Do not give up! Applying for a job takes time

The call comes from Cristina Rigato, PhD from Chalmers and job seeker for just over a year. But shame on the one who gives up, it suddenly came loose and she got several positive messages - and a new job.

Cristina Rigato, received her doctorate in hearing two years ago, she is a little surprised at how and why it suddenly came loose on the job front. She had applied and applied, done everything as one should, followed the advice from her coach via Trygghetsstiftelsen and formulated a CV according to all the rules. But nothing happened…

- I applied widely: as a consultant, in pharmaceuticals, data analysis and medical technology. From the consulting companies, the answer was often ‘your profile is interesting, but right now we do not have an assignment that suits you’ and many times I did not get an answer at all, she says.

She had expected it to take a few months, but it became tough after that. She herself cannot point to anything directly that she did differently once she got her current job as Service Automation Engineer at CBRE within Astra Zeneca in Mölndal.

- It was probably a coincidence, maybe a little luck and timing. Of course, I benefited from the support I received from Trygghetsstiftelsen, but I can not point to anything specific that I think made such a big difference, says Cristina Rigato.

But she states that she via Trygghetsstiftelsen got motivation from meeting others in the same situation and taking part in their experiences, as well as help from the coach to put her skills into words.

- I also received financial support for certain courses that I would not have been able to take otherwise, so it was good. The most difficult thing for me was to network, I am a social person, but I feel uncomfortable selling myself in the way you might need.

Now it went well anyway, with good credentials and perseverance. Cristina Rigato's probationary service has just been transferred to a permanent position.

- It took a while to move on, but I thrive and work with a mixture of technology and theory, in addition I have a lot of customer contacts and I like that. It complements my education in a good way.

Cristina's good advice for you who are between jobs:

Do not give up!
Continue to be open and make contact even when it feels daunting.
Find the path that works best for you in your job search. For me, it felt best to call an employer after I submitted my application, then I could hang up the call on something.

Gunilla Mild Nygren, freelance journalist