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Does finding a job feel difficult or has it been a long time since your last employment? A wide range of assistance is available. You can find information about different options at Job Market Finland.
A disability or illness does not usually affect working, getting a job, or choosing a field. However, it can sometimes reduce your possibilities of getting work or keeping your job. When you are choosing a vocation or education, in addition to your interests or predispositions, you must also take into consideration limitations caused by your possible disabilities or illnesses.
While an illness or disability may reduce your working ability and functional capacity, this does not necessarily mean that you are completely unable to work. Your opportunities for working and finding a suitable job are improved by
A service specialist at your regional employment service office will help you when you need information about your opportunities for finding work and keeping your job despite a disability or illness. Contact the employment official when considering the answers to the following questions:
All public employment services take special needs for service caused by a disability or illness into consideration. You will not be left alone.
You can discuss matters related to your employment with a professional such as a job coach. The municipal social services can also be included in this discussion.
If your job search has continued for half a year or more, and you have not yet found a job, training, or employment promotion service suitable for you, the employment official will arrange job search discussions with you.
If your job search has continued for half a year or more, and you have not yet found a job, training, or employment promotion service suitable for you, the employment official will arrange job search discussions with you. The purpose of these discussions is to find an in-depth job search service that best advances your situation. An activation plan will be made for you to improve your employment and life management.
If you are aged under 30, a visit to a One-Stop Guidance Center can help you get started. The One-Stop Guidance Center provides information and guidance according to your needs, for example on matters related to studying, finding employment, and the smoothness of everyday life.
You may also need other support and rehabilitation alternatives to get into working life or stay at work.
You should find out what your current state of health is if it has not been checked in a long time or if you feel like it has changed. If you are unemployed, the employment official is responsible for providing you with an examination of your working ability and functional capacity. You need a medical certificate so that you can participate in services promoting work ability.
The state of health of unemployed persons can be ascertained in the health examination of unemployed persons organised by the wellbeing services counties, the state of health of employed persons in occupational healthcare, and the state of health of students in student healthcare.
Rehabilitative work activities can be a suitable solution when you are returning to working life after prolonged unemployment, starting your career, or rehabilitating from an illness or a difficult time in your life. The purpose of rehabilitative work activities is to assist individuals whose unemployment has been prolonged, who have received unemployment benefits or basic social assistance for a certain time period, and who are unable to participate in the services offered by the employment official.
Employers have an obligation and often also the desire to make reasonable modifications in the work and working conditions if it will eliminate an impediment to work caused by an injury or illness.
If you wish, you can work and earn a salary at the same time as you receive a pension or support related to partial working ability. In this situation, you need to figure out the earning limits. Earning limits define the amount of salary you can earn without the salary affecting the amount of your pension or allowance. If you want to try returning to work that will exceed your earnings limit, you have the option to put your pension on hold. Leaving the pension on hold means that the payment of the disability pension or partial disability pension is suspended for the duration of your employment relationship.
Various organisations offer a wide range of support for employment and the ability to work. The experience and knowledge of these actors complement public sector employment services.
From organisations you can get answers to, for example, questions related to working life or studies, if you feel that you belong to their target group. In addition to providing support, many organisations employ people who have challenges with their work ability.
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If you are thinking about returning back to the workforce, starting your career or undergoing rehabilitation for an illness or difficult period in your life, rehabilitative work activities can help you get back on track with your career.
The purpose of rehabilitative work activities is to assist individuals whose unemployment has been prolonged, who have received unemployment benefits or basic social assistance for a certain time period, and who are unable to participate in the services offered by the employment official.
Rehabilitative work activities are arranged by your wellbeing service county to help you get back into working life. They can help you discover your strengths and provide structure for your daily life.
It can include workshops arranged by a society or a foundation, or activities arranged by a congregation. Wellbeing service counties can also provide the service themselves. Their purpose is to improve your opportunities for finding employment or educational opportunities, and to provide you with tips for managing your daily life.
The number and types of activities are determined on a case-by-case basis. The period lasts at least three months with 1-4 sessions every week. During the rehabilitative work activity period, you will receive €9 per day as an unemployment benefit and expense allowance. You may also be occasionally entitled to travel compensation.
To participate in rehabilitative work activities, you will need an activation plan. Draft your plan together with your assigned employment services specialist and the social services of your wellbeing service county. If you wish to participate in rehabilitative work activities, you should start by contacting your regional employment service office.
