Jobseeking
Both employed and unemployed jobseekers can register as jobseekers with an
employment office. You will usually need to visit an employment office in person
initially to register; however you can also complete the jobseeker registration
form online and new jobseekers can submit their forms electronically to the
employment office.
Employment offices offer services to different jobseeker groups, including
young people, those requiring vocational rehabilitation, immigrants, maritime
sector employees, those entering or leaving Finland to look for work as well
as recent university graduates. A few employment offices also provide temporary
agency work services free of charge. You can also look for work using the labor
administration's online service (Avoimet työpaikat) that provides
information about thousands of job vacancies.
You can also use the Paikkavahti jobwatch service and receive notification
of vacancies by e-mail. One way of looking for work is to post your details
on the CV-netti service. These online services are only available in Finnish
and Swedish.
Financial Aid
Employment offices may grant mobility allowance to cover travel expenses related
to job seeking. The allowance may be granted to unemployed jobseekers or jobseekers
threatened by unemployment who have registered as a jobseeker with an employment
office.
Private persons and employers may also receive various forms of financial
aid and grants from the labor administration. Their main purpose is to promote
employment and the functioning of the labor market. Financial aid is also granted
for subsistence during unemployment, training or rehabilitation. For further
information about the forms of financial aid and grants and eligibility for
these, please contact an employment office.
Financial aid for independent initiative may be granted by the Labour Force
Department of Employment and Economic Development Centres to support cooperatives
established by unemployed persons. The aid is intended to cover costs arising
from cooperative start-ups that create jobs or employment opportunities for
unemployed persons.
Social enterprises are intended to improve employment prospects for disabled
and long-term unemployed individuals and to advance entrepreneurship. Only businesses
accepted to the register of social enterprises maintained by the Ministry of
Labour can use the title and special logo.
Résumés and Interviewing
For young professionals in Finland , one page should be the maximum length
for a résumé. More experienced professionals may use a longer
résumé. In Finland , a photo is not expected as part of the résumé,
unless otherwise stated in the job advertisement. However, a scanned photo attached
to the résumé/CV may serve as an advantage by attracting the reader's
attention. In the business world, Finns dress conservatively, usually dark business
suits in the winter and light suits in the summer for both men and women. You
should also familiarize yourself with the place of the meeting so that you will
be on time. Organization and punctuality are expected.
Usually an interview starts with introductions, handshakes with everyone present,
and the exchange of business cards. You should address executives and professionals
by their titles and surnames, and those without titles as Mr., Mrs., or Ms.,
with the surname. There is usually little preliminary conversation. During the
discussion, let the interviewer set the direction; do not interrupt or attempt
to fill long silences. When questioned, it is to your benefit to explain achievements
thoroughly, but without boasting or appearing overconfident. Finns are
a hard-working and modest people and prefer straightforward and honest communication.
You should ask questions about the job, the lines of authority, your colleagues,
and your responsibilities, but avoid raising the issue of salary or benefits
early in the process.
Useful Addresses:
Employment office (in English):
http://www.mol.fi/mol/en/index.jsp
The Centre for International Mobility, CIMO:
http://www.cimo.fi/Resource.phx/cimo/
AIESEC in Finland
AIESEC is student work exchange network, offering
opportunities for a traineeship in a Finnish organization. You can apply via
the Internet.
http://www.aiesec.org/finland/
IAESTE in Finland
IAESTE is a student work exchange program that
focuses on technical work experience. Students must apply in their home
countries.
http://www.iaeste.org/network/finland.html
European Law Students Association – Student Trainee Exchange Programme
Traineeships are between 2 weeks and 18 months, in any law related area; law
firms, courts, public institutions, banks, in-house legal departments, consulting
firms and international organizations.
http://www.elsa.org
Self-employment in Finland
On certain conditions, employment offices may provide grants for business
start-ups. The purpose of a start-up grant is to help secure the entrepreneur's
subsistence for the period they are estimated to require for starting up their
business and becoming established. The labor administration organizes training
for prospective entrepreneurs as labor market training. Those organizing various
types of entrepreneurship training also include the business departments of
the Employment and Economic Development Centres.
At the moment, the strongest markets for consultants in Finland are strategic
consulting and IT consulting. According to the Finnish
Management Consultants' Association, management consultancy has
grown about 20 percent yearly since 1994. The growth has been fastest in the
information technology field.
According to a report made by the Finnish SME-Foundation,
consultants foresee a growing demand for abilities related to teamwork, personal
communication, language skills, cultural competence, communications technology,
and analytical skills.
Websites for Employment in Finland :
Adecco Finland http://www.adecco.fi/en/
Manpower Finland: (in Finnish) http://www.manpower.fi
Kelly Finland (in Finnish)
http://www.kellyservices.fi/web/fi/services/fi/
Aarresaari is a network of academic career
services representing 19 Finnish Universities(Finnish only)
www.aarresaari.fi
AKAVA - the Confederation of Unions for Academic Professionals
in Finland - is a trade union confederation for those with university, professional
or other high-level education
http://www.finnguide.fi/finlanddirectory/
Monster Suomi (Monster Finland) is the Finnish branch of the international job and career recruitment agency, located in more than 37 countries. Currently available only in Finnish.
http://www.monster.fi/
The Finnish Association of Architects, SAFA,
is a non-profit, professional organization which is open to all architects with
a university degree from a Finnish university
http://www.finnguide.fi/finlanddirectory/
Seure Suomi is a Finnish temporary job recruitment
agency which recruits candidates in the Helsinki, Vantaa and Espoo area of Southern
Finland. Other websites are featured below -- most are in Finnish only but some
are in English. http://www.seure.fi/
More useful addresses:
Online employment ads in Finnish Media
The Helsingin Sanomat publishes an extensive
Employment Section in their Sunday editions.
http://www.helsinginsanomat.fi
http://www.hs.fi/english/
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