How to Find Work
When looking for a job there is a great number of channels that are useful. But first it is important to know that only about 30% of all jobs are openly advertised. Those announced positions are visible to everyone and there are a lot of applicants going through the public recruitment process. Most jobs, however, are hidden. There are open positions, but this information is only shared with an “inner circle”, i.e. internal job openings. Here a good network is important again. When you are looking for a job, make sure to let your network know, because you never know who in your network knows whom. In the hidden recruitment process, there is only a limited competition due to the fewer number of applicants. A personal recommendation can bring you far ahead. Another option is also to send an open application to a company that you are interested in but does not have an announced open position. Maybe there is a hidden vacancy and if not, there may be future openings and it is good for the company to have your contacts. Also, it shows a specific interest in the company as well as proactiveness, which can be an advantage for future recruiting. Companies are also happy, when the recruiting process goes as smooth as possible and having a potential candidate in the back up is helpful for them too.
The most common recruitment channels are the following:
Internal recruitments – Recruiting new candidates among the own employees in a company. This recruitment channel will be essential to you once you have your first workplace.
Personal contacts – Use your network contacts to find positions. Your network are fellow students, teachers, your Finnish Friend Family or other connections you may have made through hobbies. This is one of the most common ways and a personal contact is the best way to enter the job market, as a personal recommendation is the best promotion for you.
Applicant direct contact – If you have sent out an open application previously and the company has saved your contact or if you are visiting a company directly. In Finland, it is always possible to directly contact employers by phone or visit a company. Personal visits to smaller companies are advisable rather than to big corporations, where the key person may be difficult to approach personally.
Company’s webpage – Most companies publish their vacancies on their website. If you are interested in a specific company, it is worth checking out their career webpage. You can find companies in Kainuu from the website of Kainuun Yrittäjät.
TE toimisto – The Finnish employment office publishes their vacancies on the JobMarket. They are state public authorities that help in matters such as job seeking and employment. Information about the local office in Kajaani.
EURES – the European Job Mobility Portal is maintained by the European Commission and offers information about job vacancies, living and working conditions and the regional labour markets in Finland. It also provides access to CV-Search, a forum where you can post your CV to advertise yourself to employers.
KAMK kaura – There are job postings from companies for practical training, full time and part time jobs as well as thesis topics in the KAMK kaura service. Students can also create their own profiles in the platform.
Recruiting agencies – The agencies work as an intermediary between companies and applicants. There job adds are posted and you often also have the chance to leave your CV. Examples are Barona and Eezy.
Staffing services and temporary work agencies – In temporary agency work the temporary-work agency is the employer, but the work is done for the user company. This means that you enter into an employment contract with the temporary-work agency although the work is performed in the user company. The temporary-work agency pays your salary and is responsible for all other employer obligations, but the user company gives the work instructions. Those are especially a good way to find part-time jobs and there is many them operating in Kajaani. Examples are Sihti/ Adecco, StaffPoint, VMP, Kairest and Barona. But also cleaning companies operate in the same way. In Kajaani there are SOL, ISS Palvelut, Lassila & Tikanoja, Leenan Puhdistuspalvelu and RTK-Palvelut.
Recruitment fairs/ events – Use recruitment fairs and events to get direct contact to employers. One possibility is the recruitment fair at KAMK, Expeditus Novus, that is organized by the student union KAMO. But also other events as Big Friday and Social Friday, taking place every last Friday of the month, may present an opportunity to meet local entrepreneurs.
Excel sheet shared with ELY Keskus – In this sheet you can put your professional information. The sheet is shared with ELY Keskus, the Finnish Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment. They have metings with up to 800 companies per year that are looking to internationalize and use this sheet as a tool for potential candidates that can work with a company in their aim of internationalization. You can find the sheet under this link: https://bit.ly/2Ol6GJj.
Social Media – An increasingly important channel is Social Media, especially LinkedIn is a globally used network to connect with professional contacts. You can use it to look for job openings and also to present yourself and be found by employers. Read more: LinkedIn Job Search.