In the joint service model for multisectoral support to promote employment the employment official, the wellbeing services county, and Kela work together to offer help for your situation. You can receive social and health services, employment services, and rehabilitation services that are suitable for you and that promote your employment.
If you are unemployed and your employment is hindered by, for example, your life situation, health, working and functional ability, or your skills and professional qualifications, you can join a cross-sectoral joint service promoting employment. The employment official, wellbeing services county, or the Social Insurance Institution (Kela) will refer you to become a customer of a cross-sectoral joint service promoting employment. You can ask your regional employment official about access to the service.
You can read about the transfer of employment services to municipalities and how you should act on the regional pages of Job Market Finland. The regional pages also contain contact information provided by the employment officials.
If you are under 30 years old, you can contact the cross-sectoral joint service promoting youth employment. The joint service provides multidisciplinary advice, guidance, and services related to study opportunities, employment, operational capabilities, and wellbeing.
You can use the joint youth service according to your own needs. You can also use the service point anonymously.
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When unemployed, you have plenty of different possibilities to develop your competence or try something completely new. If you are registered as an unemployed job seeker, it is important to always contact your assigned employment service specialist before starting your studies.
You may be entitled to receive an unemployment benefit during your studies under certain conditions. Before you start your studies, your assigned service specialist at your regional employment service office will assess whether you meet the conditions for the unemployment benefit, so contact them as early as possible. If you are an unemployed job seeker, it is important to remember to notify your service specialist of all studies before starting them. Notifications are required for all studies, even if you do not receive student financial aid.
Vocational labour market training allows you to complete a vocational qualification, a further or a specialist vocational qualification, or a vocational qualification module. Further or continuing education is also provided in many sectors. Vocational labour market training is free of charge, and it is provided at vocational adult education centres, higher education institutions, and private educational institutions.
If you plan to start your own business or are considering it, you can take part in entrepreneur training organised in the form of labour market training. Starting a business can be flexibly combined with entrepreneur training.
If you wish to develop your competence during unemployment and you are over the age of 25, find out more about options for independent study. The term ‘independent study’ refers to education provided by an educational institution, which is also responsible for the student selection. The studies are not provided by employment services. The studies must be agreed upon with your assigned employment service specialist.
If you are over the age of 25, you have previously interrupted studies just short of a degree, or you wish to take a short complementary course, it may be possible for you to study short-term on the unemployment benefit. The studies can last up to six months.
Studies which do not prevent you from working full-time and applying for full-time employment are considered part-time studies. They can consist of learning a new skill, completing basic studies at an open educational institution, or completing previously interrupted studies leading up to a degree.
Independent study is an option for the integration training provided by employment services. Independent study is useful if the employment official cannot offer you a place in integration training or you can find some other training that is better suited to your needs. Sometimes independent study can help you find work and integrate faster.
If you find it challenging to find employment because you are missing some of the required areas of competence, you may be able to find a job with a pay subsidy. This allows you to develop your professional competence while working.
Ask your assigned service specialist in your regional employment service office if you are entitled to a pay subsidy. If yes, you can contact employers you are interested in and tell them they may be granted a pay subsidy if they hire you.
Are you dreaming of a new step in your career? Do you want to discover a hidden job? Are you looking to find your next job opportunity in Finland? When you create and publish a job applicant profile at Job Market Finland, you give employers looking for employees the opportunity to contact you.
Read moreDo you wish to develop your competence? There are many different ways to expand your expertise.
Are you aware of all your areas of competence? It is important to acknowledge what you already know and what you could still learn if you are seeking to find a new job or to develop your competence. You can attend higher education institutions to complement your existing competence and degrees, or study at any institution of your choosing alongside work.
Higher education institutions allow you to complement your previous degrees or take studies in an entirely new field. These non-degree studies can also be taken alongside work to expand professional competence.
If you are working, you can take multiform studies or ask your employer about the possibility of taking study leave.
Multiform studies are designed to be taken alongside work, so contact teaching is reduced and mostly takes place in the evenings and on weekends. Multiform studies combine different forms of study, which may include contact teaching, online learning, working in study groups, and independent study, for example.
Policies on study leave vary from workplace to workplace, so discuss them with your own employer.
You can improve as a job seeker when you master the basics of job search.
On this page, we have gathered tips to help you improve your chances of employment. We provide guidance on, for example, how to get started with your job application documents and how to prepare for a job interview.
