The recruitment process

Steps of the recruitment process

Step 1: Prepare and submit your application

Please have the following information ready when filling in your application:

Time and dates of employment and training.. We need to have exact dates as the period of employment affects the salary after the first year of the assignment in your CV.

Apply by answering the questions, attach a CV in English and write a motivation why you want to work with us. The CV template can be downloaded further down the page.

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation that it has been received. You will be contacted regarding the recruitment process. If you haven't heard anything within a month, please contact us.

Step 2: Screening interview

Candidates who meet the requirements and our current needs will first be contacted for an initial screening interview.

Step 3: Recruitment day

As the next step, you will be invited to a recruitment day, known as an Assessment Centre. The Assessment Centre is conducted in English and consists of three different parts, an interview, an individual task and a group task, which can be done on the same day or alternatively spread over several days, either online or at the office in Stockholm. MSF uses competency-based interviewing techniques. We will ask for specific examples of work experience, related to different relevant competences. You will receive feedback within a week.

Step 4: Preparatory courses

Before you go on your first assignment with us, you'll need to prepare by attending certain preparatory courses depending on your professional profile.

Step 5: Certificates to provide

Once you have received a positive response to your recruitment process, you will need to provide copies of your work certificate, study certificate and any licence (for doctors, nurses, midwives and psychologists). If you are in a medical profession, you will also be asked to provide a Certificate of Good Standing to work abroad. You can apply for a Certificate of Good Standing via hosp@socialstyrelsen.se. We will check your licence against the registers of the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) and the Health and Social Care Inspectorate (IVO).

You must also provide an extract from the police's criminal record. Extracts from the police register and the Certificate of Good Standing usually take a few months to be issued, so it is a good idea to apply for these when you are called for an interview.

Step 6: Match to assignment

Once you have been accepted and have indicated your availability, the HR department will begin the process of finding an assignment that matches your profile, availability and the current needs of our operations. The matching process can be quick, but can also take up to several months, depending on your professional skills and experience, and language skills. Once you have been matched to an assignment and accepted, your contact in the HR department in Sweden will inform you about the assignment and preparations. Depending on the country you will be working in and the length of any visa process, the time between matching and departure may vary.

Step 8: Departure

We will arrange your travel to and from the country you will be working in. Before you leave on your assignment, you will have a briefing with the HR department, a psychologist and the communications department at the Swedish office. You will also receive detailed briefings when you arrive at the project.

During and after the assignment

We will keep in touch with you during your assignment. When you return home, you will meet with the HR department, the psychologist and the communication department. We hope that you will continue to get involved with MSF by going on more missions, being an active member of the association and representing MSF in various contexts back home in Sweden.

Questions? Please contact us at sweden.international.recruitment@stockholm.msf.org