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Optimizing job search in Finland

Perhaps there are unseen rules and barriers in Finland that stop them from finding their dream job? This, fueled by the dissimilar cultural and moral values compared to their countries of origin, may divert them subconsciously into a more meandering path. Or perhaps there are attitude problems from the sides of the companies that make them fear an international name or face in the job application (as mentioned in ).  

There could be many reasons for this continued difficulty in getting a job. Some are completely out of the job seekers’ hands, like the systematic faults mentioned right above. While some, a job seeker can optimise even during their student days to make their future job seeking endeavours a lot easier. This blog post focuses on the latter, and a list of strategies an international degree student can follow during their studies have been briefly compiled as a guideline. These won’t be absolute facts of life, but some observations I have made in my nearly two years of living in Finland, trying and landing multiple jobs.

Start to network from day one

The most important thing an international student can do during their studies, other than studying, is to network. A good grade is of course important, but rarely does it open as many doors as knowing a person working in a company.  

It took me a while to get used to this mindset of networking, and at times, it felt unfair too. But no matter which job seminar or fair I went to, and which level of employee I talked with from junior software developers to CEOs, everyone emphasised the importance of networking.  

From the company’s side, they have the confidence to teach a new employee the skills needed to survive in a business environment, and even thrive. What they cannot change is the intrinsic characteristics of a person. Having a highly skilled but morally compromised person might cost the company more in the long run than a moderately skilled but passionate and kind amateur.  

This is not to say that ability does not matter. It does. But oftentimes, rather than a high IQ, a high EQ or Emotional Intelligence score is what determines success in both landing and thriving in a job. I have gotten two jobs in my university life, one a summer job and the other a fixed term contract. I had heard about these jobs from people at that time working in them, and prepared my application, such as my CV and cover letter, according to their advice. Of course, many more jobs I had been rejected from. But at the very least, the successes that I have had could partially be attributed to being friends with the right person.

As a tangent, a lot of internationals struggle to make friends in Finland. If you are one of them, or are worried about making friends, read this blog post: How to make friends in Finland 

Apply for a job as soon as possible

No matter how I try to frame this networking mindset from a Finnish company’s point of view to people coming from other countries, it will still sound unfair on some levels. But let me assure you that this is the reality.  

Networking really is important, and Finnish organisations oftentimes vet for both skill and moral character of a candidate. One might lie on their CV and get a job, but it takes a hundred lies to hide one lie, and soon one’s real character will come to surface. It would not be a good thing for both the company and the employee.  

A lot of internationals do not know this fact and put a hundred percent of their effort into just seeking jobs from online circulars, such as on websites like LinkedIn and JobTeaser. There are a lot of internationals, and very few jobs posted on these sites, no matter what the field of study. The competition is high, with hundreds of people aiming for the same position. The number of applicants causes the companies to skim through applications too. Oftentimes, they do not even have the manpower to send rejection emails on time. So, what is to be done here?

The moment a job listing appears, apply as soon as possible. If the job is listed on the 15th of February and the application end date is 15th of March, it does not mean you have one month. Apply within the 15th February if possible, and if not, at least within two to three days. Why? Most Finnish companies already complete the hiring process before the application round ends. Many job listings will specifically highlight this fact in their circular, but internationals seem to ignore this.  

There is a certain misunderstanding that the companies will wait until the application period ends, and then start going through the applications, like for university applications. Internationals, who went through the whole process of applying to Finnish universities, might unconsciously treat job applications the same way.

That is not the case: Apply fast. Your application has the highest chance of being reviewed. Wait too long, and you might not even get a rejection letter.

Hidden jobs and how do you find them

It might feel that there are too few jobs and too many applicants. But is this really true? Are there really such a minuscule amount of jobs? After living here for a while, I can confidently say that it is not the case. Most Finnish jobs are hidden, meaning that they are not publicly advertised. claims that as much as 75% of all jobs are hidden. claims that 80% of the jobs are hidden.  

So, what are hidden jobs, and how do you find them?

A hidden job can be one of two things. A job that the company has an open position for, but they don’t advertise it publicly. Or a job that appears when you, the applicant, offer your expertise at a suitable time.  

How can you get a hidden job? Again, we have to go back to networking. The Finnish job market is all about information. If you know a person working in the company, and he knows you fit the profile, you might hear about the opened up position before the public does.  

If you know that a company is trying to push for AI or Digital Transformation, and you have relevant skills in those fields, you can email the company’s hiring team or even specific project-leaders and inquire about vacancies. Even if the company does not have any vacancies, if your profile fits, they can create one for you.

In the “How to make friends in Finland” article, I mentioned a point about ‘Going First.’ That applies here too. Approach a company first, and see what they have to say. And who knows, a random person you had a deep conversation with in a chess convention might end up being the node in the network you need to land that sweet event management job.

I cannot emphasise more about the importance of networking, and how it can lead to many hidden jobs that the public are unaware of. 

Summer jobs in Finland

That isn’t to say that public jobs are hopeless. There are two types of public jobs that companies are willing to bet on. Think of it as an investment, where the company invests time and money to bring your skills up to par. The end goal is to give you a longer term contract. I am talking about summer jobs and traineeship positions.  

In Finland, the summer months are for vacation. Many places are closed, institutions giving their staff holidays and business going into a lull. But this is the time, from June to August, that summer jobs take place. Companies usually advertise summer jobs from late November to usually early February, but many companies keep their application period going until early March. If you are active on Instagram or Facebook, you’ll be seeing many advertisements about summer jobs.  

Most universities hold job fairs too, where the companies open stalls, accept CVs, and interact directly with prospective candidates. Many companies take hundreds of summer trainees during this time and keep the best after three months of observation.

Another opportunity is a traineeship position. It is a full-time, paid position, and the company trains the candidates for the express purpose of keeping them. Of course, this will vary from company to company, and each has varied goals. But in general, traineeship lasts longer than summer jobs, and they usually take in people who are near graduation or have already graduated. They are usually advertised the same time as summer jobs.  

In fact, a popular pipeline is to first go for a summer job, then continue with a traineeship, and finally land that permanent contract.

Job vacancies at the university

Universities offer summer positions too. Many people overlook the fact that in any city, a university is one of the largest employers of both local and international people. A lot of positions in the university are Research Assistant positions, but there are many jobs too in the marketing and communications team, student restaurants, student union, university newspaper, and event management.  

The university prefers its own students for these positions. For example, being a board member of the student union of the Ģ��ֱ�� is a paid position, and they only accept current students for it. Most faculties in the university have their own internal newsletter and career services. They will announce the open positions of the university, such as internship or thesis worker positions, via these newsletters. So, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on them. Many times, these positions could lead directly to long-term Research Assistantship or even PhDs, which are fully paid (and fully taxed) jobs in Finland. 

Make friends, gather information, approach companies first

In conclusion, the Finnish job market may appear daunting at first glance. And to be honest, it is - but only because people lack information about it. Knowing this information isn’t guaranteed to get one a job, but it can lessen the fear, and you can confidently stride forward in your endeavours.  

We have to always remember, Finland is its own country, with its own culture. As the popular saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” When in Finland, do as the Finns do. Network. Make friends, and gather as much information as you can. Don’t just be reliant on public job circulars. Approach companies first, don’t ignore university positions.

The first step is always the hardest. After that, most will acclimatise, and most will find a way forward that suits them.  

I hope this article will help you in your job seeking journey. If you want more tidbits about life in Finland and at JYU, don’t forget to read our other blogposts and follow our social media channels! 

Shaswato Sarker
Master's degree student