Job search in Finland: from advertisement to application

Where to look for vacancies

Start with Job Market Finland (Työmarkkinatori), Work in Finland and employers’ own careers pages. Filter by role, location and advertisement language. Confirm the deadline and application channel with the employer, because information on other sites can become outdated. No single catalogue contains every vacancy in Finland.

Official sources: Työmarkkinatori, Work in Finland, InfoFinland

How to read a Finnish job advertisement

These Finnish terms appear in many advertisements. Knowing them helps you separate requirements from preferences before you write anything. They explain the wording only: the employment contract and the employer’s answer decide what applies to you.

• Vaatimukset and eduksi katsotaan: requirements, and what is considered an advantage. Treat the first as essential and the second as preferences, unless the advertisement says otherwise.
• Vakituinen or toistaiseksi voimassa oleva: permanent, valid until further notice.
• Määräaikainen: fixed-term. The terms of employment should state the duration and the reason for it, so ask if the advertisement does not explain them.
• Kokoaikainen, osa-aikainen and vuorotyö: full-time, part-time and shift work.
• Sujuva suomen kielen taito: fluent Finnish. If the expected level is unclear, ask what the daily work requires instead of guessing.
• Palkkatoive: your salary request. Give one if the advertisement asks for it.
• TES (työehtosopimus): collective agreement. Finland has no statutory minimum wage. Where a collective agreement applies, it sets minimum pay and other minimum terms.
• Koeaika: trial period. It can last up to six months, and on a fixed-term contract no more than half of the contract’s length. During it either side can end the contract, but not on discriminatory or otherwise inappropriate grounds.
• Hakuaika päättyy or viimeinen hakupäivä: the application deadline.

Official sources: Työsuojelu — trial period, Työsuojelu — pay, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment — concluding an employment contract

A practical sequence

• Choose a role and search area. List the tasks you can perform and the languages you can work in.
• Save the advertisement. Separate essential requirements from preferences and check working hours and location.
• Find real examples from work, education or volunteering that demonstrate relevant experience. Ask the employer about unclear conditions.
• Adapt your CV. Include a cover letter and other attachments when requested, following the employer’s instructions.
• Check and send the application yourself. Record its date, status and next action.

Example: requirement → experience → action

A fictional customer-service advertisement asks for customer contact and order processing. You have worked in a shop and handled returns, but have not used this employer’s system. Describe the returns work clearly in your CV. Do not claim knowledge of the new system; check whether training is provided. State your actual language ability.

Copyable application-tracking example

Employer: [name] · Role: [title] · Advertisement: [link]

Deadline: [date] · Sent: [date]

Status: [preparing / sent / interview / closed]

Next step: [action and date]

Copy these lines into your own note or spreadsheet. Update the status when the employer responds. Follow any stated recruitment timetable when deciding when to ask for an update.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

• Jobs for foreigners in Finland: a practical guide
• How to write a CV for Finland: example and adaptation