Looking for any job

[sinikala]

Well what can I say thanks for the advice but I don`t need it...As long as I am in Finland and I already spent a lot of my money here and put all of my hopes in I don`t need somebody to came and tell me to look for jobs in the UK...If I had wanted to go to the UK I would have tried there from the beginning. Anyway is not a pink situation in the UK. About the cheap flights first of all I hate flying and second of all I don`t think they are so cheap.
In other order of business my qualification in communication and my work experience as a journalist are just to show that I am a well educated person and not a begger or what people here think about Romanians. I am looking for a job anywhere: as a garbage man, loading and unloading trucks, cleaning, driver, etc...anything that doesn`t require Finnish for the beginning...

In addition to the comments already made

1) depending which way you look at it, you are either under- or overqualified for some of the jobs you are looking at, extra to the fact that you don't speak finnish, if the employer is looking to fill a vacancy, what is the incentive to take on a person who either has no experience or will leave as soon as a better offer comes along? None.

2) The Finnish job market is small and static, people change positions and companies far less than in some other countries, people cling onto their jobs for dear life and there is a huge fear of being unemployed as it can be very difficult to get back into work. People don't change companies so there are not many vacancies.

I have been in the same company for 8 years, by comparison, my brother works in Telecoms and moved to Cyprus 2 years ago - he's on his 4th or 5th "permanent" job: conditions have changed in the companies or better offers have come along. That would be unheard of here.

As an aside are there any Romanian companies present in Finland? ... Dacia might be interested to get someone who is a native Romanian speaker but they'd probably be more interested if you spoke Finnish too http://www.dacia.fi/fi/Yhteydenotto/

[filipdragos]

To be honest I am looking for a permanent, serious job. I don`t like moving around. I am not the man to leave my present job position if somebody else offers me extra money. If I like the work enviroment I wouldn`t leave my job for anything. To give you an example: I worked as a journalist in my home town for 3 years...I was payed as a full time worker with a salary near 200 euros/month. I had the opportunity to leave the newspaper in the first year for another one and for the salary of 350 E/month. But I didn`t because I loved my job as a journalist there in that place. Although the salary was almost double that didn`t matter for me...I am not a money person. I am not a mercenary.
Offff! I wish that one day somebody would call or email me and say: "come and let`s see what you are capable of". I wish somebody would give me a chance. I have sent so many applications in so many places and different fields of activity that I really don`t know what to do. As a short term plan I mean.

[Pursuivant]

OK, so now as it is evident after 5 months its not working that way I suggest a role-playing game. Stop thinking like a jobseeker who thinks he has something to offer and start thinking like an employer - a really nasty one with a garda de fier flag on his wall. OK, so you are now the nasty employer - you don't give chances for charity, you do not hire some random foreigner off the street do you? You hire someone with references - or then through a rental agency you can send them back if you don't like them. In Finland sending applications is playing the lotto. As much as you network and go visit those rental agencies like Barona and Manpower or cleaners like SOL etc... once you get the "foot in the door" with some crap rental work job then you become a "person with references". After you get the foot in the door and references, then you find the "real job" - otherwise you can be waiting the 2nd coming.

[biscayne]

I really, really admire your tenacity. But, honestly, I just don't think you realise what you are up against in wanting to stay in Finland and get that elusive, permanent, decent job.

Even if you do get a job as a waiter or a cleaner, the salaries are so low, and rent so high, you would always be living on the edge.

There are very few immigrants in Finland who just came and got a job and made a better life - that is more typical in the USA. What you get here are several distinct groups. 1 Ex-pats who got transferred to Finland by their company, on a very nice contract usually with housing included. Some, who really liked it then switched over to a local contract if the company agreed to keep them. 2 People who came for whatever reason with VERY specialised education, usually IT or something really specific. 3 Diplomats. 4 People (like me) who came because they had a Finnish partner who could support them financially for a few years, and help them through the system until they learned Finnish and found a job, or retrained, or they had enough money to see them through the first few years. 5 Foreign students who came to study something, loved Finland or a Finn, learned Finnish really quickly and found a way to stay. And remember, even people who come to Finland because of a Finnish partner and have financial support have problems finding jobs if they are not qualifed in a needed area. For example, if I was a secretary or a primary school teacher or a marketing manager, I would probably never get a job in those fields. The need for perfect written and spoken Finnish is too great.

