Success story: Interview with Antonella Sinisi
Approach targeted companies and ask for coffee meetings: these are some strategies that Antonella Sinisi, a former IDCN committee member, has taken to find a job in Denmark. In this interview, she has shared with us some stages of her journey:
What is your professional field?
I am a biotechnologist in medical/pharma field with a PhD in Cellular Biology. I am Italian, with a passion for Denmark. Now I am a Project Manager at Nordic Bioscience, a small-medium company focused on the development of highly disease-specific biochemical markers for the
Why did you move to Denmark ?
Almost three years ago with my husband and my little son; we decided to experience a new challenge. Following my dream to live in Denmark, I accompanied my husband who accepted a job offer in Jutland. I was happy about the move, and confident I would find a new job in the Danish job market, where I could apply the expertise that I had accumulated until that moment.
What were the difficulties for you to find aa job ii n Denmark ? It has been a long journey for me finding a job here. From the beginning, I have struggled to find opportunities in my field in the Jutland area, and sometimes, it felt hopeless. I was attending Danish classes and volunteering as IDCN member in Communication Team for 9 months, I was proactive to talk to people, find new connections and let people know that I was in Denmark, but nothing happened for a while.
How did you handle these challenges??
I decided for a new strategy, with a more focused approach on contacting companies that were doing what I was interested to do, places where I would have been happy to work. I also changed the geographical area of research, betting on the Copenhagen area, one of the most important in biotech. I asked for coffee meetings with people already working in the targeted companies, getting high value from sharing experiences, professional journey, and wishes. I have followed a mentor program from “FORENINGEN NYDANSKER” and finally, the time invested has brought me a job offer!
Could you give some tips for IDCN members?
My advice to new IDCN members:
- Invest in networking not expecting to get immediately a job, but mostly to create a trusting circle of people that know you and share your same values;
- Talk to people and ask them for new contacts. Don’t be shy in asking people to help you;
- Focus on what you want and the goals you have, accepting that the journey can be unexpected, and that it can potentially take you outside your comfort zone;
- Ask for a mentor program and focus on Danish language.