Menu
Expat.com

Unskilled labor jobs in Copenhagen? Advice and opinions?

Last activity 04 August 2013 by sonnachinnu

Post new topic

Andrea_L_O

OK, my husband and I are applying under the Greencard scheme.  He has his PhD, and I have my JD.  However, he doesn't speak any Danish at all (yet) and I don't speak much (I am working on it at least a few minutes a day, though).  So when we get to Copenhagen we know that we will, at least until we become fluent in Danish, not be qualified for professional employment.

What is the job market like for jobs such as dishwashing, hotel cleaning, prep cook positions, etc.?  Although we are educated, we both have a lot of experience from our earlier years with unskilled and semi-skilled work (hotel, restaurant, factory, cleaning, etc.).  Are there jobs that Danes just won't take?  If so, what?

Thanks for your insight.

Andrea

dicania

Hi Andrea,

You are both highly educated which is a good thing here, a lot of job descriptions in my field (marketing) state that one should ideally have a Masters. Do you have any professional experience at all? The reason I ask is that on the off-chance that you work in marketing or similar then the jobs are far more international and you may come across jobs that do not require fluent Danish, as long as you are fluent in English, although it goes without saying that Danish will open up more possibilities. So my advice is do not restrict yourself if you do need have professional experience.

I am unsure of the job market for unskilled work. Keep an eye on JobIndex, JobZonen and JobsInCopenhagen. The latter site is quite hit and miss but it is targeted at English speaking professionals. There is also LinkedIn which is great for building up your network, something that is very important here.

I've also posted some websites in this thread - to save me double posting I'll link you to it, it's near the bottom just here.

Best of luck!
Nicola

Andrea_L_O

Hi Dicania,

I've been a practicing attorney for almost 15 years now and have a couple publications (one under my maiden name, the other a collective publication with other attorneys through my state's state bar); my husband (unfortunately or fortunately as the case may be) is a freelance writer, although he occasionally picks up lectureships in geography.  Unfortunately, neither of us have any experience in marketing.

I have applied to do my PhD in law at the University of Copenhagen, but if I do not get a scholarship then I'll be doing something else and just focusing on learning Danish until I can get some sort of professional employment.

We both do have a lot of experience though in unskilled and semi-skilled jobs; In my younger years I did everything from fruit picking to cleaning toilets to factory work to dishwashing to cooking to waiting tables to driving a truck (I'm 44 so have had a lengthy employment history, starting with agricultural work at age 12).

As I think about things, I do also have a bachelors in psychology and have about 3 years of experience working with the cognitively disabled.  Do you have any idea what the employment situation is for people who do home care work or social services types of jobs?  I am definitely going to be focusing on learning Danish so even if I have to start out with menial labor I'll eventually find something.

And thank you for posting those links!  I'm definitely going to be checking them out.

Best regards,

Andrea

dicania

No problem at all.

Unfortunately I don't have any knowledge of the sectors you mention. However the lady who runs Worktrotter will be hosting live Q&A sessions next week (worktrotter.dk/component/content/article/2/267-questions-answers-work-in-denmark.html) I'm not sure what the time difference would be for you but it might be worth a look if the time difference isn't too insane? :)

If I hear something or read of something I'll let you know. In the meantime keep an eye on those job sites.

Best
Nicola

EX SOLDIER

(Moderated)

S.BALAKUMAR

[moderated: off topic + pls start your own thread. Thanks]

sonnachinnu

Hi Nicola

Am waiting for my decision as i appealed against my case and appeal board has taken decision favoring me. So I'm hoping positive reply from Danish Embassy, I need your guidance regarding jobs availability in Denmark as am a professional Social Worker

With regards

Raghuveer


dicania wrote:

Hi Andrea,

You are both highly educated which is a good thing here, a lot of job descriptions in my field (marketing) state that one should ideally have a Masters. Do you have any professional experience at all? The reason I ask is that on the off-chance that you work in marketing or similar then the jobs are far more international and you may come across jobs that do not require fluent Danish, as long as you are fluent in English, although it goes without saying that Danish will open up more possibilities. So my advice is do not restrict yourself if you do need have professional experience.

I am unsure of the job market for unskilled work. Keep an eye on JobIndex, JobZonen and JobsInCopenhagen. The latter site is quite hit and miss but it is targeted at English speaking professionals. There is also LinkedIn which is great for building up your network, something that is very important here.

I've also posted some websites in this thread - to save me double posting I'll link you to it, it's near the bottom just here.

Best of luck!
Nicola

Articles to help you in your expat project in Copenhagen

  • Working in Esbjerg
    Working in Esbjerg

    The city of Esbjerg is located on the southwest coast of Denmark. It is a flourishing port city and the second ...

  • Internships in Denmark
    Internships in Denmark

    If you are under 34 years of age and looking to gain experience abroad, why not consider an internship in Denmark? ...

  • Setting up a business in Denmark
    Setting up a business in Denmark

    Denmark is one of the easiest countries to set up your own business. The procedures are relatively clear-cut, ...

  • Working in Copenhagen
    Working in Copenhagen

    Are you on the lookout for job opportunities in Copenhagen? The Danish capital is home to many expats who have ...

  • Working in Odense
    Working in Odense

    Located on the large island of Funen (Fyn) which connects Jutland and Zealand is Odense, one of Denmark's larger ...

  • Working in Denmark
    Working in Denmark

    Are you thinking about relocating to Denmark for work? Denmark is an open and welcoming country where expats adapt ...

  • Working in Denmark as a digital nomad
    Working in Denmark as a digital nomad

    Denmark is an attractive destination for expats: its high quality of life, good wages, and urban development make ...

  • Copenhagen's labour market
    Copenhagen's labour market

    If you have set your sights on working in Copenhagen, it is important to understand what kind of jobs the city ...

All of Copenhagen's guide articles