Helping to establish young Swedish designers

04 March 2015

Recruitment in the design sector frequently operates differently from other areas of business. Opportunities may exist without being advertised and employers may only realise they want a designer once they have seen their work.

This means anyone trying to help designers develop their careers needs to approach the issue of matching applicant with vacancy in a new way – which is just what EURES adviser Wanna Spiridonidou is doing in Sweden. To showcase the work of up and coming designers she has formed a close relationship with Business Sweden, which aims to promote Swedish companies abroad.

Her first attempt at this approach was the presentation of five designers at a Business Sweden's Light and Design fair held in Zurich, 11 March. Around 200 industry professionals including architects, buyers and planners, attended. ‘Our five young designers have experience but are trying to establish themselves. They were able to give short presentations of their work and answer questions, giving them the chance to pitch to people who wouldn't otherwise know of their work,' says Wanna.

Martijn van der Bosch, was one of the group. A furniture designer and interior architect who has been working since 2001, Martijn started his new studio, Sticks and Stones, last year with a friend. He felt the response at the event was positive. ‘It's hard to tell now what the result will be, but what I did get was a lot of experience in promoting my company and products for future events. I'm very grateful to get the opportunity to show our work abroad as well.'

The designers may not know what the result of their effort will be but, as Wanna explains, ‘Without this effort there would be far less chance of a result. This way they have raised their profile.' Following the event, some have been contacted by Swiss design magazine Das Ideal Heim, along with some other publications, bringing even more positive publicity.

Wanna is intending to build on this success. She hopes Business Sweden will invite her and another group of designers to their large Light and Design fair in Vienna, in November and is in contact with them, building relations.

‘I hope, and believe, they'll invite us along to their main fair in Vienna. This would open up the market to Eastern Europe – a real opportunity for our young designers.' If that invitation comes, Wanna will aim to take along 20 designers. ‘Hopefully it will be the right place at the right time for them,' she says.

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