JOB APPLICATION JOB APPLICATION PROCESS PROCESS

AND AND FINNISH WORK LIFEFINNISH WORK LIFE

Milja Tuomaala Milja Tuomaala University of OuluUniversity of Oulu

VALOA-projectVALOA-project

Interview

Goal achieved??

Contacting employers

Set your goals! Make your action plan!

Seeking information about employers and open positions

ApplicationsApplications

Selection

What can you do?What do you want to do?

What can you do?What do you want to do?

JOB SEEKING PROCESS

Phone callsPhone calls Career Services, University of Oulu

JOB SEEKING AND WORKING IN FINLAND

Employers are used to applicants contacting them directly

Don’t be shy – be active!

Networking is the key

Punctuality is extremely important – be on time, always!

APPLICATION DOCUMENTS (APPLICATION & CV)

”Style” Speaks about applicant’s attitude and motives Layout and visual aspects of application

Content Applicant’s expertise and competence Employer gets the information he/she needs to support

selection process and decision making Readability and clear structure helps them to find the accurate

information Correct grammar and linguistic form, no misspellings

APPLICATION MAKES THE FIRST IMPRESSION!

1) Emphasize your skills and know-how related to certain job and its requirements

2) Highlight your personality3) Tailor your application to fit into each position4) Decribe the additional value you can bring for the job5) Remember to be truthful6) If the job announcement is in Finnish, make a

application in Finnish (but only if you know Finnish!)

GOOD APPLICATION IS……seemly and relavant•Think about what kind of picture you want the employer to get from you•Read the announcement carefully – what are they looking for?•Be honest and truthful, don’t ”over-sell”•Try to put yourself to employer’s position – why should they hire you?

…clear•Both outfit and content•”Normal” fonts, font size and margins•Pay attention to the logical order of content

…short•Concentrate on key issues•Don’t send copies of testimonial, diplomas etc. unless asked•Max 1 page

GOOD APPLICATION IS…

…personal•Keep your own personal style•If your style does not fit the company’s culture, maybe you do not fit either…•Avoid standard applications and used phrases – show that you have paid attention to this particular application•Humour is allowed, but be careful with it

…giving the employer answer WHY•Speaking about motivation, why you want to be selected•What in your personality, skills and know-how fits the position and company•If you can show your enthusiasm – you have more chances to be picked from the mass of applicants

GOOD CV IS…

…clear - both layout and structure…readable and well-defined …not too long (max. 2 pages)…updated (no old dates)…tailored for applied position

* All the important information should be easily found in the CV *

GOOD CV INCLUDES…

Contact details Title; Curriculum Vitae / CV / Resume Personal details; Name, date and place of birth Education; in reverse order

Degree, educational institution and major If degree not complited; stage of studies and estimated graduation

time, if studies are in final straight If your theses work is related to the applied job, describe the key

elements of it Studies abroad; dates and gained experience & know-how Supplementary education / shorter courses (mention at least those

relevant for the applied job)

GOOD CV INCLUDES…

Work experience; in reverse order Employer, time, title. You might want to give key words for job description

and responsibilities (if it’s relevant for the applied job). Make it compact! If you have long work experience you may outline your experience under

subtitles, which helps the employer to find the information he/she is interested in. For example customer service work, project work, office work…

Language skills; Languages and evaluation of your proficiency (spoken vs. written) You may want to describe your level of language skills by giving examples.

IT-skills Programs and operating systems you are familiar with Especially special skills; programming Estimated level of your skills

CV CAN ALSO INCLUDE… Photo Military / non-military service Marital status / number of children Positions of trust / organizational activities /voluntary work

If your work history is short, you can emphasize skills and know-how gained in these kind of positions

Hobbies Gives a more personal touch of you You may have gained special skills and competences needed in working

life also in your hobbies Research and publishing activities Referees / recommendations

Give name, title, contact details and how this person is related to you

REMEMBER ALSO: YOUR WEB PERSONALITY/IDENTITY = ”YOUR OTHER CV”

Think, how you present yourself in Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube…

How about your blogging …? ”Työnantajan parjaaminen

Facebookissa on johtanut ainakin yhden PAMin edustaman työntekijän irtisanomiseen[…]” (Taloussanomat 27.10.09)

Roughly translated: Badmouthing your employer in Facebook has led to at least one sacking…

An important ”Career Channel” for professional networking nowadays is LinkedIn:

http://www.linkedin.com/A place to network and find open positions

The most important recruiting channel for many companiesCreating a personal profile is easy and networking after that goes fast…

More information: http://www.oulu.fi/careerservices/stepbystep.htm

(Presentation by Tom Laine)

CONTACTING THE EMPLOYER Think in advance what you want to ask. Don’t call just for calling,

and don’t ask for information, which is found in job announcement or is otherwise useless. Short and punchy questions!