I got a job because I spoke (barely) enough Finnish to communicate with patients and read and understand the nursing notes, and because I have good qualifications in a needed area. And I am overqualified for what I am doing. But, I knew that was going to happen. I was totally prepared for it. I knew coming to Finland effectively put me back 20 years in my career. I was managing an EU funded national programme in the area of specialised assisted reproduction. I went to meetings all over Europe, I published in professional journals and I had a good enough salary to live a fully independent lifestyle. I had spent about 20 years building this, I am 40 now, and I could choose to either continue on the fast-track, or take a career-dive by moving to Finland. But, I KNEW this.

The kind of thing you are talking about is what happens in the USA - they see and value your drive and hunger and you work your way to the top. Language is important, but many people there speak not so great english as there are people there from all over. In Finland they are used to only proper finnish and so there is low tolerance for foreign finnish.

[Pursuivant]

I just don't think you realise what you are up against

If you want to be a dog...

...outfox them.

[filipdragos]

I just don't think you realise what you are up against

If you want to be a dog...

...outfox them.

Yes good advice. I will try to use it. As long as I am still in Finland I will try to find a job...because I have nothing else to do. And if I don`t succeed I will probably go back to Romania and prepare the paper work to emigrate in Canada...But I still have some money to survive for a few months and hopefully somebody will pick my application meanwhile. At least I hope I will survive in Finland to see the "white nights" in summer.

[Amandine.K]

Stadia.fi has nursing programmes through english. But you have to hurry, TODAY is the final day for application. Get on their website and apply.

Though do not infer that by studying Nursing in English here you will find a job afterwards. I know what I'm talking about. Graduated from Metropolia, can't get a nursing job for lack of Finnish... though I can read and understand the nursing notes and communicate with the patients...
OP I am sending you a pm

[biscayne]

Amadine K,

I'm really curious about people graduating form the Finnish system and not being able to get a job as a nurse. I read they were taking Filipinos directly from the Philipines - surely they don't speak Finnish right away. And there seems to be a really big need. What do you think the problem is? If there is such a need, surely they would take people who graduated from their own system and help them with Finnish rather than taking people who have no knowledge of the system, culture or language??? What do you think?

I wasn't infering he would get a job, just suggesting he look where there is a need, 'cos with his current degree, he won't get anything, I think.

[Amandine.K]

What they omit to tell you is that the Filipinos RN work as LPN! Big difference

I don't get it as well really. I'm baffled but I don't seem to be the exception unfortunately. I would have thought that with average Finnish skills, perfect French and fluent English, and being educated here (therefore being aware of Finnish care system and culture) I would have found RN work but no... The only solution for me would be to move abroad. Something that a few of my fellow nursing students have done it seems.

[biscayne]

My god, that is incredible! So have none of your foreign classmates got RN work? It just seems really stupid to import people when you have good people already. About the Filipinos working as LPNs, do you mean they are working more like nurses aides? I worked in the USA for 5 years, and actually there was not much difference between what the LPNs and the RNs did. They did not put in IVs or draw blood from CVP lines, but they gave all the medications, did all the treatments etc., there was almost no difference. Is it apuahoitaja in Finland or something like that? Do they just do basic care like washing etc.? I'm really curious about this.

[filipdragos]

Amadine K,

I'm really curious about people graduating form the Finnish system and not being able to get a job as a nurse. I read they were taking Filipinos directly from the Philipines - surely they don't speak Finnish right away. And there seems to be a really big need. What do you think the problem is? If there is such a need, surely they would take people who graduated from their own system and help them with Finnish rather than taking people who have no knowledge of the system, culture or language??? What do you think?

I wasn't infering he would get a job, just suggesting he look where there is a need, 'cos with his current degree, he won't get anything, I think.

