| Kartik | Hello. Hei Hyvää huomenta. Welcome to the another episode of our podcast series, How to Attract and Retain International Talents in Ostrobothnia. I am Kartik Sharma, project assistant for Ready for Talents Project, which is funded by the Regional Council of Ostrobothnia and VAMK. So today we are diving into a topic that’s crucial for international talents looking to find jobs here in Finland. |
| Kartik | So topic for today is hidden job market and job search strategies. Whether you are planning to stay in Finland after your studies or just want to maximize your chances of finding internships full time or part time work, this episode is for you. So, what exactly is a hidden job market? My dear friends, you might be surprised to know that up to 70% of the jobs are filled through this hidden job market, meaning that most positions are secured through referrals, networking and internal recruitment processes. |
| Kartik | Today, we will uncover how you can access this hidden job market and opportunities and share some practical job search strategies specifically tailored for international talents. Today, Anita Smart is joining us, who is a career services specialist from Åbo Akademi. She has been guiding students through the Finnish job application process for years. Welcome, Anita, and thank you for joining us today. |
| Anita | Thank you. Nice to be here. |
| Kartik | So before jumping right into the topic, we would love to know a bit About yourself, your background, and what’s your role and experience in helping people with the job applications in Finland. |
| Anita | Thank you. Well, I am a Master of Political Sciences and of Economics, and I’ve been working at the Åbo Akademi for a very long time as a career specialist. To my work picture, It includes career counselling, cooperation with employers and organizations, as well as alumni and student associations. I take care of internship issues and also employment surveys. The surveys, they provide us with information quite essential for career counselling and also tell us About how does it go for people graduated from Åbo Akademi University. |
| Kartik | Quite impressive. So from your perspective, what are the biggest considerations international students should keep in mind when applying for jobs in Finland? |
| Anita | I think that when you start this job application process, you should keep in mind that for the first to keep trust in yourself and your own choices, because it’s a full time job to apply for a job and also to be patience, to have patience in the process and in the employers and with yourself. |
| Kartik | You’re right, Well, the job market is a major part of the job search in Finland. What exactly is the head and job market? According to you. |
| Anita | We can refer to the hidden job market as all position openings that are not publicly advertised or promoted. Some of them might not exist even before the right person shows up. We’re talking About the job advertised only, for example, via the organization’s internal channels, temporary placements during leaves or short project positions that might be just the ones for career starters to get a foot in the door. |
| Anita | There are also situations when the employer just doesn’t want to advertise a position just as quickly find someone to do the job without reading hundreds of applications and then trust on employee referrals or prefer that use of recruitment agencies. |
| Kartik | Okay, so what strategies can student and use to tap into this hidden job market? |
| Anita | I think the clue is to do your research. For the first, find out what do you want to do and where you can do this. What kind of workplaces are there that are interesting for you and who might be interested in your competencies? Because when you apply for a public open position, you might have hundreds of competitors who with small variations are just as qualified as you. |
| Anita | So you need to follow the news Above all interesting organizations for you. On LinkedIn, for example, their own web pages, also follow organizations, like VASEK, Chamber of Commerce, to learn more about regions to work opportunities and ambitions, and what’s what kind of questions are on top right now so that you can try to find these still hidden positions? |
| Anita | You also need to be findable, for example, by joining networking events, LinkedIn, career fairs and even social connections are great ways to start. I would like to encourage you to not just looking for jobs, but for learning more about the Finnish society and the people, show interest in learning the languages and search for possibilities. To do that course that will open up different doors. |
| Anita | And I would really like to promote Alma, this adult education center in Vaasa and its allies in the region. Here you can learn new things perhaps not so related to your studies or professional field, but your other interest and hobbies as you at the same time expose yourself to the culture and the language and get to know new people. |
