Finding a Job in Finland - version 2

[JimmyBang]

ahhh, so you pick the pretty colors and ringtones

[raamv]

ahhh, so you pick the pretty colors and ringtones

naah I get to decide if you can have it or not!!

[JimmyBang]

[josephine143]

Hi I am from Philippines, female,26 years old, single and just came here with my mother to visit my sister.We will stay here for 3 months as a tourist.I would like to find job or anything that could help me to stay here longer.If you have any idea or information how to get or where to find job pls help me.Thanks!

[len]

hey Hank,

Good point. I am a foreigner and iam studying while working in a cleaning company in a part time basis. my question is: is it possible that I join this unions too? or what are the requirements to be a member? Just give me the details including how i can join if possible and briefly what they require from me and my employer, like contract sheet and may be any letter etc...

Thanks,


Len

[stavae]

GREAT ARTICLE, Phil!! Absolutely spot-on.

I have personally experienced most of the points you mentioned here. I particularly liked the view you expressed regarding Finnish employers' "wariness" when hiring foreigners. It's entirely true. Finns generally do not trust foreigners; finnish EMPLOYERS ---- even less. And, with good reason. Finnish employers do not want to hire someone who will eventually prove to be a total waste of time, training, resources, etc.

Which is why, as a foreigner, one MUST create a hell of an impression on the potential finnish employer :

(1) You plan to STAY in Finland (at least for a long time).

(2) This job is NOT just a "stepping stone" to greater things

(3) You are INTERESTED in learning the language, even if you are working alongside other English-speakers (for the Finnish employer, the emphasis is not on what you know NOW. The emphasis is on what you WANT to know)


Once again, Phil, great article! Definitely A+++++

[cristina_b]

Hi,
Good article and full of useful information.
I have just obtained a contract in IT field to a company from Helsinki (from my country, recent EU member). I have not yet moved in Finland, I start the job in october. The salary I've obtained is bigger that in my country, but this is completly non-relevant because I leave in a poor, ex-comunist country. My husband will come with me in Finland. I have a question and I would appreciate any opinion because this really troubles me.
Me and my husband we have many years of experience in IT Managers positions. For me everything is ok, because I have obtained this job.
But concerning my husband I'm really worried. He have worked many years ago as a System Enginner, having at that time good practice of networking, administration, security, etc. But, since many years he is a very good IT Manager, he knows very well manage an IT business, he is a very good team leader, he manages budgets and projects in a very professional manner. But he didn't do any more networking himself, he
Do you think there is any chance for him to find an IT job, knowing that he does not speak Finish?
Thank you for your answers. Cristina

[cristina_b]

My husband speaks English very well, I wouldn't say fluently. And yes, he wants to work, he is really a very, very dynamic person, he was never un enemployeed. I don't have a good feeling about it, unfortunatly...We are really willing to move in Finland for a lot of reasons. But if one of us does not have job and becomes more and more "de-professionalised", it is not a good thing..

[gezasal]

Hello everybody !!!!!!

All of you are very pesimistic around this forums about working in Finland.
So because of this I will give up my plan to leave from Spain and go to Finland.

But I really not look for the JOB,I look for a place to work as a worker,anything,just to spare money,I mean anything to live,and at the end of the month gain 1.500 euro plus money for rent and food and clothes.
Is there no place to work anything,forestry,or contruction,etc.

What do you say HANK?!!!!!!!!

Spain is a poorer country,but with the right to work(as long asa many work illegally too) you have work the next day !

[Hank W.]

What do you say HANK?!!!!!!!!

Nothing. Maybe when you walk down the street a job will come and bite you on the nose.

[EP]

1.500 euro plus money for rent and food and clothes.

You actually mean 1500 € AFTER taxes, rent, food and clothes? 1500 € just for spending after you have payed the necessities? Look, this is Finland. Wages are not high. It is usual to have that 1500 €, and then you pay the rent and food and transportation and daycare from it, and then you see if you have something left.

[rinso]

Hello everybody !!!!!!

All of you are very pesimistic around this forums about working in Finland.
So because of this I will give up my plan to leave from Spain and go to Finland.

It is not pessimism but a realistic warning. As foreigner, especially without fluent Finnish, you have a big handicap on the job market.
You have to realize that before you make a decision.

[gezasal]

So what is the worth of trying that much?!
In Spain I can easily spare 800 per month.
But is simply not enough!
And,on the other hand I am tired of latins and I really would like to live in a civilized country where there are rules and the rules are respected !
WHY DOESNT ACCEPT ME THE SYSTEM !

[Isaacmartinomondi]

Hi,i must say that your information is very helpful to anyone thinking about coming to finland to study and/or work.
You see to be concentrating only on the professional work such as IT,Engeneering but as an individual who wants to come to finland as a student and try to get a job (odd jobs such as cleasning or a non professional job) as i complete my studies,what is you advice to people like me?
Secondly,would you say that such odd jobs are readily available or not.
Thank you in advance for your reply.

[Tiwaz]

Hi,i must say that your information is very helpful to anyone thinking about coming to finland to study and/or work.
You see to be concentrating only on the professional work such as IT,Engeneering but as an individual who wants to come to finland as a student and try to get a job (odd jobs such as cleasning or a non professional job) as i complete my studies,what is you advice to people like me?
Secondly,would you say that such odd jobs are readily available or not.
Thank you in advance for your reply.

Such odd jobs might be available to you through workforce rental companies, namely they take you into their list and if some other company asks for someone to do job X for them, rental firm will offer you chance to do this gig. Also, you are not expected to take any job they have. You can decline them if you have for example studies preventing working some day. But they might remember it in future, even if "black lists" are forbidden.

Problem is, you do not speak finnish. While with rentals this might be less of a problem it will put you in bad position. There will be many finnish speaking young people (students and other) who are also in the lists of renting firm. They can be given advice in finnish, know basically how things tend to work here etc...

Also, jobs will be very sporadic. Some people might get more or less permanent jobs from such agencies but mostly you are in place A doing thing X one day, and next you are in place B doing Y. So this is where having finnish skills pays off, as your tasks can be very different and thus require new advice.

Getting odd jobs is not quite as easy as it might sound.