Category: Blog of Norway
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Why ‘Be Yourself’ Is the Worst Advice in Norwegian Job Interviews
Norwegian First Impressions: A Cultural Paradox Yesterday Aftenposten published an article titled “How much does first impression matter in a job interview?” Psychologist Espen Skorstad argued that the classic advice to “just be yourself” has never been good advice. According to him, appearance and first impressions matter far more than people like to admit. After…
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My 5-Year-Old Learned to Use an Axe at Kindergarten — And Why I’m Not Worried
I live in Norway and I have a child who is 5 years old. One day this Autumn I picked up my five-year-old son from kindergarten, he came running toward me shouting: “Mum, today I learned how to use an axe!” I laughed and replied automatically, “That’s great, sweetheart,” without believing it for a second.…
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Not Finding a Job in Norway? It Might Not be Your Fault
So you’ve sent 57 applications, written cover letters in your best Norwegian, double-checked by four people, and polished your LinkedIn until it shines brighter than the midnight sun. And still, silence. Not even a “tusen takk for søknaden” (that’s Norwegian for: thanks, but no thanks). Here’s the good news: it might not be you. It…
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The Norwegian Way of Bragging is Humble, and It’s Real!
This article was first published in VG under the title Slutt med snikskrytingen om sommerferien din! Many foreigners have this idea that Norwegians don’t brag. Of course they brag! In a subtle and humble way. They even have a special Norwegian word for it, snikskryting (sneaky bragging). “We were in Thailand for several weeks, at…
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Struggling to Find a Decent Flat to Rent? 5 Reasons Renting in Oslo Has Become Difficult and Expensive
Just a few years ago, finding a place to rent in Oslo wasn’t exactly easy, but it was possible. You could scroll through Finn.no, find a decent one- or two-bedroom flat, send a message, and maybe even get a reply. There were enough listings to choose from, and prices, while not low, were relatively stable.…
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Starting a Business in Norway: Watch Out for These Traps
Photo credit: Pexels After many years of being employed, I took the leap and started my own business. Like in many countries, being a business owner in Norway has its perks and downsides. But as a foreigner, the challenges can be even greater. The system here dances to rules that are sometimes invisible to us,…
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Is it necessary to speak Norwegian to get a job in Norway?
The short answer to this question is, “yes, but not always.” We all have that one friend who has a high-paid job in some tech company or the oil industry, has been living here for 10 years, and can barely say a full sentence in Norwegian. But this is the exception, not the norm, and…
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Where to Travel in Norway in 2025? The New York Times Has Two Surprising Picks
The New York Times has just released its list of 52 places to visit in 2025. Some are cities (like Benin City, Nigeria), others entire countries (England takes the top spot), or even rivers (such as the Magdalena River in Colombia). Interestingly, the New York Times recommends visiting not one but two Norwegian destinations in…
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What Norway’s weak currency means for foreigners
I have lived in Norway for exactly 15 years, and I have worked here the whole time. My salary increased, mainly when I changed jobs. In these years I have witnessed the Norwegian krone weaken, and weaken, and weaken more. When I think it’s come down to its lowest, nope. The Economist has even written…