| Kartik | That’s such a great advice. Okay. Now let’s get specific with the application process. How important is tailoring your application for each drop and what are some practical ways to do it? |
| Anita | It’s extremely important because every one of us wants to be special. So employers. So, if you send the same application to several employers, the risk is huge that you forget to change something in the text or in the receiving information and your application will not be taken seriously. Mass production of applications will also mean that the text is general and does not match the reader’s interest. |
| Anita | It’s quite difficult to stand out then. |
| Kartik | So, what do you think makes a CV stand out for the Finnish employer? |
| Anita | A clear, concise CV is a must. Tell, in short, not only for whom you have work and with what I to, but also in short, what you did. A short summary where you tell what you know much about what you are experienced with, something about your ways of working and how you want to use all this in the future. |
| Anita | This is where you explain for the reader why they should continue reading. Also, be thorough with the details. If you tell that you are very accurate and organized, it should be notable in the CV as well, for example by structured layout and absolutely not a single one mistake. |
| Kartik | And what About the cover letter? How can international students make their cover letters appealing to the Finnish recruiters? |
| Anita | Well, as you know, we are a people of few words. So, focus on the most relevant to the position and question. Don’t repeat your CV show that you have done your research that you know what kind of position you’re applying for and that you have the know how needed and an idea or how you can contribute. And I would also like one little tip or warning here, be a little bit careful with the AI because both in CV and motivation letters because don’t, first don’t underestimate your own ability and neither the employer’s experience. |
| Anita | Of course, you can get ideas from AI on how you can express yourself, but don’t use it right off without reflecting. Is this how you at your best would describe yourself? Really? Or is this a description of someone else, perhaps not even existing because a reader will know. If you read hundreds of applications, you learn to recognize this expression and unfortunately your application loose credibility. |
| Anita | So, we should also always remember that AI so far, and especially in English, because most of its information, mainly from American sources, we express ourselves a little bit differently here in the Finnish culture. So be careful. |
| Kartik | So, you mean readers should know that you are writing your own cover letter or CV instead of using AI? |
| Anita | Yes. So, you get a lot of good tips from there. How can I say this in a better way? How can I describe my knowledge of this specific issue but write yourself, get ideas, but don’t cut them? |
| Kartik | So, it’s okay to take ideas, but not for the copy paste. |
| Anita | That’s what I would like. |
| Kartik | Okay. So, is rules About including a photo in the CV? Should students include it or it’s better to avoid it. |
| Anita | That’s what you never know. You don’t know if that person, if it’s not in the application or in the advertisement, you don’t know. Do they want the photo on? It’s the content that is essential. But yes, you can add the photo, and it can help you personalize your CV and it invites you to read further. And especially if you send the CV to someone that you have met on a networking event. |
| Kartik | Right. |
| Anita | So so then they do have to remember you. But very often when you apply for a job, you fill in a form and you can add a personalized CV and then they see if it will work as a second or third impression. Perhaps you have called or written to the contact person before you applied, but also the more anonymous recruitment is used, the less importance have the photo in the first stages of the recruitment process. |
| Kartik | Okay, so it’s okay to skip the photograph in the CV. |
| Anita | So, you can. Okay. But you can also add it. |
| Kartik | And what About the follow up with the recruiters? How should one proceed for the follow up process? Are they supposed to call or write an email or approach recruiters on LinkedIn directly? |
| Anita | It depends, especially if you have sent an open application for some position or to an organization you really need to follow up. And also, if you have mentioned in your letter that you will do so because perhaps they sit there and wait for your call and when you then call, you can suggest a meeting. Sometimes you might get an email as a reply on your application that they don’t answer to questions due to the recruitment process. |
| Anita | And then you respect that if there are 200 applicants and 200 make calls. |
| Kartik | So yeah, it’s really nearly impossible to reply each and every one. |
