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I was laid off during Deloitte‘s mass layoff in July of last year. I have worked as an independent contractor since and projects haven’t been consistent at the client I’m working for. I’m looking to get back into a big firm and was seeing if anyone would be able to refer me or help get my foot in the door. I was a business analyst for 1.5 years at Deloitte and have several years of additional experience which I’d be more than happy to share.
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Live in Sweden. As others have said it’s about a difference in mindset. Time with family and friends is highly valued here. People would gladly choose a better work life balance over making more money. Weekends, summer vacation, etc. are protected. Fika (coffee break) is sacred.
You can’t get super rich in Sweden. Even partners don’t make that much (compared to the us). Salaries are clustered around the mean here. And since taxes are so high (50+% marginal) it often doesn’t make sense to earn much more salary as opposed to getting more vacation.
That being said even middle class people here are able to have a summer home, go on vacations to Thailand, etc. not having to save a ton of money for your kids education is huge.
I love the culture here. Lagom (not too much not too little) is refreshing. It took awhile to accept that I wouldn’t be as rich as I would be in the us, but my life overall is much better
I guess it depends on your definition of super rich. Having a second home (I don't even own a first home) seems like wealth to me! And at the end of the day, most of us are toiling for a "good life" meaning we want leisure and security and time to relax. Can't put a price on time! However, one of my best friends moved to Sweden in her 20s and she said it has been hard to make close friends because she notices a strong individualistic mindset.
*contd.
This comes as I have finished reading these books on a how to create happiness in the every day nordic lifestyle ..and love love love it
In Scandinavia, happiness is contentedness, not ecstasy.
It’s not for everyone. As a Scandinavian that partly grew up, and now works, abroad, I’m not sure I would be that much happier back home. I love going back 4-5 times a year to unwind, ski, sail, hike, and see family. If I don’t go back for a few months I can feel that I need the time back home. But landing back in the city where I work, I love to feel the buzz and energy.
Moving back to Scandinavia is the US equivalent of ‘moving up state’. It is a nice lifestyle if you want that sort of thing but, at least before one has kids, I’m not certain it is for me just yet.
I’m certain it’s a more simpler lifestyle. Sure you won’t be stressed out and what not, but you won’t exactly be buying any mansions or fancy cars either. It’s compromise.
You can buy a Tesla though. They are wildly popular in Norway.
Switzerland and the Netherlands aren’t Nordic...
But agreed, it has much more to do with culture and low expectations than actual happiness. Winter in the nordics is no joke.
P1 - more like everyday outlook is by default gloomy.
If you’re american - imagine a sunny, smiling SoCal family. That’s the image of happy, right? Scandinavian happiness is very much not that. This isn’t your California beachside exuberance. It’s more of a plod. Danish happiness is much more about finding a pastry at work while it’s grey outside for the 3rd month in a row.
There are also larger country identity trends at play. Here are a couple of articles that explain it a bit better than I can (as an American who grew up in Denmark).
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/01/the-danish-dont-have-the-secret-to-happiness/384930/
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/08/world/europe/08iht-danes.4140472.html
I’m an American who moved to NL. I think a lot of it is mindset rather than physical location.
I’m happier because I wanted to do the move, and there are more like minded people around. There is for sure Pro’s and Cons in each location but I would say I have a lower quality of life (dollars and cents) than in the US but everyone seems content with less money.
Would move to Europe in a blink of an eye. Would take the culture of enjoying life and being content over wealth any day.