At Job Market Finland, you can automate your job search by creating a job applicant profile. In it, you can introduce yourself, highlight your skills, and list your education and work experience. Based on the provided information, you will recieve job recommendations that suit you, and employers interested in your skills can contact you.
The job seeking process consists of several stages, and it is advisable to start by acquiring information. Once you have found an interesting job, try to obtain the best possible understanding of the employer and everything that is involved with the open position. When you have acquired information in advance, it will be easier for you to apply for the position.
When you find an interesting position, read the job posting carefully. It is a good idea to find answers to at least the following questions related to the open position.
Before submitting a job application, you should also familiarise yourself with the employer. Visit the organisation’s website and find out at least the sector, size, and structure of the organisation, as well as its vision, values, and objectives.
Once you have familiarised yourself with both the position and the employer, and you still want to apply for the position, you should consider your next step. Will you contact the employer before sending your job application? Will calling or visiting the workplace, or sending an email help you write your application? Sometimes the job posting contains the contact details of the person participating in the recruitment process and the times when you can approach the employer. If you really have questions about the position and feel that it is useful to contact the employer, you can do so before submitting your job application. However, you should carefully consider the most suitable choice for your situation and proceed accordingly.
Although it may seem old-fashioned to draw up traditional job application documents, almost every job application process still requires an application letter and a CV. A one-page application letter and a resume of maximum two pages is usually a good combination.
It may be challenging to formulate your own competence in a comprehensive yet interesting manner. The following instructions will help you create a successful application letter and an interesting CV.
It is a good idea to invest some time and effort in writing your application letter, as what you write can help you get a job interview. The aim of the application letter is to attract the recruiter’s attention so that you will be invited to a job interview.
In the application letter, you will describe
The application letter should give a positive impression of you. It should be concise and targeted specifically at the employer whose position you are applying for. You describe your background and work history in your CV, but in the application letter, the focus is on the future.
Avoid making lists. In the application letter, you can describe yourself and your competence more informally. In addition to subject-related competence, you should also highlight your other strengths that are useful for the position you are applying for. In addition to describing them, it is essential to explain in the application letter what you can offer the organisation.
If you are applying for a position for which you do not have any previous experience, explain how your competence fits the position, and emphasise your motivation, good attitude, and ability to learn.
Finally, you should run a spell check on your text. The application letter is an opportunity to demonstrate your competence, and even small details matter. Therefore, make sure that there are no spelling mistakes in the text.
When working on a CV, try to make it comprehensive yet also clear. You can use creativity when making your CV, but you should not divert too far from the commonly used structure. Express yourself concisely. It is, after all, very important that the recruiter finds the relevant information easily and quickly, as not much time is necessarily given to each individual CV.
A good CV is visually interesting, clear and easy to understand. It quickly indicates whether you meet the requirements of the position.
It is a good idea to describe your work experience and educational information in chronological order, with the most recent experience first. Briefly describe each of your work experiences. Describe what your tasks have included and what you have learned from the work. In addition to work experience, you can also describe your language and IT skills, and provide a list of references.
Check that your resume includes your contact information.
LinkedIn profiles have not superseded traditional CVs, but the service can support your CV in the job application process.
You can also write an application letter in the email message field. Consider the text in your email message as carefully as if you were writing a traditional application letter.
Employers’ own electronic job search services have their own specific characteristics. Recruiters may, for example, perform word searches on them. In other words, search the job posting for keywords describing the nature of the task and the applicant’s characteristics, and use them in your application. Remember to also describe your personal expertise.
When submitting an application in the employer’s online service, read the instructions carefully. It is a good idea to first write your text using a text editing programme and copy it to the form afterwards.
In the case of an open application, update it regularly.
It is increasingly common for employers to request video applications from job seekers. Video material makes it easier for the employer to pre-select applicants. You can use a video to give a more authentic image of yourself than with a traditional job application.
Make a short, 1–3 minute video and upload it to a video service. Send the link to the employer.
You should practice beforehand so that you can express yourself naturally instead of reading from a piece of paper. For example, you can use the video to
A portfolio is a collection of your best and most important work or achievements. You can assemble a portfolio in different ways. It can be a folder, portfolio, demo, plan, drawing, or a photo collection.
Portfolios are most commonly used in the creative sector, but they work well in many other fields, too. For example, a chef’s portfolio may include their personal recipes, photos of dishes and customer feedback.
You should assemble a new portfolio for every new application. However, do not make your portfolio too broad in scope.
A portfolio can include
You can send your portfolio to the employer or take it with you to your job interview and present it there. If your portfolio can be found online, remember to include a link in your job application.
