Wanna move back to Finland - how to find a job?

allthatglitters · Post by **allthatglitters** » Fri Jun 21, 2013 6:02 pm

Hi there,

I have lived in the past almost 5 years in Finland (Helsinki, Lahti and Rovaniemi). I did internships, went to language schools (finnish courses) etc.
Now I love since 2 years in the UK (I am german though) and really miss Finland. I do have a job here, however, I am really unhappy, and miss my friends and the country.
I am now in the process of looking for jobs in Finland. I must honestly say my finnish is quite bad. I almost forgot everything and of course I know how I have to learn the language. However, as I speak english and german fluently I thought I might apply for english/german speaking jobs. Do you think I am able to find a job? I am not that picky, and would work almost everywhere for a start. I have work experience in event management, in sales and customer care and look mostly in these kinds of jobs.

Thanks a lot in advance!

**Sponsor:**

Adrian42 · Post by **Adrian42** » Sat Jun 22, 2013 2:49 am

allthatglitters wrote:and miss my friends and the country.
I am now in the process of looking for jobs in Finland. I must honestly say my finnish is quite bad. I almost forgot everything and of course I know how I have to learn the language. However, as I speak english and german fluently I thought I might apply for english/german speaking jobs. Do you think I am able to find a job?

No, I doubt you will find a job.

As you surely know, jobs where speaking only English is required are very rare outside of IT.

Regarding German, that is rarely required and many Finns are speaking German quite well.

And the current economic situation makes job search even harder.

You could ask your Finnish friends whether one of them knows about a job you could take - that sounds like the most promising option for you.

juuuli · Post by **juuuli** » Sun Jul 07, 2013 11:49 pm

hey there! well, i always thought that it's quite impossible as well... i am also german, and i have been to helsinki as erasmus exchange student 5 years ago and ever since then, i always wanted to come back... but, it is hard i gues,, but not impossible! just try to find some german specific job maybe, i have been searching through sooo many jobs on teh internet and there are some, that require german, and even if quite many people speak german in finland, it is still your mother tongue and that should be considered an advantage! for example there is saksalainen koulu (the german school in helsinki) and i got a job there now (i'm not even a teacher and i don't have proper education for the job, just experience...). and i also found some event management companies for example who needed german (native) speakers! there is also a german bakery somewhere ... hope that helps! good luck!

Adrian42 · Post by **Adrian42** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 12:40 am

juuuli wrote:but, it is hard i gues,, but not impossible! just try to find some german specific job maybe, i have been searching through sooo many jobs on teh internet and there are some, that require german, and even if quite many people speak german in finland, it is still your mother tongue and that should be considered an advantage! for example there is saksalainen koulu (the german school in helsinki) and i got a job there now (i'm not even a teacher and i don't have proper education for the job, just experience...). and i also found some event management companies for example who needed german (native) speakers!

It seems you were extremely lucky.

There are only very few jobs in Finland where German (and English) is enough, usually when it is required German is required in addition to Finnish.

The Deutsche Schule in Helsinki was also the first place to come into my mind.
And I also know someone who has a university degree in "Deutsch als Fremdsprache" and got an opportunity to teach German.

The OP has work experience in event management, in sales and customer care.
Finding positions in these areas that do not require speaking Finnish and do require speaking German and are located in Finland is pretty hard.

juuuli wrote:there is also a german bakery somewhere ...

They closed a few months ago.

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 6:21 am

juuuli wrote: but, it is hard i gues,, but not impossible! just try to find some german specific job maybe,

Indeed it is not impossible. But that doesn't mean that everyone who tries will succeed.
There are much more people "wanting" than there are opportunities.
To succeed you must be either lucky or fit in perfectly in a specific niche.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 9:21 am

There are a few German restaurants these days too, with all the kitch and girls in drindls... Well, back in the day, tourism industry was very German-oriented, but don't know if it still is... theres always the "seasonal" jobs, but why would Germans come to Finland for the winter to ski when they have the Alps?

rinso · Post by **rinso** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 9:34 am

Pursuivant wrote:Well, back in the day, tourism industry was very German-oriented, but don't know if it still is...

The German tourist I met (and I've met quite a few over the years) were looking for a Finnish experience, not more Sauerkraut und Eisbein.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 10:30 am

Yes, but they still didn't speak Finnish

Adrian42 · Post by **Adrian42** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 10:36 am

Pursuivant wrote:Yes, but they still didn't speak Finnish

rinso is right on that:

"German" restaurants are usually not primarily aiming at Germans coming to Finland.
The first German restaurant in Helsinki that came into my mind does not even have a non-Finnish version of their webpage.

And nearly any waiter and waitress in Finland anyway speaks English, which solves the language problem.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 1:47 pm

Who said the Germans were coming "back in the day" - for German restaurants? I had to study obligatory German for 3 f*n years in Porvoo so I know what I am talking about. Germans were about 80% of foreign tourists pre-EU. On the Nordkapp-stretch.

The German restrooms now that you have in Helsinki hire Germans just like Aussie bar hires Australians for the "exotic image" for the locals. Not Rymy-Eetu but the other one - Hüpsche Frau or what was it? Thats a different thing totally.

mrjimsfc · Post by **mrjimsfc** » Mon Jul 08, 2013 5:08 pm

Pursuivant wrote:The German restrooms now that you have in Helsinki hire Germans

What's that? They have German restrooms in Helsinki now? Do they have that certain exotic German feeling about them? Do Germans keep the toilet paper holders filled and the toilets clean? Do you have to pay to use the restroom like you do in Belgium?

cors187 · Post by **cors187** » Wed Jul 10, 2013 12:48 am

Pursuivant wrote: just like Aussie bar hires Australians for the "exotic image" for the locals.\.

I think youll find a New Zealander at times. so to me german,dutch,jewish , its all the same.

allthatglitters · Post by **allthatglitters** » Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:10 pm

just to keep u updated, i will move back to finland in around 1 month now.

i will start a full time finnish course in september, which is a beginner course.. i will also do the course after this one, as i really want to learn the language so at some point i can even apply for finnish speaking jobs.. it will have to learn a lot but i am taking the challenge as i love this country and want to build my future there.

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