How did you get your current job?
I applied to a job posting, had an interview, and got hired. Prior education and experience were the main reasons I got the job. I had worked in a neighbouring municipality, so I knew a little about the people who worked here in Haugesund and the leader here probably knew who I was, because we do some collaborative work between the different municipalities. I think it probably helped a little bit that they knew who I was indirectly, but it was a completely ordinary application process.
What do you think were the most important reasons why you got the job?
The municipalities often hire people who are educated social workers, but they also hire people with backgrounds in social sciences. So, regarding education I would say that having a master’s degree in social anthropology was a big advantage. In addition, I had some prior work experience that made a big difference. They also look for commitment and personal compatibility of course, they’re interested in hiring people who actually want to work with what they’re applying for after all.
I also think that advertising social anthropology as an important field of expertise in this kind of work is important. The perspectives you get through experiencing fieldwork and writing a master’s degree are therefore important to emphasise in an interview. That way you stand out compared to those who have had a more “ordinary” social worker education.
What are your main tasks in the workplace?
I head a team who is responsible for the settlement of refugees, and my job is to coordinate the work related to that. It regards both finding and preparing housing for refugees, and to follow-up on them after they have been settled. In addition, I also have responsibility for collaborations with volunteer organizations. An important part of the follow-up work is to try to manage “holistic integration”. There is a particular focus on families, with children as our main focus.
What are you working on right now?
Right now, the war in Ukraine is the main topic here in municipal Norway. We are working on preparations for the likely event that a lot of Ukrainian refugees will need to be settled here in the municipality. We are in dialogue with private homeowners to find out if we have enough housing for the expected arrivals. We are also in touch with Ukrainians who have already arrived in Haugesund, who have family and other connections here and want to be settled in Haugesund municipality.
What do you enjoy most and what do you think is the best part of your job?
I think the best part of the job is to meet the refugees that come here, it’s those human encounters. That is what inspires me, that motivates me the most in my work. Also, the job is very flexible, you get the opportunity to work independently and you can plan and structure your day the way you want.
What is most challenging?
You meet a lot of people with a lot of baggage. In the refugee service we often talk about a “migration process”, that refugees go through different phases after they arrive in Norway. Some of them have too much trauma or health challenges that puts them in no position to be able to learn Norwegian, to take education or get a job, to become independent in Norwegian society. To meet people who are struggling, that is the hardest part. You get bewildered and you wonder “what can I even do?”, some of them have got long way to go still.
How do you use your education from UiO in your work?
I have a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern Studies with Arabic, and then I went on to do a master’s degree in Social Anthropology. I did fieldwork in a refugee camp in Beirut, and I also had a stay in Syria for a part of my studies. I use the Arabic a lot in everyday work, and then I also use the creative process that you learn through a master’s degree. To work independently, to be curious, to ask questions about the things you take for granted, are all things that I learned from my master’s, that and a curiosity for the people I encounter.
I also think that a university education teaches you to think holistically. Often, when you work on something very concrete you can get very submerged in the concrete tasks, but with a university background you learn to see the larger picture, to see connections, to see challenges, and to think critically.
What kind of activities did you engage in during your studies that prepared you for working life?
When I began my studies, I aslo got a summer job at a centre for asylum seekers in Lyngdal, which is where I used to live. I think that was quite important, because I got some concrete experience with that kind of work. In addition, I did some work with housing for unaccompanied minor asylum seekers in Kristiansand.
I also did some volunteer work, for example at a café in Oslo that arranged Norwegian language courses for refugees and people with immigrant backgrounds in Oslo.
What is your best tip for students who want to be attractive on the job market?
I think it is important to begin with the little things: ask yourself “what can I do to find out if there is something I enjoy working with?”. I may have been a little lucky, but I have always, since I became a student, wanted to work with refugees either abroad or in Norway. So, I think it is important to find an area where you can work or volunteer to find out if it is something you enjoy. I also think having an arena where you get to be responsible for something is important.
I would also urge you to not expect to get the dream job right away. You have to start somewhere, and you might not get to do what you enjoy the most right at the beginning, but then an opportunity might present itself later on.
Maria- Louise Bordvik
Job title: Head of the team for Settlement and Integration
Employer: Haugesund Refugee Service
Degrees: Bachelor's in Middle Eastern Studies, Master's in Social Anthropology.