Soon PhD. - want to find a job

Amadeus · Post by **Amadeus** » Sat May 03, 2014 4:34 pm

Hello everybody, I will soon have my PhD. finished (it is a combination of applied mathematics and IT, programming). My dissertation topic is inverse analysis, but I also worked with preconditioners, various numerical methods, optimization etc.

I would like to ask if anybody knows about interesting positions for me in Helsinki or around? My field is quite specialized, so can there be a site for this kind of needs? I can learn Finnish, but I do not know anything at the moment. My girlfriend knows the language and wants to move there together with me (she is a soon-to-be psychologist). We are looking for some positions in advance. We both will be near Helsinki for a few weeks in the Summer. I would like to try an interview during that time. See the possibilities etc. Since I am not yet finished, I have no idea how does it work, if emplyer can wait few months if he is really interested in me. I would like to work in my field, that is why I am trying to find something soon enough and I have no idea how long can it take. I also think it is better to have work position arranged some time before we move to Finland. I am 28 and she is 23 years old.

Thank you for reading this!

I will be glad for any convenient suggestions!

Rosťa

**Sponsor:**

interleukin · Post by **interleukin** » Sat May 03, 2014 8:38 pm

Are you EU or non-EU?

GermanInHelsinki · Post by **GermanInHelsinki** » Sat May 03, 2014 8:55 pm

A postdoc position at Aalto University is your only chance.

Your chances in the private sector are zero without fluent Finnish.

Amadeus · Post by **Amadeus** » Sat May 03, 2014 9:37 pm

Central Europe, so EU.

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Sun May 04, 2014 6:54 am

My field is quite specialized

So you should know which companies or institutions have an active interest in that field. You have to find them yourself. (publications)
If it really is a niche market, Finnish might not be the biggest handicap. But finding an empty spot in a small market is.

Amadeus · Post by **Amadeus** » Sun May 04, 2014 12:49 pm

GermanInHelsinki wrote:A postdoc position at Aalto University is your only chance.

Your chances in the private sector are zero without fluent Finnish.

Why do you think it is the only chance? And Also, I should add that I would like to work for a company. I think I have stayed at a universities long enough.

btw- Is the language so important? I mean, I have heard that Finns are very educated and English is not a problem there. But do they demand their language in every case? This is important question here...

GermanInHelsinki · Post by **GermanInHelsinki** » Sun May 04, 2014 4:46 pm

All communication inside a company (announcements, documentation, meetings,...) is done in the company language.
As in most countries in the world, companies having as company language not the local language are very rare.

You will always find someone speaking English very well.
Not everyone speaks English well enough to work in English.

You will be yet another of the many foreign men with a Masters or PhD degree who came with a Finnish woman.
And discovered they have zero chances in the job market until they have mastered the local language.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Mon May 05, 2014 6:11 am

I don't see the language would necessarily need to be a big issue (Don't R&D in most even moderate size companies (and some quite small) have foreigners working in them?), but when you have very specialized subject, shouldn't you to be the specialist knowing where it can and is being applied? Locals here may know the company names better, but highly unlikely to know your specialty.

Snorri · Post by **Snorri** » Mon May 05, 2014 9:46 am

You could try looking for junior quant jobs in the financial sector. Language will not be a problem.

CH · Post by CH » Mon May 05, 2014 12:54 pm

GermanInHelsinki wrote:As in most countries in the world, companies having as company language not the local language are very rare.

Quite a lot of companies, especially in IT, have English as their official language here.

My girlfriend knows the language and wants to move there together with me (she is a soon-to-be psychologist).

I assume from the quote above that she isn't a Finnish. What does "knows the language" mean? Fluent? I would assume a psychologist does need fluent Finnish and/or Swedish. Oh... and a license to practice: http://www.valvira.fi/luvat/ammattioikeudet

My suggestion, for you both, would be to get at least a few years of work experience in a relevant field first. In that way you would have a bit better position to compete for available jobs.

You might try this recruitment site: http://www.studentwork.fi/?lang=en

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