A job worth a move

After four years in telecom and fiber, Hedvig Oppitz is changing industries, jobs, and cities—all at the same time. The 26-year-old has packed up her life in Uppsala and moved 800 kilometers north for a new role as production manager at In The Cold. A big step for some—but for Hedvig, the decision wasn’t particularly difficult: ”I am very YOLO as a person.”

It all started at half past one one night last spring. Hedvig was scrolling on her mobile and saw a video with Emil Hansius made in collaboration with Piteå Stories.

– When Emil talked about the people living here and I saw the beautiful clips of the city from above, I felt that ”maybe that’s something for me,” says Hedvig Oppitz, the new production manager at In The Cold.

The little she now knew about Piteå—thanks to Emil Hansius—was enough to submit an expression of interest to Piteå municipality, which is behind Piteå Stories. Already the next day, she was called by a recruiter at Piteå municipality.

– The person who called spoke so warmly about Piteå and said he would help me if I found a job, says Hedvig.

An ad that stood out

Hedvig had no previous connection to Piteå and wasn’t actively looking for a job, but the rule of thumb was simple: if something really good popped up, she would take the chance. At the same time, she saw the ad from In The Cold, which piqued her interest immediately.

– The first thing I reacted to was the name. A bit of a clickbait feeling—what are they up to?

Then I read the ad and thought it was very well thought out. It felt like a serious company that really knew who they were looking for.

The more Hedvig read, the more boxes she could tick off.

– I felt that this is a role where I could both contribute a lot and develop myself a lot as well. And if I’m going to leave everything and move, it has to be for a job I really want.

A good first impression—that’s lasted

In May, Hedvig came up to Piteå from Uppsala to meet the people behind In The Cold and to experience the city for the day.

– It felt very serious and credible that they wanted me to come up, then I felt that they were probably ready to invest in me, says Hedvig.

Peter Söderlund, CEO at In The Cold, tells:

– Hedvig made a strong impression on us during the recruitment process and has continued to contribute both new perspectives and energy. Leaving a secure life in Uppsala and moving to Piteå for this opportunity also says something about her drive and courage, says Peter Söderlund, CEO at In The Cold.

From fiber to web

Before the move, Hedvig worked at GlobalConnect as a project manager and key account manager. In her role, she has among other things had contact with housing associations and been responsible for various projects related to fiber connections and infrastructure.

– This is a completely different industry and many new expressions for me, but project management has many common factors. I believe I will be able to contribute much of what I have done before while developing a lot in this role.

”Almost went too smoothly”

Now the move is in the rearview mirror, and Hedvig has settled both at work and in Piteå. Even housing was solved smoothly with an apartment in the middle of the city.

– Everyone at In The Cold is very nice and I really feel taken care of. Many at the office like music and board games, for example, which are interests I have myself. Everything almost went a little too smoothly, laughs Hedvig.

This fall, she looks forward to discovering the city, nature, and people—and eventually experiencing a real winter.

– In Uppsala, it’s mostly slippery and cold. Here I hope for snow that actually stays. And sea breeze—you certainly don’t get that from the Fyris River.

When people generally, both in Uppsala and in Piteå, hear about Hedvig’s move, they’ve reacted with the question ”But why are you going to Piteå to work?”

– My spontaneous answer has always been so obvious: Why not? It’s fantastic to get the opportunity to end up in an environment you’ve never experienced before, learn a whole new industry, and get new colleagues, friends, and contexts, concludes Hedvig.

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About In The Cold AB

In The Cold is a digital agency that helps companies and organizations communicate and grow their businesses. We are passionate about finding solutions that make a real impact for our customers, whether it’s an accessible website or smart applications. We are especially proud that many of our customers continue to hire us year after year.

Curious to know more about us? www.inthecold.se