[4] Originally from Skjetten, she was the Norway national team's reserve keeper from 2003 onwards, and played for Trondheims-Ørn in the elite Toppserien league for seven seasons while at university, with 217 appearances for the club.

After a good start to the season she tore a collateral knee ligament in June 2007 which kept her out of football for several months, and she was not selected for the Norway squad to go to the World Cup tournament in China in 2007.

In August 2009 Hjelmseth was designated Norway's first-choice goalkeeper for the UEFA Women's Euro 2009 held in Finland between Europe's leading twelve footballing nations.

[5] In the group stage Norway were placed third, and they advanced to the quarter-finals where they beat Sweden 3–1 contrary to most predictions, only to fall in the semifinal against the reigning champions Germany.

[8] Ahead of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, veteran Hjelmseth admitted that she was considering retirement if Norway's performance did not achieve a place at the 2016 Rio Olympics.