Navigating the Danish Job Market: Lia’s Story as a Highly Educated Expat
When Lia packed her bags in Athens and headed for Copenhagen four years ago, she wasn’t chasing a dream job or a clear academic path. She was simply looking for a fresh start. “I have always had the idea of living abroad but never had a place in mind. My brother was living and working in Copenhagen and told me to come”.
Lia’s academic credentials are strong – a bachelor’s in financial and banking management from Greece and later, a master’s degree in environmental and natural resource economics from the University of Copenhagen. Even so, and despite historically low unemployment rates, many foreign professionals find it difficult to enter the Danish job market. Lia is no exception.
Finding her feet in Copenhagen
“The first six months were really, really tough,” she recalls. “I didn’t have a job. I didn’t know anyone but my brother. I applied to so many roles, I lost count.”
She started taking Danish language classes, which helped her gain some acquaintances, but real friendships and a sense of community only came once she began her master’s studies at Copenhagen University. “Now, I think I have more friends here than back home,” she adds.
But good friends and high qualifications alone do not guarantee an entry ticket to the Danish job market. Several studies show that networking is a key player in Denmark and that more than one third of foreign professionals find work through informal channels. But how does one build a relevant network in a foreign country and culture? How does one find the courage to invite the Danes for the much-used informal coffee meetings?
“One of the things I struggled with the most was networking. As an international in Denmark, this part has never felt natural to me. The whole “coffee chat” culture is not something I grew up with, and I used to avoid it completely. I was honestly quite negative about the idea” Lia admits. But then she enrolled at Improve Business Academy.
“Discussing the value of networking and getting practical tips on how to approach it in a way that still felt natural to me, helped me see it differently. I got a boost of confidence and felt more comfortable reaching out to people.”
- Lia Tsagkarouli
A New Direction: Improve Business Academy
After hundreds of applications and as many disappointments, Lia found Improve Business Academy’s course on Green Transition in Practice. The course, designed to bridge the gap between academic qualifications and practical employment in the sustainability sector, offers technical upskilling and real-world experience coupled with the latest job searching strategies and mentorship.
“My studies didn’t include ESG or climate accounting, so these courses were really helpful,” Lia says. “The sessions with Jonathan on climate accounting, for instance—I genuinely learned something new and valuable.”
A focus on networking
The course also challenged Lia to overcome her reluctance to networking: “Discussing the value of networking and getting practical tips on how to approach it in a way that still felt natural to me, helped me see it differently. I got a boost of confidence and felt more comfortable reaching out to people. What I really appreciated was that the team actually tried to connect us with people from their own network. Having someone local vouch for you or make an introduction makes a difference. Seeing someone make that effort for me meant a lot!”
Improve Business Academy: Helping Internationals Build Careers
For many like Lia, the Improve Business Academy plays a crucial role in navigating Denmark’s tightly woven professional networks. By offering practical, sustainability-focused training alongside internship placements, the program acts as both an educational resource and a bridge into the Danish labor market. “The team has been great,” Lia affirms. “They’re not just teaching—they’re guiding. They’re aware of how hard this is. They’re giving us practical tools we can use. And it was amazing to experience that they’re actually cheering for us and making us feel welcome!”
Improve Business Academy's courses for unemployed highly educated profiles.
Project Management
Unemployment insurance, job centres and self-payment
6 + 4 weeks
25,500 excl. VAT
Zeeland, Capital Region and Funen
You will learn to plan, manage, and evaluate projects with a focus on effective communication
Green transition in practice
Unemployment insurance, job centres and self-payment
6 + 4 weeks
25,500 excl. VAT
Zeeland, Capital Region and Funen
Life Cycle Assessment
Unemployment insurance, job centres and self-payment
2 days
9,500 excl. VAT
Capital Region and Zeeland