One of the things that many immigrants to Finland often lament about, which natives agree with and sometimes promote as one of the main reasons NOT to move to Finland, is the difficulty in finding gainful employment. A major factor sited for this is the need for Finnish language proficiency. In the article however, the difficulty in recruiting does not stem from "language skills", but "experience and professional skills". I find it difficult to believe, that with the number of immigrants presently living and arriving in Finland on a daily basis, that there are not at least some (probably more than a few folks) who are in some way qualified to fill some of these positions which companies need filled.
Finland is a functioning welfare state. The unemployment office offers courses and training for workers to transition into Finnish society and find employment. How is it that Mother Finland and these private sector companies can't work more efficiently together to help place these able and willing individuals into these positions that the companies seem to whine they can't fill?
Is this another example of the often stated view by non-Finns that Finland is a homogeneous and xenophobic country and if you are not a Finn you are less than equal to your neighbor Mr. Suomalainen? Or is it truly such, for example, that a friend of mine who is educated and has several years of professional experience in the technology sector working for the big M and who even speaks decent Finnish, is underqualified for even a junior level position? It became so depressing for her that she almost went back to the UK to work during the week and was going to commute back to Finland on the weekends to see her husband and teenaged son. Luckily, after 17 months of sending out CVs and gaining her TEFL certificate she found employment and is now happily griping about the amount of money she has to pay the tax man from her salary every month. Dignity restored.
When I was looking for a job in Finland (after the teaching gig I had became less than what was promised to me - so much for Finnish honesty on THAT experience), the most disheartening thing for me was the lack of response to my emails and phone calls. I am educated and qualified and it was as if a giant black hole swallowed up my CV after hitting the send button.
Eventually I found employment after 4 months. According to my Finnish friends, that was "extremely quick for a foreigner". How was I supposed to take that comment? My Finnish is passable and I even get comments on how well I speak after only living here for 18 months - trust me folks Finnish is one MOTHER of a toughg language. I am continually taking Finnish Language courses (albeit not in the summer damn it!) to improve my proficiency. I am educated and posess a long work history with clear advancement in my skills and positions within highly respectable firms. I shower regularly, dress neatly, and have respectable table manners (thanks mom!). So, how can it be viewed that my job search resulted in employment "extremely quickly for a foreigner". Why does being a foreigner have anything to do with it? Shouldn't I have been evaluated on my skills, education, work history and willingness to work rather than on my status as an ulkomaalainen?
The article on YLE went on to say:
"The Confederation's labour policy expert Riitta Wärn says the findings are very worrying and feels difficulties in recruitment will get worse as a large portion of the working population nears retirement age. She adds that one major challenge is to recruit unemployed people to meet the demands of jobs available."
Foreigners anyone? I am sure there have to be SOME foreingers who have gone thru the 10 month intensive language course offered by the Työvoimatoimisto who are qualified in some way to swing a hammer and in some cases even how to work a computer.
A job goes a long way to restoring someone's dignity and producing a feeling of usefullness to society. I am very thankful I was able to obtain a job (even if it was quick for a foreigner). I am happily paying my taxes to Mother Finland. Sick I know, but where I come from the tax monies I paid got me jack squat in services compared to this country. So I am not complaining about my free health care and educational options, the state run daycare facilities (in the event I ever spawn), etc etc etc. So how about those 4800 companies take a look at the foreigner population to help fill those recruitment needs huh?
6 comments:
With 10% unemployment, there's no need for us foreigners. And that 10% isn't counting the grey employment, so those figures are much higher.
When they say they need more skilled workers, they're not talking about now, they're talking about the future. And of course companies are going to say that, the more supply of workers available, the lower they can pay their salaries.
The report says that the problem "..will get worse as a large portion of the working population nears retirement age. which implies that the problem presently exists. Don't you think that the unemployment rate right now could and should be lower if more foreigners were looked at as possible candidates on the merits of their experience and education and NOT on the basis that they are foreigners????
Yes, but at the same time you read news, like today Leaf laying off 150 people. Multinational corporations don't give a ***** about Finland, its far easier to lay off here than say in France, just for the PR value.
Also, I've said this 1000 times. in a place like USA you have staff. You go to a hotel in Finland at night and expect "service" there is one guy doing the work as a night manager, cook, bellhop and whatnot. In other countries there is 1 manager, 3 submanagers and 10 foreigners doing the "non-requiring tasks". OK, so in Finland the "non-requiring tasks" people speak mostly only Finnish, so you can't get a job because the one guy there is employed, and if you find a job then you won't "fit in" as nobody is going to explain to you "what everybody else knows"...
Catch 22 situation really...
I don't know if it's worse to live your whole life in Finland and wake up to a situation like this or just move in to the middle of it from another culture.
Finnish employers should really improve their HR. I'm just a kid myself, only 22 and even I have run into situations like you described. I hate when the employers don't even respond to your job application or phone calls. I know that for some countries, faceless management is something new, distant and probably not even welcome. But for Finland, this method of management and leadership in general seems to fit like a glove.
"Never wanted to see you anyways."
Hank:
I agree with you. I am lucky enough to have a job and am surviving quite nicely. It just makes me all sorts of pissy when I hear that there is a recruitment problem when so many people are out of work. Transitional training, unemployment work programs, internships - unpaid so the company can have you learning but not having to foot the bill for a salary...all these could be possible and benefit the Finnish economy.
Just my 2snt
Mikko:
I agree. Even a "Kiitos mutta ei kiitos" letter would be better than a big giant NOTHING.
I was persistent and have been luckily employed for over a year now...but what a demoralizing experience it was trying to find a job. Don't even get me started on my experience with the unemployment office telling me my qualifications and education meant NOTHING in Finland - I still shudder every time I go by that office...
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