IDCN Copenhagen NewsletterOctober 2016Companies connecting with international spouses - an untapped talent pool

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On September 14th, IDCN organised the third career event of the year at Maersk. The 63 partner members who attended had the opportunity to interact with 25 representatives from our corporate members: Maersk, Dong Energy, University of Copenhagen, Glycom, Novo Nordisk, Carlsberg, L’Oréal and DTU.

Ricardo Sookdeo, Head of Group Talent Management & HQHR at Maersk, opened the session with an introduction to Maersk. He offered encouragement to accompanying partners in their job search, providing useful tips and advice on how to stand out from other applicants. Lars Even Rasmussen, Senior Group Talent Partner at Group Talent Management at Maersk, then gave insights into local recruiters’ potential perceptions of accompanying partners and shared practical tools for turning this into an advantage, including how to brand professional profiles and map experience successfully onto the Danish marketplace. All partner members then had the opportunity to ask questions to the Maersk Work Culture Panel facilitated by Rachel Osikoya, Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Maersk Group, and composed of Zhanar Dreisig, Senior Legal Counsel at Maersk Oil; Ayesha Hartlett, Global HR Business Partner at Maersk Container Industry; Dennis Nørgaard, Head of Group Controlling at Maersk Group HQ, and Anand Bunsee, Head of Internal Audit, Europe & Middle East at Maersk. The panel discussion was followed by a presentation from Hanneke Huberts, IDCN President, on the advantages of volunteering with IDCN.

The event ended with a structured networking session, where all the partner members could meet recruiters and representatives of our corporate members to discuss potential opportunities and ask questions about the respective companies.

Career event hosted by Maersk

Get ready &save the date

IDCN’s next career event will be hosted by DTU on November 16th, 2016. It will provide partner members and corporate members with information about internships and salary subsidy choices. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your network and learn more about working in Denmark!

Invitations will be sent out via our mailing list soon.

Ricardo Sookdeo, Maersk

Networking session

IDCN Copenhagen NewsletterOctober 2016Companies connecting with international spouses - an untapped talent pool

www.idcn.info copenhagen@idcn.info

IDCN: Where are you working today?Ewa: I work at the Københavns Kommune where I was first offered a month-long “praktik” (internship) that then turned into three-month placement with løntilskud (subsidized salary). I work as a consultant helping people find a praktik/løntilskud place in one of the public or private companies. I work predominantly with integrating non-Western women into Danish society and the job market.Anna: I am a scientist by training and worked as a researcher before, but decided to make a switch here in Copenhagen and I am now a personal assistant & research administrator at Copenhagen University.

IDCN: How did IDCN help you get there?Ewa: I have been offered this opportunity with help of Dorthe Kingo Vesterlund, the Projektkoordinator working for Copenhagen Career Program. I learned about Dorthe from Mary Kobia, International Mobility Consultant at University of Copenhagen, and it was Dorthe who contacted someone she knew in the Kommune who was interested in hiring me. IDCN work helped me during my interview

Ewa Janczewska Anna Khodosevich

Inspiring storiesEwa Janczewska and Anna Khodosevich, former IDCN partner members, have launched their careers in Denmark. IDCN interviewed them to find out more about their current jobs and their recommendations for job seeking success.

where I talked about on my work with various companies during my time with IDCN.Anna: Mary Kobia was very supportive in helping me to network. She gave me the initial connection to the university for a salary subsidy role as a research coordinator for six months. Unfortunately, Frederiksberg Kommune only offer a very limited amount of salary subsidies per year and I did not qualify at that point. Luckily though, I later found this other position which was then on a regular full-time basis.

IDCN: What advice would you give to other IDCN Partner Members?Ewa: Rethink your strategy. I have realized during my job seeking process that there are two things that matter:1. People will hire you if there is a 100% match between your skills/experience and job description. Danes are unlikely to “take a chance on you” just because they see potential. 2. You are also unlikely to get a job from applying via the internet. Competition is stiff and Danes like to know that the people they hire are not only effective, but that they are also a good match for the team and the department. Therefore, you increase your chances of getting hired if people get to know you through an internship. This is what I am trying to do right now.Anna: First is networking. It is really important here, so be active, meet people and try new things. Second, don’t lose hope - it will all come together eventually.

IDCN Copenhagen Corporate Members

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