Being convincing to an employer in Sweden

Do interviews usually take place in a formal or casual setting in Sweden? Do you have any pointers for job interviews that take place over a lunch or dinner?
Interviews usually take place in a formal setting in a conference room or an equivalent place where often interviewers have their offices right next to, but most of the times the famous Swedish fika is served (self-service) right before the interview, that's a way to give you an expressen that they care for you and it also makes circumstances little bit casual.
Over lunch or dinner is for elites like people in showbiz, sports etc. but this never happen in government sector or serious companies which follow the guidelines carefully because it contradicts the public employment act.


From application all the way to the job interview, what is essential to make an candidate stand out?
Qualifications, experiences etc. Buttering up in any other ways doesn't work in Sweden rather it makes things inconvenient for them to handle you.

Culturally speaking, are there specific dos and donts? What is the general take on bringing a parent on the job interview or a gift to the interviewer?
If you are physically disabled you need your caregiver around you other than that you only make a dependent impression by bringing a parent (and to be honest this is so weird that I have never heard this anywhere in the world.)
No gifts. Borderline between bribes and gifts is chocolate/fruit and everything else other than that possibly could be count as bribes. There are so many allergies in Sweden so one should never give someone you don't know any eatable, that's already a poor a way to start with Swedes.         

Can you tell us a little about your experience? What worked and what did not work for you?
Be confident but not cocky. Interview start with first handshake tills you leave the place, every moment and manners during the time counts, they call it personal chemistry. Sweden is a gender equivalent country but still ladies first. Never interrupt when they take pause while talking. Be short and sweet but extensive at the same time. Smile slightly while you are talking but also give a serious impression. Be you and not a wannabe Swede because diversity is a key word in every sector but the same time you have to show them that you can easily fit in and be a team player. Avoid strong smelling perfume/aftershave etc. due to allergies.   

How important is it to have a solid professional network prior to a job interview?
Not that important. It depends on the career field but verified employer's certificates from all the employers are good to have.

Have you actually got a job in Sweden?
Do you even understand the social taxes involved to employ someone? Hence why there is a 6 month wait and see....
Please give actual advice. Thank You.

Hello,

Your post is little bit unclear.

I'll give you all the answers and source for it, for everything what has to do with what I have written in this thread and every single other posts.

All you have to do is ask direct questions.

Yes. I've got a job and I have had several jobs since couple of weeks after I came to Sweden in 29.02.1996

Please go ahead and ask your questions don't be shy!

Ok. Meanwhile I'm waiting for you to cross examine the information I have left and come up with your questions, I think I better give you an insight why my replies are so impersonal.

Even though I'm an expat it was long ago. My typical first years expat experiences were different back then compare to today.

Most of my experiences are now outdated so when it comes to practical things sometimes I have to check with others how things are happening today and on the other hand in this particular subject I have been in both sides time to time, once I was involved as one of the owners in a company and another time I worked closely for a good friend who still runs the company with a pretty high turnover rate.

On the top of all these I live an unusual lifestyle. Right now I have two different employers (same profession) who are active in three different counties where I live around all three, 2-3 days per week in Stockholm with my daughters and rest of the time in approx 200 years old primitive farm house (Torpstuga) in a small sparse village calls Finnbo in Västmanland and also in a flat in southern Dalarna due to my work. 

So some of informations I leave here in the forum about practical things are based on my own actual experiences but sometimes from another point of view, some of them are not exactly mine but still actual and some of them are combined updated version of mine and someone else's actual experiences. That's why my replies are more general and impersonal.

But all are accurate.   

If you and other members in this forum become  more active for instance as @ekhfaiz does, I don't even need to participate in this forum, I rather become a real expat member in Vietnam forum.