Help / Advice needed with Relocation to Norway. Job Sector. (English Post)

[Slimster]

Hi all.

 

Firstly, sorry, I am learning Norwegian at the moment and it just is not good enough to write a full topic here, so i can only write it in English.

 

I have just re-located to Norway after living with my Norwegian girlfriend in England for some time. She has finally talked me into living in Norway...so here i am.

 

Can anyone point me in the right direction for jobs. I have been searching with my Girlfriend and cant seem to find any that need Crystal Reports. Crystal Reports is probably my strongest area and have been programming in Crystal for years. (i even have my own licensed versions). I can publish them using Visual Studio.NET 2005 on IIS websites.

 

If someone can point me in the right direction i would appreciate it maybe listing the best agencies or consultancies etc, or if anyone knows companies that need people it would be a great help.

 

So briefly what i do is;

I....

am an expert in Crystal reports including writing complex VB/Crystal Syntax formulas.

am proficient in publishing Crystal Reports in .NET web applications hosted within IIS.

have excellent skills in MS Excel writing macros using VB.

have excellent skills in MS Access Databases developing with macros and VB.

have excellent MSSQL Server understanding and currently doing MSDBA courses.

have excellent Business intelligence application skills using SSIS projects.

am a fully qualified MCSA (2000).

have sound network understanding including data access, DHCP, DNS, Active Directory and group policy.

 

Is there a specific agency i really need to be with?

 

Regards

 

Simon

 

P.S Beautiful country!........and OMG! How much for a Pint of Beer ??? lol.

Endret 8. april 2009 av Slimster

[Ed Hunter]

Welcome to Norway! You can find a lot of recruitment agencies just by searching (in norwegian) on the web. This site also has it's own career section here. which is a start. There you can upload your cv as well in the database. Also many it-related companies advertise jobs on hardware.no. NAV.no has a pretty comprehensive database as well, your girlfriend is likely to tell you further what it is.

[Robocoop]

Det skal bare brukes norsk på dette forumet. Det står i reglene.

[Slimster]

Welcome to Norway! You can find a lot of recruitment agencies just by searching (in norwegian) on the web. This site also has it's own career section here. which is a start. There you can upload your cv as well in the database. Also many it-related companies advertise jobs on hardware.no. NAV.no has a pretty comprehensive database as well, your girlfriend is likely to tell you further what it is.

 

 

Tusen Takk

[Arve Systad]

You could also check out recruitment agencies like Academic Work, Elan IT, Xtra personell and Top Temp

[AndyG]

Welcome to Norway

 

I would recommend uploading your CV to Finn.no, which is a norwegian adverts site, for jobs, cars, you name it. Both myself and a close friend got in touch with recruiters after a day (him) or two (me) after uploading our CVs there. A significant amount of recruiters are browsing for CVs on Finn. I am not sure, however, if Finn.no has an english version, but I am sure your girlfriend could assist you in uploading your CV there.

 

Just a note; I've seen a lot of recruiting agencies not disclosing their client in adverts, so if there are companies you really want to (or don't want to) work for, you will often need to contact the agency for that info.

 

Best of luck!

Endret 17. april 2009 av AndyG

[noxon]

From your profile I would suggest that you look at the larger consulting firms. Specifically: Accenture, Cap Gemini, Steria, Affecto. All of these have large BI sections (the latter is a pure BI firm). I do think that crystal reports may be too narrow in norway, i dont think many clients actually use this app (all clients I have worked on BI projects on have been either SAS, Business Objects, Hyperion or something from IBM or Oracle).

 

And when you apply around, focus on your Business Intelligence knowledge. That's a field that's pretty easy to get a job in today, and if you go with one of the larger consulting firms, they usually are multilingual and provides a good environment even if your norwegian isn't up to par.

[Robocoop]

There should be possibilities, although norwegian employers are usually reluctant to hire foreigners, but if you're white there shouldnt be any major problems. Since I'm not an IT-guy I cant give any specific advise.

[Slimster]

From your profile I would suggest that you look at the larger consulting firms. Specifically: Accenture, Cap Gemini, Steria, Affecto. All of these have large BI sections (the latter is a pure BI firm). I do think that crystal reports may be too narrow in norway, i dont think many clients actually use this app (all clients I have worked on BI projects on have been either SAS, Business Objects, Hyperion or something from IBM or Oracle).

 

And when you apply around, focus on your Business Intelligence knowledge. That's a field that's pretty easy to get a job in today, and if you go with one of the larger consulting firms, they usually are multilingual and provides a good environment even if your norwegian isn't up to par.

 

Thanks for the reply.

 

Do you mean Business Intelligence, namely the Business Intelligence suite you can install from the likes of a SQL Server 2005/8 installation including Analysis, Reporting and SSIS etc. The partial Visual Studio 2005/8 Business Intelligence components ? If so, i'll maybe concentrate on that area for now as i have the full suite myself.

 

Another question, i am seeing "Business Objects" more and more what is it ? I myself, know "Business Objects" as the company that owned Crystal Reports, they purchased Crystal Decisions the original developing company. However, SAP has purchased Business Objects recently and it will change again, the very latest version, Crystal Reports 2008, which i use, still carries the name "Business Objects".

 

It is slightly confusing especially as my girlfriend is not into IT at all.

 

I presume that Business Objects' Excelcius is not common either then ? Thats the dashboarding software that comes with a Crystal Reports combo package from Business Objects.

