Jobs for International Students with Finnish BSc and MSc

[shanrizvi]

From what I understand, the job situation might be a little different for people who have moved here looking for a job and for people who do their higher studies here. But that is just my common sense and assumption, it might be different. I just moved here and started doing my BSc (hopefully in Finance) from Helsinki School of Economics. From the information I get at company presentations and events at my university, I feel like as a graduate it shouldn't be much of a problem getting work but then again, I keep reading that it is really an issue here. What I want to know is whether it really is that bad and whether it is the same for all foreigners even if they do their BSc+MSc from lets say HSE. Something in my mind tells me that it SHOULD be difficult because HSE is supposed to be the best business school here. But then again, this is Finland ... YOU NEVER KNOW! Lol.

[Faithful]

JOIN the club i know many who have bsc and a masters to top the cream but have seen nothing they even go for finnish courses invain but lady luck may visit you.
Last week a mother of three from africa with a masters in computer engineering and 3years finnish language intergration course wanted to end her life.
So study to be educated and know getting a job is difficult since in all avenues you are competing amongst the natives

[shanrizvi]

What will my chances be, with a BSc+MSc Finance degree from HSE if I don't know Finnish at all but I have excellent English skills?
Also, how much Finnish should I know? Like what level! Because I do plan on learning Finnish in fact I just took the Finnish for Foreigners Level 1 course and got a 5(=excellent) on it And there are like 6 or 7 levels. But you know, all these company representatives and all insist that they do not discriminate and hire foreigners and Finnish people without bias. They even say that the fact that you don't know Finnish doesn't matter. I mean I remember a Nokia representative telling me that about Nokia.

[rinso]

There is an other topic about jobs in finance:
bb/viewtopic.php?t=27050
If you read it, you'll see that you not only need Finnish, but also Swedish to work in a bank or so.
HSE is a good school, but without the language requirements, you'll have very little chances in Finland.

[Tiwaz]

What will my chances be, with a BSc+MSc Finance degree from HSE if I don't know Finnish at all but I have excellent English skills?
Also, how much Finnish should I know? Like what level! Because I do plan on learning Finnish in fact I just took the Finnish for Foreigners Level 1 course and got a 5(=excellent) on it And there are like 6 or 7 levels. But you know, all these company representatives and all insist that they do not discriminate and hire foreigners and Finnish people without bias. They even say that the fact that you don't know Finnish doesn't matter. I mean I remember a Nokia representative telling me that about Nokia.

Nokia is big company, huge to say. They have lots of room for people who speak funny languages only. (trying to be light and joking while breaking it down).

Also, every company would SAY they do not discriminate. Saying flat out "you are not going to make it dude" would be bad PR. When you would apply you just would be one of those 127 guys who did not get the job, your lack of language skills would not have anything to do with it (or that is official position).

How much finnish you should speak depends on position. If you could find rare job as some kind of representative who only deals with foreigners it's not big deal.

But if you would apply for position where you would get more or less regular contact with finnish clients... You either speak excellent finnish or no job.

Despite most finns (and all younger ones) speaking english relatively well, company having clint contacts who do NOT speak good finnish is bad.

Never presume you can land any kind of job where you are going to be dealing with finnish customers and have anything but good finnish skills.

[Desundial]

The best way to get a job when you guarentee is to secure work in finland while you are still studying. Already having successfully worked for a Finnish company is the best way to 1.)make contacts 2.)be seen as able to "fit in". Which means you should be looking for part time or summer work now!

Some jobs in finance, i.e. back office processing/ risk management / etc. may look more for technical skills and talent than languages, wheras corporate banking, for example, requires drumming up work from companies, hence the finnish (and swedish) requirement.

[Meri-Tuuli]

I don't think that the job market is particulary biased toward Finns, its just biased towards Finnish speakers

Basically, if you can't speak good Finnish, I think your chances of getting a graduate level job here are quite slim, unless its with the likes of Nokia, or some computing company or some academic uni dept.

Which is fair enough I suppose. I doubt you could get a job in the UK or the USA without speaking good level English (or French in France, or German in Germany - you get my gist).

Its just the way life is I suppose.

Get enrolling in the Finnish classes now.......

[Hank W.]

Well, I'll give you a free advice:
a) Don't stay inclusively with your "International Club" - hang out with the "natives" as much as you can. Not necessarily to pick up the language, but to get the "vibes" right. Body language etc. and then network, network & network.
b) Learn Finnish. Atleast a dozen phrases you can sit down silently around the table and seem "fluent" even you've been silent for half and hour and said a thoughtful "mmmmmm"...
c) did I say something about networking?
d) try to "go native" but then don't overdo it - study as an anthropologist. Understanding the psyche is one key thing. Finns are telepathic they can sense the difference between a "foreigner" and a "local" blindfolded in the dark...
e) and this learning Finnish...
f) and networking...

So then your chances are you just get the catch-22 of being a fresh graduate needing 5 years experience to get a job

[sinikala]

d) Finns are telepathic they can sense the difference between a "foreigner" and a "local" blindfolded in the dark...

Is this something unique to Finns?

I don't think so.

[Hank W.]

Oh, not unique - besides which, Finns get off far too easy - they just home on towards the sound

[Mies Belgiasta]

A few weeks ago, an old geezer sitting next to me in the bus started explaining to me in Finnish that he wanted to sit next to me, cause he could see where he was going.(front of the bus). I then explained in Finnish I couldn't speak much Finnish, since I'm from Belgium. He then looked shocked and after a few moments thinking he replied in English :"Well, you look Finnish to me!" And explained again that he wanted to sit there cause he wanted to see what's going on. So imho Finnish people CAN'T separate Fins from foreigners, plus when they have a good accent and can speak a bit decent, they'll be totally fooled.

[Karhunkoski]

Did he by any chance say, "soooo, what do you think about Finland?"

[Mies Belgiasta]

Did he by any chance say, "soooo, what do you think about Finland?"

Nope, I think he was too intoxicated to complete his sentence. Although many people asked me that question many times already. I think it's the Finnish way of braking ice?

[adamo]

Hey shanrizvi,

I saw from the forum that you are studying Finance and looking for a job. I wish you a good luck!!

I want to ask you some questions about your master program and I will really appreciate if you could provide me some information.

How did you get in? What were the language requirements? Do you need to show a Toffel certificate?

How is the quality? Is it theoretical or practical studies? Is it a light program, I mean here if they go in deep details of the finance word or not?

Thank you very much for your help.

Adamo