Coming to Finland

[metal]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum... I have a few questions.

I'm an EU citizen and a native English speaker and I'm coming to Finland in less than two weeks for a while, but I intend on trying to stay at least for a few years, or permanently. I read the topic about finding work in Finland, but I'm under-qualified for pretty much any job, really. I speak, read and write English, I can clean pretty well, wash dishes, do basic manual labor. One of my few assets is that I can be quite meticulous with certain tasks, and I'm a relatively fast learner when given proper training. I'm a little socially awkward (so even if I were to find a job dealing with people, I wouldn't be the best candidate for it). I'm in the very beginning of learning Finnish (I expect it will take me at least a year to be able to carry a basic conversation, and only after being surrounded by Finnish speakers the whole time). I will be coming with a small amount of money and will be staying with a friend for a month, but I will eventually need income to hopefully be able to rent a place of my own. I'll be in Tampere.
Would my best bet be just to continue looking online for jobs? Do newspapers there usually have any options for foreigners with no degrees? Is it mostly a matter of getting lucky? Are there usually language competency expectations for basic labor work?

I guess I just want to know if people in similar situations to mine have been able to survive there, and how long it took them to find work.

I don't know if this matters, but the reasons I want to come to Finland are because of that friend (or more?) and because I really like most aspects of the culture, love the language, love the weather and love the landscape. I'm 21.

Kiitos

[Logic]

The jobs that don't require language skills are the cleaning jobs and almost all foreigners fight tooth and nail for them.

love the weather

You may love it for a year or two but then it becomes something you dread, short or non-existent Summers and cold dark winters.

[metal]

I was afraid of that.. :/

I doubt it... :p I have a high intolerance to heat and a love for cold I guess we'll see, though.

[Karhunkoski]

I really like most aspects of the culture, love the language, love the weather and love the landscape. I'm 21.

Let's split this out:

Culture - Drinking, Sauna, Sibelius and old Alvar. Did I miss anything?

Love the language - What part do you love?

Love the weather - Have you been here in October-November-December if there isn't snow?

Love the landscape - Lake, tree, lake, tree, lake, tree, lake, tree.

I'm 21 - The best part. You're young, you have no ties, you're adventurous, you should go for it. Come for 3 months, maybe find success, maybe not, but you will benefit from the experience either way. Good Luck!

[Rosamunda]

The best way to find a job is to get your friend to find one for you. It's all about networking (especially outside of the capital region) and who you know. If your friend has an extended family or a network of old schoolfriends or whatever, that's the best place to start. You might have to work for very little cash in the beginning but if you are motivated and you do a good job you might do OK.

[metal]

Let's split this out:

Culture - Drinking, Sauna, Sibelius and old Alvar. Did I miss anything?

Love the language - What part do you love?

Love the weather - Have you been here in October-November-December if there isn't snow?

Love the landscape - Lake, tree, lake, tree, lake, tree, lake, tree.

I'm 21 - The best part. You're young, you have no ties, you're adventurous, you should go for it. Come for 3 months, maybe find success, maybe not, but you will benefit from the experience either way. Good Luck!

Used to drink a LOT (cut down), haven't ever been in a sauna (sounds fun although very hot), haven't heard Sibelius yet and checked out Alvar's architecture. Nice!

I love the way it sounds and its (relatively speaking) quirky structure.

I have not, but I'm looking forward to it. I have lived in a VERY hot climate most of my life and I always despised it. Heat strokes, even vomiting. Disgusting weather. I've visited places like Alaska and Canada and I LOVE the weather. Also I don't like too much sun or light in general. Just a moderate amount is nice. Long, dark winters *actually* put me in a good mood. Only thing I'm not looking forward to is my fingers and facial muscles freezing so I can't really move them well :p But ok. A fair price to pay.

I LOVE lakes and trees! In fact, I want to live in a forest (and pay huge house loans for the rest of my life while struggling to keep up with the miraculously acquired job-from-home -.- hah. I can dream. Not healthy, but.. ).

Thank you

The best way to find a job is to get your friend to find one for you. It's all about networking (especially outside of the capital region) and who you know. If your friend has an extended family or a network of old schoolfriends or whatever, that's the best place to start. You might have to work for very little cash in the beginning but if you are motivated and you do a good job you might do OK.

Good advice! I will ask him, but I don't want to become a burden. Hopefully something will come up, but in the mean time I'll have to do my best to find something. I'm not too worried about the pay (beggars can't be choosers), as long as I can survive (and hopefully have a little bit of comfort :p). Thanks.

