The Ministry for Employment and the Economy’s latest figures on the employment market and successful job applicants relate to 2014. According to the report around a quarter of those recruited that year were unemployed. Some 43 percent of those taking new jobs were switching from a different position.
"The construction sector hired more unemployed people than the average for other sectors," said Mika Tuomaala of the ministry.
According to Tuomaala, it’s unlikely that the situation is significantly different this year. Those in the staffing industry say that long-term unemployment can make it much more difficult to find work.
"According to the statistics, three months’ unemployment can really affect people’s chances of finding a job," said Merru Tuliara of the Private Employment Agencies’ Association, HPL, which represents some 300 companies in the staffing agency business.
"Maybe employers in our industry also hire more unemployed people than average," said Tuliara. "Even so, we always try to emphasise that employers value experience and even a short stint at work can help in future."
"Young people change jobs more often than before"
In the south-eastern town of Kotka, the municipality’s HR manager describes the situation as an employer’s labour market.
"There are jobs available now as well, but there are lots of applicants," says Minna Uusitalo. "There’s plenty of choice."
Uusitalo reckons that less than half of all applicants to her municipality are unemployed.
"Summer substitutes, which are jobs intended for adults, generally go to young students, even though there might also be unemployed people applying for them," said Uusitalo.
"In working life, the trend seems to be that young people change their jobs more often than older generations," said Uusitalo. "Even here we get graduate recruits who are here for a short time and then move on somewhere else."
Short-term contracts more popular
The glass business Lumon Group employs around 800 people in Finland, and according to the company’s HR director Riitta Vehmassalmi there are jobs open all the time—even when furloughs are ongoing.
Vehmassalmi says that people recruited to senior positions generally come from a different position and have plenty of work experience. On the production side the firm also recruits a lot of seasonal workers.
"The high production season is from spring to autumn," said Vehmassalmi. "Short-term contracts interest unemployed people, young students and those who currently work part-time."
She’s also noticed a change: in the bigger cities people are now much more willing to change their job for a new one than they used to be.
