1. How do Finnish employers see foreign job applicants? Dr Sc (IB) Minna Söderqvist Helia Research and Development

2. Project 33 employer interviews in 2004 –Experience of foreign subordinates, either with a degree from Finland or elsewhere –State, community or private employer representatives –From all over Finland –From different industries 635 questionnaires back 2004/2005 –Experienced and inexperienced –State, community or private employer representatives; From all over Finland; From different industries

3. Results Importance of internationalization of higher-education institutions What contributes and what hampers foreigners in finding a job in Finland? HRM processes and foreign applicants Differences in a superior’s work if there are foreign subordinates

4. Conclusions Proposals to state authorities Proposals to work communities Proposals to higher-education institutions Proposals to foreign job applicants Proposals for further research

5. Different foreigners in Finland Ca 320 000 working addresses – about 55 000 foreigners working all over Finland  employers not personally experienced Different foreigners – different needs and capabilities! –Refugees with difficult backgrounds –Marriage – based immigration –Highly-educated experts and their spouses (dual career)

6. Higher-education institutions important internationalizers of regions “Thanks to our HEI our region has become more multicultural” “Thanks to our HEI our business has become more international Different views on passing a degree in Finland

7. Positive attitudes, but benefits not realised + Foreigners no threat to Finnish working life + Multicultural work community taken as more innovative + Foreigners seen as a possibility ? Thanks to foreigners our business has not developed, they have not brought new customers or new partners  annual accounts of foreign HRM  recruiting of foreigners according to their education

8. Attitude and Motivation – A foreigner should Be educated Be professional Have intercultural skills Have own initiative Be reliable Be able to use Finnish as working language

9. To be a foreigner – and Finnish HRM HRM not strategic issue in SMEs  foreign background not yet taken into consideration –When choosing recruiting channels –In interviews –In salaries –In induction processes –In engagement –In socialization to work community –In induction of superiors to recruiting  Employers would need an active recruiting policy

10. A Foreign Applicant Should Be able to speak Finnish Have a BIG network of Finnish persons! Be able to handle the ”You are a bigger risk in recruiting” Be able to show your expertise and professionalism in the interview Find out about Finnish way to recruit and to work (fellow students/employees, neighbours, friends)

11. Superiors and work communities need instructions and further education How to take benefit from the international dimension in the real work How to meet diversity in real situations What intercultural capabilities are and how to use them How to change the superior and HRM if foreign subordinates