[tizlit]

Without the knowledge of Finnish language your chances to find work are rather slim. And it takes years to master it properly.
Save up, my friend, so you have enough cash to survive here.
For cleaning jobs some ask a paper (certificate), which proves your ability. As for restaurant workers etc you must have hygiene pass (they basically teach you how to cut a tomato etc). To sell bread/berries at the market you must speak the language, does not help if you master 8 other, this is Finland.

[irishinhelsinki]

Forget the rubbish that people tell you. I am the same, an EU citizen who can't speak any Finnish.
Firstly, the weather is great. Finland has one of the best Summers of all European countries. Loads of sunshine, loads of fun times in summer cottages with friends, and sailing around the lakes. Winter is great, loads of snow, a real winter, not the horrible UK winter. The forest paths are all well lit, so you can have great winter walks. Around April it clears up again.
Secondly, getting a job. Native English speakers are in high demand. In the entertainment industry, if you are a Finn, you can forget about applying. They don't want Finnish people messing up with the English language. They want native English speakers who can communicate with the offices in California. So look at places such as computer game companies. Expect to only get paid around 2800-3000 per month for this type of job. At least it is more than working in a bar or being a cleaner (which is NOT what the native English people end up as). Most cleaners and bar people I have come across seem to be from places such as Turkey. In the professional office-based jobs, there are loads of Brits and Americans.
Give it about 3 months and you will have a nice job in an office where everyone in speaking English. Even if you don't have the qualifications, you have an advantage right away for being a native speaker, over some Finn who has his 3 master's degrees which are meaningless because they were free. Finland is fantastic, probably the best place outside of the UK for a native English speaker to get a job.

[Upphew]

Winter is great, loads of snow, a real winter

Unless you happen to live in Helsinki, then it is slush and gloom, not so nice and white.

The forest paths are all well lit, so you can have great winter walks.

Hopefully you don't mean skiing tracks.

Finland is fantastic, probably the best place outside of the UK for a native English speaker to get a job.

I'd put USA, Australia, NZ and probably SA over Finland on base of language.

[CH]

They want native English speakers who can communicate with the offices in California.

Just any random English speaker without any other qualifications? I don't think so. Sure, if you have the qualifications for the position and you are a native speaker you may have an edge if good English communication skills are needed. And OP stated that he/she was socially awkward (nothing wrong with that, but if you are hired to communicate it kind of doesn't work exactly in your favor).

So look at places such as computer game companies.

Without any other qualifications than being a native English speaker? Again, I don't think so. Yes, there are lots of people from other countries in the game industry here, but only some of them are native English speakers and I would be very surprised if any of those were hired solely on that qualification.

[Pursuivant]

Well, anyone off the Ryanair flight was a fluent "engrish teecher" back in the 90's. I think they sell a bright led buttplug on that flight.

[Rick1]

Might come handy in Emergency's , I guess that is why they are so much laughing all the time

[Rick1]

Forget the rubbish that people tell you. I am the same, an EU citizen who can't speak any Finnish.
Firstly, the weather is great. Finland has one of the best Summers of all European countries. Loads of sunshine, loads of fun times in summer cottages with friends, and sailing around the lakes. Winter is great, loads of snow, a real winter, not the horrible UK winter. The forest paths are all well lit, so you can have great winter walks. Around April it clears up again.
Secondly, getting a job. Native English speakers are in high demand. In the entertainment industry, if you are a Finn, you can forget about applying. They don't want Finnish people messing up with the English language. They want native English speakers who can communicate with the offices in California. So look at places such as computer game companies. Expect to only get paid around 2800-3000 per month for this type of job. At least it is more than working in a bar or being a cleaner (which is NOT what the native English people end up as). Most cleaners and bar people I have come across seem to be from places such as Turkey. In the professional office-based jobs, there are loads of Brits and Americans.
Give it about 3 months and you will have a nice job in an office where everyone in speaking English. Even if you don't have the qualifications, you have an advantage right away for being a native speaker, over some Finn who has his 3 master's degrees which are meaningless because they were free. Finland is fantastic, probably the best place outside of the UK for a native English speaker to get a job.

Reminds me of this guy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgMgkl-gRxk

[sinikala]

Well, anyone off the Ryanair flight was a fluent "engrish teecher" back in the 90's. I think they sell a bright led buttplug on that flight.

Not that I necesessarily disagree with the spirit your message, but Ryanair only started flights to Finland in 2003.

[Pursuivant]

It feels so odd saying "in the 0's"