You know what I find funny here in Finland: if you study here in the system you are fully qualified and an expert. I was looking on a link about a Countryside College here in Finland and if you graduate from that college you become an "expert" in a lot of branches related to nature or forestry or agriculture. This is a quote from their website: "The students become experts in different nature-oriented professions, such as farmers, gardeners, florists, animal caretakers, animal entrepreneurs and professionals of forest economy as well as nature and environment sectors". I find this very funny because in other countries this is below BA, but here because it is Made in Finland, one can become an expert. I also find funny the nursing thing. In a lot of countries and even in my home country, nursing is something that you don`t receive a Bachelor Degree. To become a fully qualified nurse there is some kind of college, an After High School Studies, that lasts for a maximum of 2 years. Here you have to study for 4 years and you receive a Bachelor Degree in Nursing. Like I said studying here involves spending a lot of money (which I don`t have) because the Finnish state doesn`t give scholarships, especially at BA or MA level...Maybe Phd. Anyway the nursing jobs are a closed subject for me because I can`t do that for the reasons I mentioned.
And about my degree I can say that I am really proud of it and of myself because I obtained near the maximum score possible (9,75 from 10) and judging from the Finnish point of view I can declare myself an expert in Social Communication, in Public Relations and everything related (HR, Journalism, etc)...I am an expert in this field right? If they can declare themselves qualified and experts in a certain field of activity after graduating an unknown college than I can say that I am at least an expert in my field after studying at academic level for 5 years...

[Amandine.K]

Though you would find that nowadays a lot of countries do BA, BSc, MSc ad even PhD in Nursing. So it's not just Finland (And it is a good thing as well, it does help to get nurses' work recognize to its true value).

[Amandine.K]

My god, that is incredible! So have none of your foreign classmates got RN work? It just seems really stupid to import people when you have good people already. About the Filipinos working as LPNs, do you mean they are working more like nurses aides? I worked in the USA for 5 years, and actually there was not much difference between what the LPNs and the RNs did. They did not put in IVs or draw blood from CVP lines, but they gave all the medications, did all the treatments etc., there was almost no difference. Is it apuahoitaja in Finland or something like that? Do they just do basic care like washing etc.? I'm really curious about this.

It would be lahihoija or perushoitaja. From what I remember from encountering LPNs during my clinical training they can't prepare medication, might be able to administer per os (but not sure about that at all, might be that they were doing it even though they were not supposed to), not sure about injections (definitely not IV or IM). They mostly deal with basic care. They can also work as assistant in päiväkotis.
Most of my foreign classmates stayed here and found work. Why not me? I guess what I mention to you in my pm might be one of the reasons...

[biscayne]

Amadine K

I tried sending you a PM, but it won't go through

I work in a private IVF clinic, I got the job because I have 10 years experience in pre-implantation genetic diagnosis which incorporates IVF. I speak slightly above basic Finnish, but 90% of the clients are Russian, because Finns usually get IVF on the health care system. I do not speak Russian, but I do speak a slavic language fluently and so I can "bluff" a bit of Russian. But, what I am doing is a laugh. Giving hormone injections, holding clients hands when they are having an egg extraction and cleaning up the room after. Giving men cups for sperm samples................I don't want to go further on the post in case by any chance someone sees it and thinks I am trashing my job.........But it is clear that until I speak perfect Finnish, I won't get far. Regarding your post, do you mean it would be better if you were............. as it would fill a quota or something like that?

[Pursuivant]

I would have thought that with average Finnish skills, perfect French and fluent English, and being educated here (therefore being aware of Finnish care system and culture) I would have found RN work but no... .

So my triage of the situation is you have rectum aurosis and the work as a LPN above your training? Is there need for entry-level RN's? I'd contemplate thats why they take the Filipino nurses as LPN to train them in. What I would think as the route is to need to go work as the slate-washer for the obduction assistants and work your way up the ladder. Once you can be "recommended" you will get maybe a "tenure" as a LPN and then maybe temps as RN and then a tenure as RN. At which time you can swear like a Finnish sailor.