Endret 21. april 2009 av Slimster

[Slimster]

There should be possibilities, although norwegian employers are usually reluctant to hire foreigners, but if you're white there shouldnt be any major problems. Since I'm not an IT-guy I cant give any specific advise.

 

I am White English, a Brummie all the way from Sunny Birmingham. Land of the Curry!!!

[Robocoop]

There should be possibilities, although norwegian employers are usually reluctant to hire foreigners, but if you're white there shouldnt be any major problems. Since I'm not an IT-guy I cant give any specific advise.

 

I am White English, a Brummie all the way from Sunny Birmingham. Land of the Curry!!!

 

 

And also as a native english speaker one would think that could be an asset. Maybe in dealing with foreign clients?

[Shruggie]

In the big consulting firms good english skills are actually more important than good norwegian skills, since most of the business will take you all over the world. In other words, finding a job is simply a question of knowing where to apply. The international companies are your best bets. The ones which are big in England, might not be big here, though, so best of luck to you.

 

-- Fellow job hunter.

[nistemann]

I presume that Business Objects' Excelcius is not common either then ? Thats the dashboarding software that comes with a Crystal Reports combo package from Business Objects.

 

Both Crystal Reports and Xcelsius is a part of Business Objects, which as you mentioned have been purchased by SAP. As others mentioned, Affecto is a company working within this area, as well as other consultancy firms like Accenture and Cap Gemini and SAP themselves.

[larsthestar]

Unless you master Norwegian I can tell you there's a 99% chance you won't get a job. That's a sad sad empirical fact.

 

Norwegians are very conservative people and extremely reluctant to hire someone with little to none knowledge of Norwegian. Look at it this way, why would they hire you when they can get someone who speaks Norwegian to do the same thing?

 

Only way to get around this is to be extremely skilled in an area with high demand. However, openings like this are few and far between. You're best bet is to master the language as quickly as possible, with intensive studies it should take you about one year to speak and understand Norwegian, then another year to make your pronunciation better.

 

Best of luck, just wanted to give you a real picture of the situation.

[blackbrrd]

I know that there are plenty of foreigners working in assorted companies in Kongsberg and they can't speak a word of Norwegian.

[Slimster]

Ok it seems some of you were right. I failed to get a job in Norway. I didn't think it would be that difficult.

 

Here are a few of my experiences.

 

I tried so hard to get a job in Norway for 11 months between March 2009 and February 2010. I managed to get 2 interviews only. One of them was cancelled at the door as I pressed the buzzer on my arrival, only to be told that they had found someone the day before and they didnt need to interview me. I didn't know my way around Oslo so well, so my partner had to come along and wait in a coffee shop around the corner. That meant we also had to take our new born baby along with us. So all the effort of getting all of us there on time, all the way to Oslo in the pouring rain really was disheartening to say the least.

 

The other interview went well, i had a first and second interview with them, and they were happy. Told me i was what they were looking for at the end of the second interview. They were making arrangements to send me to Munich for the third Interview with their IT head office, and then silence.....i chased five days later to be told that; After discussions with Munich they wanted to employ someone more junior instead.

 

 

I returned to England in February to do Microsoft Business Intelligence 2008 training and 70-448 exam. I'm almost there now, but i dont think its going to help is it?

 

Come on, give it to me straight, i can take it.

 

NB. Intensive Norwegian lessons, or any lessons in fact, are now / were not an option. All my money has gone.

 

My partner won't come back to England now, so i am screwed in all ways, especially as i miss my son so much.

 

Ok, rant over.

Endret 10. juni 2010 av Slimster

[tickinghd]

I don't know the demand for your area of expertise, so I can't comment on that. But I know some foreigners take higher education in Norway and find ways to settle here after their study time. Higher education is basically free in Norway.

[NevroMance]

Working as a developer in Norway without speaking norwegian would, for the most part, not be a problem. You would perhaps need to learn a new language though, since I have not seen much Crystal around. But have an open mind, and preferabely something to show, and you will be ok.

[Vial]

Come on, give it to me straight, i can take it.

 

It's very very very difficult to get a job in Norway within your field of expertise without speaking the language. It is however very possible but you'll have to lower your standards. The major issue is that even though your courses and education may be highly ranked in your home country, norwegian employers have never heard of it and cannot understand what it means.

 

Another issue is that foreign education tends to be more broad whilst norwegian studies tend to be more focused on aquiring one single skill.

 

As i see it, you have a few choices and you seem to be open (and patient) to suggestions. I have a few:

 

1. Try your best to learn the language. It will make your job hunt incredibly easier. When applying for jobs, explicitly state that you're trying to learn the language and working on your skills.

 

2. The above suggestions are very good. You can write Crystal Reports formulas and work with databases, that probably means you know how to program. Learn a .NET language or Java and you'll be an important international asset in no time.

 

3. Take a Norwegian education, a bachelor's degree (3 years) means you will learn more of the language, increase your skills and furthermore it will be proof to your employer that your intention is to stay in this country no matter what.

 

4. You might want to try to start a job. As the people are saying, not that many bussinesses do Crystal Reports here. Perhaps you should make it a niche and start a bussiness.

 

5. The easy way out however is simple. Get your girlfriend and your kid to move to England with you. It's easier to be Norwegian in England than English in Norway (language-wise).

 

 

Hope this helps in any way. Good luck and keep us updated

Endret 22. juni 2010 av Vial