Credits: Markus Pentikäinen / Keksi
Remember the employer image. It has a significant impact on the candidate.
Once you have created an international recruiting plan and selected a recruitment partner, it is time to start searching for talent.
In many sectors, the competition for high-level talent is fierce, so ensure that the employee feels they are getting value for their job choice. This is greatly influenced by the employer image, the building of which already starts from the job advertisement. Read tips on how to write an international job advertisement.
The main purpose of the ad is to communicate essential information – clearly and understandably.
The ad creates the first impression. Highlight your company culture and why someone should apply.
In international recruitment, English is often the most natural choice – consider translation needs as well.
Don’t assume applicants know Finnish work culture – clearly describe benefits, practices, and salary.
Consider where you’re most likely to reach your ideal candidates – both locally and internationally.
Make sure the ad doesn’t exclude anyone – language, images, and channels affect accessibility.
A good international job advertisement is informative and clear and written in the style of the employer – in English.
Put effort into writing the job advertisement. The ad is often among the first things a potential job applicant will read about your organization. The job advertisement is an opportunity to introduce your company and create a good impression of the workplace.
The job advertisement should be clear and informative. The writing style should be in line with your company, whether matter-of-fact, funny, or even a challenge for the candidate to solve. The advertisement communicates to the job applicant what you are like as an employer. Describe the open position and the organization’s expectations clearly.
As a rule, write the international job advertisement in English and use other languages only if they are related to the open position.
If higher education is required, people outside Finland often interpret this as meaning a bachelor’s degree. You should take this into account when writing the advertisement. Consider whether a master’s degree is necessary.
As a rule, international experts are not familiar with the Finnish work culture, such as profession-specific requirements, employee benefits, or the recruitment process. Do not assume that anything is self-evident – be explicit. Mention the salary clearly and transparently. Many international experts have a family, and the salary must cover the expenses of the entire family, especially if the spouse doesn’t have a job at first.
Also consider the best channels for finding the ideal candidate. Where should you publish the job advertisement and how does this affect the style of the ad? Is the applicant an active social media user, do they listen to the radio or read the newspapers? It is to be expected that international experts use the internet, social media, and their own networks to a great degree when looking for a job. Check with your local recruitment partner which are the most important channels in the target country.
An alternative to a public job advertisement is headhunting (i.e., executive search). In headhunting, it is common to use a recruiter familiar with the sector, i.e., a headhunter, who, together with the organization, lists the requirements of the open position and identifies potential candidates. The recruiter contacts the candidates and may handle the recruitment process with the organization. Headhunting may be an effective way to find suitable candidates. There are several service providers available for headhunting.
Remember that responsibility permeates the entire recruitment process. For example, consider whether your choice of words in the job advertisement favors one gender and what the message sent by the accompanying images is. Also consider using the diversity statement.
Credits: Markus Pentikäinen / Keksi
Select an appropriate format for the application. The most common model in Finland consists of an application letter and a CV. Is this format the most suitable for your company? Would you benefit more from a recruitment system with questions to fill out or a video application?
When processing the applications, the employer gets a more detailed picture of the individual candidates and the candidates as a whole. Familiarize yourself with the applications because the candidate can detect if you do not really understand their answers. This affects the interview experience and employer image.
Ensure that the issues related to the employer image are in order, as they have a significant impact on the candidate. Especially international candidates may have an impression of the organization created by the media, and this impression may blend in with impressions of Finland.
It is good to spend time presenting the organization and the work community. Include the address of your website in the job advertisement and ensure that the site has been translated into English. At the interview stage, you can describe points such as the working methods in more detail and acquaint the candidate with your premises.
High-level experts can choose their workplace. This is why the operating culture and values of the organization are increasingly important to them, as well as their ability to influence their own work and the flexibility of the workplace. Start building your employer image already in the job advertisement. Social media is another channel for developing the employer image.
A positive image increases the attractiveness of your company and makes it more likely for experts to apply to your organization or cooperate with it even without separate marketing.
Check out the IMAGO coaching for help in building the employer image.
Check out our comprehensive International recruitment guide. The guide offers detailed information, instructions, and links for each step of the recruitment process.
If you have a clear plan of action, go ahead and create an international job posting.