Finland Information
Joined: 21 Oct 2006
Posts: 18
Home Country: finland
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 Posted: Tue Nov 07, 2006 4:13 am Post subject: EMPLOYMENT IN FINLAND/ FINLAND EMPLOYMENT GUIDE |
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EMPLOYMENT IN FINLAND (Getting a Job)
Advertised Positions
The reality appears to be that most good jobs are taken before they ever get to the point of being advertised; word of mouth goes a long way here and having the right connections is invaluable. For the few remaining jobs competition is high and of a high standard. However, rewards come to those with sisu (tenacity)!
Here are some good tips to start your job-hunt:
* Newspapers - in Helsinki try the Helsingin Sanomat, Metro, or 100-lehti
* The Finnish Ministry of Labour Employment Service has over 8000 vacancies listed - click for more information
* Europe-wide jobs are advertised at the EURES (European Employment Services) portal, which features a comprehensive search engine - click for more information
* Television - if you can speak Finnish try teletext (page 521 on YLE) which lists job vacancies in Finnish. Certain programmes (e.g. Avoimet työpaikat) also advertise jobs.
* notice-boards at educational institutions.
Finnish Employment & Recruitment Services
The Employment & Recruitment Services section lists a number of private employment agencies and services where you can search job boards, submit CV's, request specific positions etc.
EURES CV-Search is a meeting point for employers and job-seekers; job-seekers can post their CV's, and employers can look for suitable applicants and get in touch with them easily.
The Finnish Ministry of Labour Employment Service can help you find work, plan a career and much more.
Direct Submissions
Many people find success with direct submissions: Go through the Yellow Pages looking for companies in the field you're interested in. A successful company will not necessarily have a large advertisement. Either call the companies and make employment enquiries or send them a speculative application.
Networking
Networking is very important - it's rather like "a foot in the door". You can become known in your field of interest/expertise, hear about jobs before they are advertised, maybe even get recommended for a position. Don't disregard anyone you know as a potential link to employment; let them all know you're interested, and ask them to keep the feelers out.
Joining appropriate discussion boards on the Web can also be helpful (for example the Expat Finland forum or the very active Finland Forum). You'll hear invaluable advice, learn from others' experiences etc. Even if you don't find work, you'll probably hear about a party or two to take your mind off it!
Advertise Yourself
Try placing a free advertisement at Expat Finland's CV Bank.
Start Your Own Business
The procedure for doing this in Finland is becoming increasingly transparent, and it's not expensive to set up a sole proprietorship (toiminimi). So, if you have skills you think you could market, this is definitely an option!
Working Hours
Finnish regulations on working time comply with EU rules. Under the Working Hours Act, normal working hours may not exceed eight per day and 40 per week. These hours can be averaged out over the year if the employee agrees. Most sectors have collective agreements on working hours, prescribing the length of the normal day and week. According to EU figures, the average working week in collective agreement was 39.3 hours in 2001, the second highest in the EU. However, some sectors have negotiated working weeks as low as 35 hours.
Daily overtime begins after the first eight hours, weekly overtime after the first 40 hours, unless lower thresholds have been negotiated in collective agreements. The maximum possible overtime in any four-month period is 138 hours and in one calendar year is 250 hours. Employees can refuse to work overtime. Exceptions to the ceiling are allowed, for example, for two weeks to deal with unforeseen circumstances, such as the consequences of an industrial accident. The bonus paid for overtime on weekdays and Saturdays is 50% for the first two hours and 100% for the remainder; the bonus for Sundays and holidays is 150% for the first two hours and 200% for the remainder. Time off can be given in place of overtime if the employee agrees.
A premium, varying in size under different collective agreements, is paid for shift work. The employee must be provided every week with a continuous rest period of at least 35 hours (covering Sunday if possible) and a daily rest period of at least 11 hours. The 2002 incomes policy agreement includes a stipulation that shifts must be at least four hours unless the employees want to work less.
Shop opening hours are strictly regulated, but there has been some easing of restrictions in recent years, particularly for Sunday opening of small grocery stores. However, Sunday trading is banned altogether on certain public holidays that fall on a Sunday and on religious holidays. There are widespread exceptions for rural areas. Provincial governments have powers to make additional exceptions to the rules.
Wages and Benefits
According to a study by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, total employment costs in Finland compare favourably with those of other EU countries. Average pay was €28,402 in 2001, but other labour costs were an additional €7,730, or 27% of pay. In terms of pay, Finland ranked ninth of the 15 EU countries; in terms of total costs, Finland ranked eighth. According to Statistics Finland, during the last quarter of 2004, monthly earnings averaged €2,400, €2,660 for men and €2,130 for women, exclusive of overtime. The rate of increase in 2004 was 3.5% (in nominal terms). Pay scales are higher in Helsinki than elsewhere in the country.
Minimum wages are not set by law in Finland. The main unions and employers’ organisations usually negotiate national collective labour agreements. Employers working within these industries are bound by these collective agreements under the Employment Contracts Act. If a particular industry does not have a labour agreement, the law requires that employers pay a reasonable wage for the job. Foreign-owned companies are bound by Finnish labour legislation and must therefore comply with the same requirements as domestic firms. White-collar employees agree to individual employment contracts instead of applying collective labour agreements.
The Law on Employee Investment Funds allows companies to pay a certain proportion of profits into funds that can be accessed by employees after five years of service (they may withdraw 15% of their personal fund capital each year). A 20% share of the funds raised is tax free, and the remaining 80% is taxed as earned income based on the employee’s personal income tax brackets. More than 30% of Finnish employees are covered by such funds.
Source : Expat Finland |
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