excellent opportunity to expand my network and get to learn about the working culture in Sweden. I believe some of you will also looking for it and thus in this post, I will give 3 practical advice that I learnt from getting an internship offer in Sweden:

Start as soon as possible

I started looking for an internship very soon exactly when I know that in my program, it’s possible for doing internship one semester. So I advise always checking with your programme first if you plan to get an internship in Sweden as part of your study because not every program will count your internship as credit.

After checking with the program, you can totally start soon! Many internship opportunities application opens in March-April for the Autumn semester, so if you plan to do it in the 3rd semester like me, should not miss this ‘good time’.

Network not only in LinkedIn

One important tip I would like to suggest is don’t be shy with your teachers, in Sweden the relation with teachers is very friendly and open. My company didn’t publish any information about the internship at that time and I only got the information through a lecture with my teacher. I started searching more about my company, at the same time keep following-up with my teacher about how interested I am in it! After one week, my teacher introduced me to a project leader (my boss now) and my journey started there. Of course, the application process still workes like a normal process afterward, but thanks to my teacher’s contact, I know that there are more opportunities out there if you have a good network!

So, tell your alumni and teachers if you’re looking for an internship, keep contact with guest lecturers and reach out for them for the opportunity as well. I would say do not forget to check LNU Career Center because I know they also have many valuable insights in how to get a job/internship for students.

Prepare your Swedish – It’s important!

When I found out that the internship I wanted to apply for requires Swedish, I decided to spend my whole summer staying in Sweden and doing intensive SFI course.

Saying that doesn’t mean you should be stress about the language, the most important that how much you like that job and showing how you are willing to use Swedish overtime. I start with very humble Swedish communicate, but hearing Swedish around me every day can sometimes feel confusing, but at the same time, it’s wonderful to be surrounded by the language and learn naturally through everyday conversations and experiences. In fact, working in Swedish language has become one of the most strong motivation for me to learn.

So, if you’re hesitating to apply for an internship in Sweden because of the language, I would still encourage you to go for it. You never know how much you can learn – not only from the internship itself, but also from simply putting yourself in an environment where you can practise and grow.

Let’s me know if you have any questions and good luck with your application!

/Trang