Remember to take notes about most important issues during the conversation (also name of the person you are speaking with)

Also note that the person you are speaking with might take notes Be prepared to tell about yourself. Make a list of the things

employer should know about your skills and know-how, and the things that might raise employer’s interest

Try to find out about things that are meaningful to you (work times, who are you reporting to, are you expected to travel and if so, how much travelling is required etc.)

Avoid both excessive self-confidence and excessive humility ”Sell your competence”

THE INTERVIEW

Goals for the interview; Changing information – both sides Evaluation – both sides How the person would adapt to the

job/position/team/organization (suitability) Interview types;

Phone interview Group interview Individual interview Work simulation Aptitude tests Combination of previous

PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW Get to know the employer “Why are you interested in us/our organization?” Personal goals & motives Your skills and competences Try to predict what they’ll ask you and outline your answers Give concrete examples of your skills and experiences Try to approach negative things from positive aspects Be consistent and logical Prepare to ask questions Be prepared to be asked about salary expectation Forget all cliches Be yourself!

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW…

Sleep well beforehand Not too much coffee before the interview… Take your certificates with you (degree diplomas, testimonials,

letters of reference) Be on time!! Dress appropriately (smart casual) Close your mobile phone Be positive Relax Remember that the interviewers are often nervous too… Don’t be too modest or too arrogant Trust yourself!

TOP 10 – MOST COMMON QUESTIONS IN JOB

INTERVIEWS

1. Tell us about yourself2. What do you know about our organization?3. What are your strengths?4. What about weaknesses?5. What motivates you?6. If everything goes as you have planned – where do you see yourself in 3

years?7. What do you do in your free time?8. Why are you interested in this post?9. Why should we choose you?10. Is there something you would like to ask from us?

Career Services, University of Oulu

ACCORDING TO FINNISH LEGISLATION

THEY SHOULD NOT ASK ABOUT... Religious beliefs and political conviction Health, illnesses, disability Family relations / family planning Sexuality Military /non-military service Your ethnic backgroud

Only job related aspects should be asked Things/questions that are not linked in that specific work

should be arguable/justified

HOW THE INTERVIEW COULD PROCEED…

Introductions (organization, interviewers) Applicant’s background Competency, ability (education, experience) Motivation, expectations Career/professional goals Characteristics: personal strengths, weaknesses, future

plans How the process will proceed… Applicant’s questions

EXAMPLES:”DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO ASK US…?”

What kind of expectations do you have for the employee who will be selected?

How could a typical working day look like? What are the most important tasks in this job? What do you think would be the biggest challenges in the job? What kind of possibilities is there for career progression and

personal development? How about employees’ possibilities to educate themself

further? How is the recruiting process going to continue after the

interview? What else…??

HOW TO CONVINCE THE SELECTORS…?

BE YOURSELF - don’t play any roles

Be honest

SHOW your interest and your motivationExpress your interest in the job and the company using information you gathered to prepare for the interview

BRING OUT your motives and your willingness to develope and learn

DON’T BE vague

REMEMBER THE BASICS: Be on time, behave well and be polite

And remember the eye-contact

…It’s ok to be nervous!

SOME OTHER THINGS…

Speak positively of former employers and co-workers no matter why you left even if you were fired.

When discussing salary, be flexible - avoid naming a specific salary if not asked. If you're too high, you risk not getting the job. If you're too low, you undersell yourself. Answer questions on salary requirements with responses such as "I'm interested in the job as a career opportunity so I'm negotiable on the starting salary". Negotiate, but don't sell yourself short. Check salary recommendation and salary level data (unions, interest groups, graduate surveys etc.)

Let the employer lead into conversations about benefits. Your focus on these items can be a "turn off." But, don't be afraid to ask questions about things that you really need to know.

More: http://www.careerknowhow.com/resumes/interviewing.htm

FINNISH WORK LIFE – HOW IS IT?o Communication style:

• Communication style is formal. Finns do not engage in much small talk and prefer people to speak succinctly, not to discuss themselves or their interests, focusing primarily on work related issues.

• Finns are limited communicators but very proficient in foreign languages – the fear of making mistakes limits their communication

• Silence is golden in Finland; do not feel the need to fill every silence that occurs in a meeting. • Body language and feedback are limited and difficult to read. Do not be too disheartened if your

presentation does not meet with the rapturous applause you had anticipated.• Don’t be overly enthusiastic about your proposals. It is necessary to look at the possible downsides before

succumbing to optimism. Some would call it pessimism, but Finns think it as realism.• Finns are direct and prefer to get down to business quickly. They say what they think and expect you to do

the same. • Maintain eye contact while speaking.

o Management style: • Finns support a collaborative and participative management style. • Low hierarchy and distance between grass root level and management. • Finns like to know exactly the perimeters of their responsibilities and will expect to be allowed to take the

decisions which fall naturally within those perimeters.

www.worldbusinessculture.com

FINNISH WORK LIFE FEATURES…o Decision making:

• “Official” decisions tend to be taken in a collegiate style by a small group of senior managers. These major decision making processes can take a long time.

