Breaking the bubble

A foreign professional’s hope for a more inclusive Denmark.

Photographs: Lisanna Quintes

Text: Natália Šepitková

They are educated and have extensive work experience, yet remain invisible to the Danish job market. We bring you another story in the series #TheForgottenGold. What challenges is Lisanna Quintes from Germany facing?

Lisanna's professional journey in Denmark began perfectly. She always wanted to work in the Nordic countries, so when her job in Switzerland was made redundant, she felt it was the right time for a change. She applied for a few jobs and was hired at one of them. They were looking for a German-native communication manager to work from their HQ in Copenhagen. For Lisanna, it was a perfect fit, and she accepted the offer. In February 2018, she started to work as a full-time communication manager in Denmark. Everything was running smoothly. In the meantime, she changed jobs. What she absolutely did not expect, however, was that she would be fired from her new job in 2023 during her maternity leave.

Fitting the role, but not the mould

“I have a top education from one of the best schools in Germany, have worked in different international roles in communications and am currently jobhunting,” Lisanna begins her story. She wishes to find something where she can work within internal communications for an international cooperation. When she often applies for a job that matches 100%, she doesn’t even get invited for a job interview and that bugs her. “I would like to know: are there 295 others out there with the same experience? And why do I have to match a role with 100% or even more? I once was at a job interview, and they conducted the entire interview with me in Danish and then compared me to the other candidate, a Dane. I did not get the job.” You might think the reason was the language. Lisanna also long believed that the Danish language was the most challenging task for internationals in finding a job in Denmark. “But I do speak Danish fluently, so it's not that. It seems more like the Danes want to hire what and who they know. And it is a repeating pattern. Graduating from the same universities and doing the same internships in the same companies,” she adds.

Qualified but unseen

Many expats who have chosen to continue their careers in Denmark face similar challenges, whether they arrived as an accompanying partner or with a promising job offer, as was the case with Lisanna. They possess education and rich work experience from around the globe, yet remain invisible to the Danish job market, often overlooked. “I am always surprised when I read that Denmark lacks talent. So many people here have a top education but are just not seen. I have a good education from my homeland and have lived and worked in seven different countries, yet I am at the point where I feel like: What more do you want? I even learned the national anthem because I wanted to be prepared for the World Cup,” she says with a smile. And yet, internationals can really offer more than enough to the Danish labour market. “They are courageous. They are resilient. They have another perspective. If you always hire the same people, there will always be the same direction.”

"The Danes are proud of who they are. I very much admire them for that. They don't complain, they just do."

To stay or return

There has been a lot of recent talk in the media and on social media about how internationals are leaving Denmark. What is Lisanna’s opinion about it? “I have read about this as well, and I also get asked a lot if I consider returning to my home country. I have lived in many countries, so for me, it is not just returning home to a set table and everything running smoothly. I believe it is very brave to return. I am still a bit heartbroken that I haven't fully settled here, and I am also asking myself what I am really missing.” At the same time, Lisanna admits that she is too stubborn and realistic to move back to her homeland. She realises that things won't automatically improve just because you come back. “I will, for example, not have the childcare support back in my home country, which I have here. There, I would definitely have to rely on my daughter’s grandparents. Also, this will be a new beginning after so many years living abroad.”

Raising a child abroad without a village

It is also a challenge for Lisanna to raise her daughter alone in Denmark, living abroad 1000 miles away from her parents and friends, without a true support network, even though childcare support (financially) is the same as what every other single parent receives. “Life as a single parent is tough, as I have to organise everything myself. I often feel quite alone, as it is all about family in Denmark. I cannot go to see my parents at the weekend. I don't have brothers or sisters close by. That is one thing that we really miss. But on the other hand, Denmark is a fantastic place to grow up in. The Danes are proud of who they are. I very much admire them for that. They don't complain, they just do.” Lisanna also adds that the focus on children is exemplary. The institution her daughter goes to is a pearl, and she loves spending time there, hanging out with other kids.

Finding connection in Denmark

Many expats believe that building a network or meeting other internationals or Danes helps them survive in Denmark. “I meet many people, but shaping a real network is extremely hard, as everyone stays in their own bubble. I have never met so few people interested in making new friends here. I believe people think I have a huge network, but I do, in fact, not have one,” Lisanna says bluntly. “Maybe one mistake that I made in the beginning was that I solely focused on work: I invested all my energy in doing a good job, which I did, but I did not take time to build on friendships and other activities outside work. I was shocked that work friendships do not last when you leave a company. I thought that the people from my job I hung out with after work, that this could turn into something like a friendship. I was very mistaken.” And what helps Lisanna the most to endure everything and keep going? “I am in a tough situation right now, but I also really like living here. I also have a high intrinsic motivation that, honestly speaking, gets kicked a lot right now. But I have lived in seven different countries and have met so many different people that I know there is a way. And then my kid hugs me, and I feel this is the important stuff."