I recently sat down with Safir Al Rahman Saikat, a 29-year-old IT professional from Bangladesh who's been navigating Finland's job market for two years. His story was both eye-opening and surprisingly relatable! Here are the key takeaways:
The Hard Truths:
"Finnish or nothing": Despite Finland's English proficiency, Saikat discovered most IT jobs require at least basic Finnish. His wake-up call? Being rejected from 50+ applications before buckling down on language studies.
The experience paradox: "They wanted 'Finnish experience' but how could I get it without first getting a job?" His solution? Volunteering and contributing to open-source projects to build local references.
Silent networking: Coming from Bangladesh's relationship-driven job market, he found Finnish professional circles harder to crack. "You need to show up consistently - once isn't enough."
What Actually Worked:
Finnish language bootcamp: From Duolingo to intensive courses, he treated language learning like a daily workout.
The "foot-in-the-door" strategy: Taking unpaid tech internships to prove his skills locally.
Embracing Finnish directness: Learning to give (and receive) blunt feedback without taking it personally.
Cultural Whiplash Moments:
His first performance review left him stressed for days ("When they said 'needs improvement', I thought I was fired!")
Adjusting to rigid punctuality ("In Bangladesh, 'meeting at 3' means 3:30. Here, 2:55 means you're late!")
The sauna as workplace bonding ("Still getting used to discussing quarterly reports while sweating buckets!"