• “Smaller” decisions can be made quickly and implemented as swiftly. • Finns are very concerned with quality.

o Time management: • Finland is a controlled-time culture, and keeping schedules is important and expected.• In Finland missing a deadline is a sign of poor management and inefficiency, and will shake people’s

confidence.• Punctuality is important!

o Meetings: • Meetings can seem strange affairs to people not familiar with Finland or the Finns - long but quiet. • Meetings are well-structured, follow a pre-set agenda and are orderly with one person speaking at

a time - often seeking permission to speak through the Chair. • People will be well prepared, as you are not expected to speak unless you have something

concrete to contribute. • Finns tend less towards consensus than their Nordic cousins, expecting individuals to take

responsibility

www.worldbusinessculture.com

FINNISH WORK LIFE FEATURES…o Building relationships with co-workers:

• Relationship building often takes place outside the office: in a restaurant or the sauna. Never turn down an invitation to use the sauna, as it is an entrenched part of the Finnish culture and an important part of relationship building. There will be minimal, if any, small talk.

o Team work: • Finns are more individualist than collectivist • But still comfortable working in task-oriented teams • Finnish idea of team-working would tend to be that of a group of capable individuals being given the opportunity to

complete well-defined tasks which, when put together, will enable the team to reach its goals.

o Dress code: • A wide variety of styles and levels of formality can be observed – observe how your colleagues dress

o Other: • Employees have been very loyal to employers with little job-hopping taking place (specially in smaller towns/villages). • The Finnish working culture is based on equality. • Women have historically played a major role in business life and women are found in the most senior positions in large

Finnish companies. • Diligence, individuality and initiative are highly valued, together with strict observance of

agreements and agreed schedules.

www.worldbusinessculture.com

FINNISH WORK LIFE - WAGES & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

http://www.tyosuojelu.fi/fi/workingfinland/

http://www.expat-finland.com/employment/index.html

FINNISH WORK LIFE – TRADE UNIONS

o The main purpose of a trade union is to safeguard the benefits and rights of its members

o Income development (salaries and transfer of income)o Employment security guaranteeso Promotion of quality in working lifeo Possibility to join the trade union’s unemployment fund (earnings-

related daily unemployment allowance )o Trade union members pay a membership fee to the uniono It is possible to join the union already when you are studying!

http://www.infopankki.fi/en-GB/Trade_Unions/

TRADE UNIONSo SAK - The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions

http://www.sak.fi/english/whatsnew.jsp?location1=1&sl2=1&lang=en

o Uusi insinööriliitto - Union of Professional Engineers in Finland http://www.iol.fi/portal/page?_pageid=157,21298&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL Note! Check the details for student membership

o KTK Tekniikan Asiantuntijat ry - Union of Technical Professionals, KTK http://www.ktk-ry.fi/index.php?id=6

o Find your union; http://jarjestaydy.fi/www/fi/loyda_liittosi/

WHAT DO EMPLOYERS EXPECT FROM GRADUATES?

Expertise• Field specific theoretical knowledge (concepts, theories, knowledge)• Ability to apply theories • Knowledge of laws and regulations related to own field• Ability to analytical and systematic thinking• Ability to acquire information• Criticality for information sources• All-round education

Social skills• Group / team work skills• Interaction skills• Flexibility

General ”work skills” Organizing and coordinating skills Project management skills Problem-solving skills Learning ability Ability for creative thinking Ability for independent working Initiative Managing skills Flexibility and adaptability

Eric Carver

WHAT DO EMPLOYERS EXPECT FROM GRADUATES?

Communication skills• Written and oral communication skills • Negotiating skills• Public performing skills

Technical skills• ICT-skills• Computer / technical equipment skills

International skills• Communication skills with foreign languages• Special know-how of certain country / culture • International attitude / mindset• Multicultural skills

Business and economical skills• Understanding of economic and societal mechanisms and systems• Financial administration• Financial planning and follow-up• Customer service skills• Marketing and sales skills

Eric Carver

EXERCISEMY PERSONAL PROJECT

– CAREER GOALS & ACTION PLAN FOR JOB SEEKING

o Setting your career goalso Preparing a concrete action plan, which helps you to

direct you actions towards set goals

GOOD LUCK GOOD LUCK FOR FOR

YOUR STUDIES YOUR STUDIES AND AND

JOB SEEKING!JOB SEEKING!