7 Tips on how to find a job in Finland

02.11.2021

Finding your way through the Finnish labour waters is more demanding than one would imagine. Mostly it is because Finnish companies require knowledge of Finnish language on quite a high level and secondly because most of the job market consists of hidden jobs. This is quite normal in such a small country, where if you work in a certain field you just know each other, or someone that knows someone.

Mastering Finland has collected top 7 advice on how to find a job in Finland via our podcast (links to episodes below):

  1. Do your homework – Finland has really many supporting systems/organisations – so go and find them/read about what they offer even before you move to Finland. Know what you want, research who can help you and know where and how you can contribute. When searching for a job - check what skills the job requires and if you don't have them - update your skills - take necessary courses. And finally, get your foreign diploma recognised if needed.
  2. Be honest, concise and to the point – don’t exaggerate, Finnish people like modesty
  3. Learn at least some basics of Finnish language. It is possible to work in Finland without speaking Finnish but it is rare. Many companies require Finnish at a high level, but they may lower their bar if you show them that you are the one they need. But also as a courtesy to the country – basic Finnish is a must.
  4. CV – write concise and to the point. Get familiar with the terminology of your field used in Finland and use those in your CV. Explain what exactly you studied at University, don’t assume people know (you are now in a different country). After sending in a CV - follow up with a phone call.
  5. Motivation letter – same as for CV, but also clearly state your motivations and what you can bring to the company, why shall they hire you instead of someone else?
  6. Interview – of course get prepared. The first 5 minutes' impression is important. Be able to present yourself, your work experiences and also a bit about your hobbies (Finnish people do have hobbies too). Know what the company does, what you can bring. AND – the most important advice: make up a plan B – what will you do if you don’t get that job (go for a 2 week holiday? Subscribe for a course? Buy yourself a new “handbag”?) Your plan B shall be sooo good that you would almost be sorry to actually get the job. Believe us – this will free your mind from tension and you will act so much more naturally that it may increase your chance of landing that job.
  7. Network
    1. Work-wise – tune your Linked-In profile – it shall be up-to-date, comprehensive, concise and to the point. Be active – post and start discussions. Start following (connect with them on Linked-In) the experts and CEOs from your field, comment on their posts – engage - get noticed!
    2. Network via hobbies – remember Finns love sports and hobbies in general – therefore join an association, sports club, hobby group of whatever you are enthusiastic about and create your network.

Possible next steps in your job search:

If you have already done everything we mentioned above and you want to do more – we warmly recommend these paid courses. We collaborate with Varpu Rusila from Her Finland and promote her courses as we believe in her work. Via buying her course, you also support our work:

“Get discovered online” – is a great course to get the most of your Linked-In interactions. Varpu gives pre-prepared messages that you can use right away to enlarge your Network, find the experts in your field whether in the city or in the countryside. You are the treasure – let others discover you!

“Finnish Compass” and “Finnish for beginners” – are the two language courses that can help you to boost your Finnish. These courses are different from others as Varpu teaches you the “puhekieli” = the spoken Finnish. And also the learning of the language comes with understanding the culture – and that is exactly what Varpu does.

If you are indecisive – check out the free master classes first.

The episodes you shall listen to as they talk about job search, tips on how to behave at the interview and how to land a job in Finland:

# 42 - Talent Attraction & Retention with Iiris Ranta

# 43 - Unlock Your Potential with The Shortcut

#44 - Finding Work in Finland: Recruiters' Perspective

#50 - How to Land a Job in Finland with Carl Nykopp

# 65 – Cultural Identity & Community Building with Kamilla Sultanova

And as a bonus, find here the top links related to jobs and work in Finland:

https://migri.fi/en/working-in-finland

https://www.expat-finland.com/employment/index.html

https://www.te-palvelut.fi/te/en/jobseekers/finding_job/index.html

https://www.jobsinhelsinki.com/

https://www.interprofinland.fi/


Valmis? (Ready?) – go for it – you can do it – positive attitude – get that job - You are the treasure - Get discovered online!

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