| Anita | But if there is a contact person mentioned somewhere in the ad or that you have met on a fair, for example, you really should give them a call perhaps before you apply because you can get useful information for your application. Yeah, you can also contact them afterwards just to make sure that they have got your application, but not too many times, Once, perhaps within a week and not several contacts on several channels. |
| Anita | But call and you discuss and so. All right. |
| Kartik | Okay. So that’s an excellent piece of advice. I’m sure our listeners will keep this in mind while making their own CV cover letters and follow ups. Next, in your experience, how effective is networking compared to traditional job portals like LinkedIn or recruitment boards in finding jobs here in Finland? |
| Anita | Well, as you mentioned in the beginning that About 70% of the openings can be referred to as hidden. Suomen economic mention an even a larger percentage. So, as not to forget that the competition is smaller when you apply for hidden openings. So perhaps that’s the answer to your question. |
| Kartik | Okay. And how important are the language skills on a CV in Finland? Should internationals mention even the basic proficiency in Finnish? |
| Anita | Yes, please mention because it’s all your language skills, of course, but when you apply for a job in Finland or probably any country to show interesting learning the language and about the culture is a plus. And I’m pretty sure that that would help me also to apply for a job in another country. So, and even if you just have a small some, just started to learn the language, tell it, and also show that. |
| Anita | Tell them that you are very eager on to learning more or that you are taking part in this course at Alma, where you use Finnish. |
| Kartik | Do you have some tips for overcoming challenges like no experience being a fresher or lack of local experience that international students often face when they’re trying to get an interview? |
| Anita | I think you can use the opportunities that are offered by, for example, your institution’s mentoring program, internships, job shadowing, career counselling, networking events. This is work. And also by volunteering to get the first contacts. |
| Kartik | Absolutely. Volunteering is such a wonderful opportunity to develop skills and expand your network. I know someone who volunteered on a project and ended up landing a job there. I’ve also had my share of volunteer experiences which allowed me to connect with incredible professionals. Okay, so before we wrap up, what’s the final piece of advice or some tips for internationals looking to secure employment in Finland? |
| Anita | I think it’s for international students, as for any students. Do your research so you need to do your homework. What kind of experience do you have and how do you do things? How do you want to work and how do you want to use all this? Figure this out and you have a good summary of essentials and background for building your action plan. |
| Anita | And that means that you really also do a lot of research About the position you’re applying for or that company that you want to work for. So that because it’s also a measure of your motivation that they see that it’s this person have really learned about us and thought it through and planned thoroughly this next steps. Do not write to 100 applications and send all over the world, but choose. |
| Kartik | Be specific. |
| Anita | Yes. And also to learn About that. Learn About culture, punctuality or honesty. But perhaps the most important be yourself and not to try to be someone else. Be confident. |
| Kartik | Okay, so before we go Anita, could you share how our listeners can reach out to you or find more resources? |
| Anita | I do suggest that you, if a student are in contact with career services at your institution, the Welcome office at the city of Vaasa, is a Gold of mine of information and if you are not a student, the Ostrobothnian employment area is at your service. On their web page, you will find a very informative and useful job search guide with a lot of tips on how to proceed. |
| Kartik | Perfect. Thank you so much for sharing such a valuable insight and advice today. I’m sure our listeners now have a better understanding of the Finnish job market and how to make their applications stand out. To recap, we have covered the importance of tailoring each application, language skills, the benefits of language, café, networking for your CV and cover letter workshops, volunteer work, and much more. |
| Kartik | The most important is to stay active for the updates on the new opportunities. Thank you once again, Anita, for joining us today. And to our listeners, thank you for tuning into us. I’m sure you found today’s episode very helpful. So, stay tuned for our next episode until next time. Good luck with your job application process and take care of yourself. Nahdan pian, Ves Ses. |
Smart Insights – Älykkäitä näkökulmia
How to Attract and Retain International Talents in Ostrobothnia – Voices of Tallent 3
SARJA | How to Attract and Retain International Talents in Ostrobothnia
JAKSO | 3
KESTO | 13:55
Artikkelin pysyvä osoite
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