...

[Upphew]

If someone who has had experience in the work before and knows what they are doing, and meets all the requirements apart from only speaking a little of the langauge,, id give em a shot..

And so would I. But if there is someone who knows the same PLUS the language I would not hesitate which one I hire.

Spot on. There were time when shops in Lappeenranta hired people who had virtually no skills in Finnish, if they were Russians. But most of the time there is customer service side to any job, and then the local lingo is preferred, if not needed. Of course there are jobs without contact to customer, factories and construction comes to my mind. But those jobs tend to have some aspect of danger in them and it is the boss whose ass is on the line. I know a foreman who got (only) fined, because some (Finnish, so no problem with language there) bloke fell from the scaffolding. He was spending his vacation at cottage when the worker fell.

[kelly1305]

yeah I know..

[magenta22]

I automatically read that in the style of 'Little Britain'

There must be some jobs around that don't require fluent Finnish and as there is a desire to learn the language.

[interleukin]

There must be some jobs around that don't require fluent Finnish and as there is a desire to learn the language.

That "there must be" is why you get all these optimistic and clueless people coming to Finland and not finding a job.

[magenta22]

There must be some jobs around that don't require fluent Finnish and as there is a desire to learn the language.

That "there must be" is why you get all these optimistic and clueless people coming to Finland and not finding a job.

It was just a figure of speech.

It also depends on what you want to do, I don't get the impression that Kelly is the type of person who moved to Finland expecting everything to be handed to her on a plate. She is trying to learn the language where there are so many people who just 'can't be bothered' cleaning does not require speaking Finnish, German, English or what ever language.

You shouldn't put everyone in the 'clueless' category. I am enquiring employment wise before I even have a moving date and I am learning finnish - does that make me clueless too?

Being optimistic is better than pessimistic - walk around like you've been slapped in the face with a trout isn't going to get you anything

[Upphew]

cleaning does not require speaking Finnish, German, English or what ever language.

True to a point.

[rinso]

I don't get the impression that Kelly is the type of person who moved to Finland expecting everything to be handed to her on a plate

she complained about lack of results after only a few weeks

I have only been here a couple of weeks now but have been searching for work before I arrived and every day since!

Everyone replys ...if they reply, telling me No cause I do not speak the language.
Why is it so important to speak the finnish langauge, when you most likely not actually gonna need it if your cleaning a toilet?

[kelly1305]

...

[magenta22]

she complained about lack of results after only a few weeks
!

You've clearly been lucky enough not to have been in that situation.

I realise you are thinking 'all these bloody foriegners.....'

If someone can't be bothered to learn the language I understand the attitude but for people who are trying to learn it and it's not a simple language to learn, give some credit for trying.

Cleaning is not rocket science, common sense tells you a lot of it.

[tuulen]

...I, personally am very willing to learn the Finnish language and I think any immigrant should!!...

Right here, on this Finland Forum board is a forum called Kielikoulu where you could get answers to your Finnish language questions.

[kelly1305]

thank you very much tuulen I will do this.

[rinso]

she complained about lack of results after only a few weeks
!

You've clearly been lucky enough not to have been in that situation.

I realise you are thinking 'all these bloody foriegners.....'

If someone can't be bothered to learn the language I understand the attitude but for people who are trying to learn it and it's not a simple language to learn, give some credit for trying.

Cleaning is not rocket science, common sense tells you a lot of it.

Finding work within weeks is exceptional, even for locals with all the right papers and experience. Be realistic and accept it might take months or even years as some people here have experienced.

And the road to hell is paved with good intentions (like willing to learn the language).
But for the employer good intentions are not solving his present problems.
Again, be realistic. Look at the situation from the employers point of view.
Telling us what he should do to accommodate you doesn't change the situation.

[magenta22]

Finding work within weeks is exceptional, even for locals with all the right papers and experience. Be realistic and accept it might take months or even years as some people here have experienced.

And the road to hell is paved with good intentions (like willing to learn the language).
But for the employer good intentions are not solving his present problems.
Again, be realistic. Look at the situation from the employers point of view.
Telling us what he should do to accommodate you doesn't change the situation.

It's tough everywhere at the moment and while some people walk straight into something for others it can take longer - I know that.

I'm not saying that employers should be thinking poor little *enter nationality here* person I must help them, they have to go for the right person but if they are advertising for someone who speaks something other than Finnish then they should also put them into the equation, otherwise don't add that into the advertisement, you are going to get non-finns applying.

Yes it will be hard for someone who is not Finnish but it is not impossible either. If you always have a negative attitude towards things you wouldn't bother trying anything.

[interleukin]

Yes it will be hard for someone who is not Finnish

I think you are missing the point, which is that it is hard also for the Finnish. This makes it almost impossibly hard for those who in addition do not speak Finnish.

[Upphew]

I'm not saying that employers should be thinking poor little *enter nationality here* person I must help them, they have to go for the right person but if they are advertising for someone who speaks something other than Finnish then they should also put them into the equation, otherwise don't add that into the advertisement, you are going to get non-finns applying.

If the ad is in Finnish then it must be requirement, or at least I think so. If the language is in other language and Finnish not specified, then having it can be only bonus, which quite many applicants probably have.