You should not think of a job interview as a one-sided interrogation, but as an opportunity for people to get to know each other. For employers, an interview is a way to test the suitability of a job seeker for an open position and the work community. The applicant will also familiarise themselves with the employer and reflect on their suitability for the position and their interest in becoming part of the organisation. Keep this in mind when you attend the job interview.
When you challenge the interviewer and ask questions about the employer or position, you will give the impression that you are motivated and indicate that you are genuinely interested in the position. At the same time, you will gain information on whether the position is right for you.
Next, we will give you tips on how to succeed in a job interview.
When you are well-prepared for the interview, you can relax and be yourself. It is alright to feel a little nervous.
You should do the following before the interview.
A positive first impression goes a long way when people meet for the first time. Dress in a way that suits the position and employer. Remember to take your application letter, CV, work and educational certificates, and possible portfolio with you. Be on time.
In the interview, the recruiter will evaluate whether you are genuinely interested in the position and whether your skills and competence are suited for the position. Above all, the interview will reveal your interaction skills and attitude. If there are more than one interviewers present, give each one of them an equal amount of attention.
Remember that your body language, expressions, and the way that you speak tell a lot about yourself. Listen to what they are asking you, and take your time to think before answering. When answering, be honest, but remember to also consider what should possibly be left out.
There are usually three stages to an interview.
After the interview is over, think about how it went. Assess what went well and what you could improve on.
If you are not chosen for the position, ask the employer or interviewer what factors were emphasised in the selection, and what were the reasons why you were not chosen for the job.
Practice answering the questions and consider appropriate answers in advance. The better you prepare, the more confident you will feel during the interview.
You may be asked several similar questions, and the order of the questions may seem completely random. This way, the interviewer may simply be testing how you cope under pressure.
It is worth remembering that you do not need to answer all questions asked by the employer. It is also good to be aware that, in addition to the job interview, the employer can examine your suitability for the position by means of personal assessments and aptitude tests.
There are certain topics that should not affect the recruitment process. During a job interview or similar encounter, you do not need to answer questions related to your
The employer is not allowed to place job seekers in an unequal position on the basis of the aforementioned characteristics.
Exceptions to this may include some situations where the listed features have a material impact on the performance of the work tasks.
In addition to a job interview, your competence and aptitude for the task may be evaluated in other ways.
Your professional competence may be tested in different ways. For example, you may be asked to do a demo in a situation that resembles work, participate in group work, or give a small-scale presentation.
A psychological evaluation can be used to assess and predict how you will perform in a task by studying your thinking, expertise, skills, characteristics, or operating models.
Through psychological assessment, the employer may wish to find out, for example,
It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that the tests are based on reliable methods and that the information gained during the testing process is accurate. The people who perform these tests must have sufficient expertise.
The best way to prepare for these types of tests is to be yourself and go in with an open mind. You are always entitled to receive a copy of your test report or oral feedback on it.
Job seeking requires personal intiative, but you don't have to do everything on your own. Various services help you in your job search in different life situations.
If you need help with considering education and career options or clarifying your future plans, you should participate in career and career choice guidance, education and training guidance, or career coaching. At the beginning of your job search, you may need to develop your job search skills, in which case you can participate in group job search training or individual job search training. Through a work try-out, you can get to know a new field, or it can support your return to working life after a long absence. If you need to update your skills or are planning to train in a new field, labour market training or RekryKoulutus Recruitment Training can be a good option.
If you are aged under 30, a visit to a One-Stop Guidance Center can help you get started. The One-Stop Guidance Center provides information and guidance according to your needs, for example on matters related to studying, finding employment, and the smoothness of everyday life.
If you are an unemployed job seeker, the employer can be granted a pay subsidy for your hiring costs. If you are over 55 years old and unemployed as a job seeker, the employer can be granted employment subsidy for job seekers aged 55 or over. When you apply for a job or accept a job as an unemployed person in a location that is far from where you live, you can receive compensation or assistance for travel and accommodation costs or commuting and moving costs.
Read what kind of compensation and subsidies you can get for travel and accommodation costs caused by looking for a job, as well as commuting and moving costs when you accept a job far from your current place of residence as an unemployed person.
This website is part of the European Commission's Your Europe portal. Did you find what you were looking for? Give feedback! (europa.eu)
This website is part of the European Commission's Your Europe portal. Did you find what you were looking for? Give feedback! (europa.eu)