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How to Work in Denmark: Updated Edition: Tips on finding a job in Denmark, succeeding in Danish working culture, and understanding your Danish boss
If you’re feeling underpaid, under-challenged, or stressed out in your current employment market, there are a lot of good reasons to work in Denmark.
Working hours are reasonable, giving you plenty of time with your family if you have one and more time for hobbies and friends if you don’t.
Denmark’s high-tech, high-end industries offer plenty of quality projects, plus the resources and equipment to get them done right.
Salaries are good, too, although a large chunk of your income will go to taxes and housing costs, particularly in Aarhus and Copenhagen.
The famous Danish social welfare state will provide for your basic medical care as soon as you arrive. Once you spend some time in the country, you’ll also be eligible for free further-education courses or even a master’s degree.
Who wouldn’t want to work in Denmark?
Still, Denmark sometimes has trouble attracting internationals, for a number of reasons. This easy-to-read, entertaining book offers an amusing but unvarnished look at the positive and negative aspects of working in Denmark, and tells you how to begin looking for a job there.
This updated edition (of the 2018 original) contains three new Managing Danes as an International, Working Together in a Virtual World, and Denmark vs Sweden, Norway, Germany.
Working hours are reasonable, giving you plenty of time with your family if you have one and more time for hobbies and friends if you don’t.
Denmark’s high-tech, high-end industries offer plenty of quality projects, plus the resources and equipment to get them done right.
Salaries are good, too, although a large chunk of your income will go to taxes and housing costs, particularly in Aarhus and Copenhagen.
The famous Danish social welfare state will provide for your basic medical care as soon as you arrive. Once you spend some time in the country, you’ll also be eligible for free further-education courses or even a master’s degree.
Who wouldn’t want to work in Denmark?
Still, Denmark sometimes has trouble attracting internationals, for a number of reasons. This easy-to-read, entertaining book offers an amusing but unvarnished look at the positive and negative aspects of working in Denmark, and tells you how to begin looking for a job there.
This updated edition (of the 2018 original) contains three new Managing Danes as an International, Working Together in a Virtual World, and Denmark vs Sweden, Norway, Germany.
149 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2022
2 people are currently reading
1 person want to read
About the author
Kay Xander Mellish
15 books11 followersKay Xander Mellish grew up in Wisconsin and graduated magna cum laude from New York University, where she studied journalism and art history. In addition to her non-fiction work, which has appeared in publications including the Wall Street Journal, the Guardian, Sports Illustrated, Mother Jones, and the Danish tabloid BT, Kay spent many years writing fiction.
Unable to find a publisher, she began flyposting the first page of her short stories on lampposts and construction sidings in New York City, with a voicemail number to call if readers wanted to hear the rest of the story. After a law-and-order mayor cracked down on flyposters, Kay took to the internet, creating in 1995 one of the first fiction sites on the web.
Kay moved to Denmark in 2000, and now runs the KXMGroup, a Copenhagen-based consultancy that helps Danish companies communicate in English.
Unable to find a publisher, she began flyposting the first page of her short stories on lampposts and construction sidings in New York City, with a voicemail number to call if readers wanted to hear the rest of the story. After a law-and-order mayor cracked down on flyposters, Kay took to the internet, creating in 1995 one of the first fiction sites on the web.
Kay moved to Denmark in 2000, and now runs the KXMGroup, a Copenhagen-based consultancy that helps Danish companies communicate in English.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 19, 2025
Confession: I didn't read the whole thing. I borrowed a copy of this from a friend, and she'd now like her copy back. I did read about 70% of it (I think). I skipped some irrelevant to me bits; if they become more relevant in time, I'll go back and read it.
This is a perfectly fine book if you don't want to search the Internet for advice on CVs, LinkedIn, cover letters. I think my problem is, I've already done all that. It's all very top line, and if you want more help, you'll probably need a mentor or a coach. Furthermore, some of the advice on how to engage with Danes is very good; but some of it seems a bit obvious to me. Don't be too self-centred. Show interest. Don't be a knob. Don't take yourself too seriously. Maybe it's because of the sector I come from, or maybe the country I've worked in my adult life.
But hey, starting out, it's good reassurance. And like I say, if you pick up a copy, you'll spend the time reading what you need to know in one place rather than many sites or podcasts, so this will probably save you time in the long run.
This is a perfectly fine book if you don't want to search the Internet for advice on CVs, LinkedIn, cover letters. I think my problem is, I've already done all that. It's all very top line, and if you want more help, you'll probably need a mentor or a coach. Furthermore, some of the advice on how to engage with Danes is very good; but some of it seems a bit obvious to me. Don't be too self-centred. Show interest. Don't be a knob. Don't take yourself too seriously. Maybe it's because of the sector I come from, or maybe the country I've worked in my adult life.
But hey, starting out, it's good reassurance. And like I say, if you pick up a copy, you'll spend the time reading what you need to know in one place rather than many sites or podcasts, so this will probably save you time in the long run.
Displaying 1 of 1 review