English Jobs Megathread

[cors187]

I think the key factor is professionals make money, they know the tricks and short cuts, insider formulas.
Finnish market has a very high expectation that a degree is the main door to the above mentioned talents.
It could be true with a lot of professions but not all.
So go out there and make some rich guy richer, he will employ you.

[Liam1]

Liam1 wrote:
Back to the subject - Weren't you the Oz that defended a right to come here on unemployment benefit and get free Finnish lessons? Seems that you must have seen getting a job as a non Finn speaker difficult.

What's your actual point? I didn't come here for the free Finnish lessons,

My point is within the quote and also the thread subject - "seems that you must have seen getting a job as a non Finn speaker difficult" i.e. Finnish is needed to have a good chance of getting a job.

I've never insulted you or judged your decision, merely pointed out that your experience shows both difficulty in getting a job and how learning language was important. As I seem to have provoked a strong reaction, (you swore at my first post and have now done so again), I will leave the thread as I do not aim to insult people and squabbles between posters detract from the question in hand.

One thing that this demonstrates at least is that you are right Macora, how you phrase something is perhaps more important than I thought.

[cors187]

Liam1 wrote:
Back to the subject - Weren't you the Oz that defended a right to come here on unemployment benefit and get free Finnish lessons? Seems that you must have seen getting a job as a non Finn speaker difficult.

What's your actual point? I didn't come here for the free Finnish lessons,

My point is within the quote and also the thread subject - "seems that you must have seen getting a job as a non Finn speaker difficult" i.e. Finnish is needed to have a good chance of getting a job.

I've never insulted you or judged your decision, merely pointed out that your experience shows both difficulty in getting a job and how learning language was important. As I seem to have provoked a strong reaction, (you swore at my first post and have now done so again), I will leave the thread as I do not aim to insult people and squabbles between posters detract from the question in hand.

One thing that this demonstrates at least is that you are right Macora, how you phrase something is perhaps more important than I thought.

I think aussies know all to well the value of speaking the local language.Ive got a grade 3 photo where i was surrounded by the worlds luckiest color card kids

[cors187]

You need other qualifications/skills/attitude and this is often of higher importance than local language.

.

Knowing the local language only assures the other party that they are probably going to take more breaks, slow down production,find a reason to have a meeting.
The other 3 elements contribute to economic progression.

[Pizzaguy]

Hi All,

Please, without biting my head off and spitting it out (as I see some people do to people who are thought to ask silly questions...)

I am a chef with over 10 years experience in Italian restaurants.

I DO not speak Finnish as I have never been there. However, I speak German and English fluently as well as basic Dutch, Mandarin Chinese and Italian. (Not that really matters if everyone around me only speaks Finnish I guess...)

I am interested in knowing if it is possible to get a job as a chef and what areas it is good to look for a job as a chef not being able to speak the language (however, upon arrival in Finland I would immediately start a Finnish course)

Also, if anyone could recommend a hotel,restaurant etc that they think would be suitable?

ABOUT ME:
28 years old
Swiss
Diploma Pizzaiola from GastroSuisse
HACCP from Gastrorag (Zurich) and City&Pubs (London)
Worked in South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan and England as a chef in Italian restaurants for almost 11 years.

Thanks for any helpful advice!

[Pizzaguy]

Thanks,

Appreciate the reply. Normally for chefs it is different as often the key is learning the basic words one needs to know for kitchen usage (cut this, peel the tomatoes, boil the pasta etc etc) and the rest is not as important as long as one can understand the docket/order slip. However, from the sounds of things it seems that Finnish is an absolute requirement.

Well, perhaps it is time to find another way!

Thanks again!
A

[rinso]

Also, if anyone could recommend a hotel,restaurant etc that they think would be suitable?

For some restaurants having a foreign chef is a status issue. But finding which one is interested is difficult.
And the hospitality industry is in decline at the moment, reducing your chances even more.

[markbaker]

This forum wasn't a good platform for me when I was trying to get work in Helsinki. It ran the course of

"Do you speak Finnish?"
"No"
"Well leave you won't get a job"

Yes, of course it helps to speak the native tongue of any country to travel to find work. The best way to work in any country is to network yourself and ask people even if you can get some odd jobs to start with. The thing with Finland is there isn't much foreign business setup so you don't have many jobs available who speak English in the work place.

If you want to work you will find work. People don't need the negative language crap you hear on here, they are looking for assistance.

[Pursuivant]

Assistance in telling them that they're stupid? They'll find it out after 3-6 months once their money runs out, but before that they whine a lot, so easier to cut losses at first.

Stupids are known to 'think', but you need to 'know'. Theres foreign people who don't speak any Finnish in highly paid jobs, yes. Theres also people with relatively poor language skills in low paying jobs as well. Firstly you need to 'know' if they are 'sent' or 'local hire' as if they're 'sent' you aren't on the same chalk line. Even if its your countrymen babbling off the other side of that construction site, if they are 'sent' you won't get a job as you're 'local'. So then what makes the light shine out of your ass? Skills. Speaking the language obviously is one that opens the most doors, but there are niches. Like for the chef. You would 'think'... unless you 'knew' no fancy restroom would employ a pizza "chef" - or sell pizza, as the pizzerias are 5 euro pizzakebabs...

So, the best assistance is to give the 'know', but stupids also 'want', so its really not much use.

[llewellyn]

This is a trend I've personally noticed in Helsinki:

http://www.hs.fi/kaupunki/Helsingin+rav ... -art-top-1

Sorry for the Finnish link, they probably will have an English version soonish in Helsinki Times, but anyway the gist is that there are increasingly many English speaking staff among restaurant and bar workers in the capital area. Hard Rock Café is quite extreme in having only 1/3 Finnish speaking staff. I would think the salaries are lousy and many small places are likely cheating on the terms, but it just goes to show that you cannot generalize: you can even have a service job without having Finnish... (One must say that this does not exactly feel like very customer centred policy but there you go.)

[Pursuivant]

Ah, but it is exactly the "customer centered policy" as according to the Polish manager of the HRC a % of the Finns prefer the "distant service".

I was trained to "be there exactly when needed with exactly what was wanted but otherwise invisible"... i'd probably get a heart attack in HRC - and not due to their burgers.

[mmoimoimoimoii]

This turned into a lovely thread guys!