Abstract

The Finnish labour market in 2025-2026 presents unique challenges characterised by economic uncertainty, technological transformation, and evolving workforce needs. Yet within every job seeker lies inherent talent. This is a distinctive capabilities that emerge naturally from the intersection of personality, experience, and passion. This article explores how identifying and leveraging your inherent talents can transform your job search strategy in Finland's current economic climate. Drawing from strengths-based psychology, career development theory, and practical insights into the Finnish employment landscape. This work offers a framework for authentic career positioning that resonates with Finland's values-driven culture while addressing contemporary market realities.

Introduction

If you are searching for work in Finland right now, you have likely encountered the stark realities: companies restructuring, hiring freezes announced, and job postings requiring increasingly specific qualifications. It's easy to feel like just another CV in an overwhelming pile, another applicant trying to fit someone else's exact specifications.

But here is what the statistics don't capture: your inherent talent.

I am not talking about the skills you have acquired or the credentials you have earned. Although those matters, I am talking about something deeper. I mean the natural capabilities that emerge effortlessly from who you are, the things you do that energise rather than drain you, the contributions that feel less like work and more like expression.

In a market saturated with people trying to be what they think employers want, your inherent talent is your most valuable differentiator. And in Finland specifically, with its cultural appreciation for authenticity (rehellisyys), competence (osaaminen), and pragmatic innovation (sisu), aligning your job search with your genuine strengths is not just personally fulfilling but strategically sound.

Understanding Your Inherent Talent

Buckingham and Clifton (2001) define talent as "a recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behaviour that can be productively applied" (p. 48). Unlike skills, which can be taught, talents are innate predispositions. That is, the particular ways your mind naturally operates.

Your inherent talent manifests in activities that energise you andpatterns you have exhibited consistently across different contexts. Also, the contributions others naturally seek from you, and the lens through which you instinctively approach problems. When people use their inherent talents regularly, they experience what Csikszentmihalyi (1990) calls "flow"- that state of optimal experience where challenge meets capability.

Here's how to identify yours:

Energy audit: Review your past month. Which activities left you energised, even if tired? Which depleted you, regardless of success? Talent operates in the energy-generating activities.

Effortless excellence: What do people compliment you on that seems easy to you? We often undervalue our talents precisely because they feel effortless. But that effortlessness is the signature of inherent capability.

Learning speed: In which domains do you learn remarkably quickly? Rapid learning often indicates underlying talent, creating fertile ground for skill development.

The Current Finnish Reality

Finland is emerging from a phase of extremely low growth, with the economy expected to grow by only 0.2% in 2025 and 0.8% in 2026. Employment is expected to begin growing by the end of 2025, with the unemployment rate averaging 9.5% in 2025 before decreasing to 9.3% in 2026 (Bank of Finland, 2025; European Commission, 2025).

These numbers might feel discouraging. But here's the opportunity: in uncertain times, organisations don't just need credential-holders, they need genuine problem-solvers. Your inherent talents are your natural problem-solving mechanisms.

Finnish culture values:

• Analytical thinking and data-driven decision-making
• Responsibility and psychological ownership
• Thoughtful contribution over verbal dominance
• Practical, solution-focused approaches

If your talents align with these values, position them clearly. Finland appreciates authentic capability, honestly presented.

Leveraging Your Talents Strategically

Talent-based targeting: Rather than applying broadly, identify roles where your inherent talents address actual needs. If your talent is for systems thinking and Finnish organisations are digitising operations, position yourself specifically around digital transformation challenges and not generic "IT roles."

Evidence over assertion: Finnish culture distrusts empty claims. Instead of stating "I'm a natural leader," describe a situation: "When our project team fragmented during the supply chain disruption, I found myself naturally stepping in to rebuild communication flows. Three colleagues later mentioned they had specifically sought my input during that period."

This evidence-based approach transforms talent into credible capability.

Translation, not transformation: Don't try to become someone else. If you have a talent for relationship-building, frame it as "stakeholder engagement" in contexts where partnerships drive results. Your talents don't change, but how you articulate them should adapt to context.

Practical Action Steps

This week, do these three things:

1. Identify your top 3 talents using the questions above. Be specific. "Communication" is too broad; "translating complex technical concepts into accessible narratives for non-expert audiences" is a talent.
2. Document 3 pieces of evidence for each talent. Write brief stories: context, action, outcome. These become your interview examples and LinkedIn content.
3. Research 10 organisations in Finland whose current challenges align with your talents. Read their news, understand their problems. Don't look for posted jobs—look for problems your talents solve.

For your applications:

Customise each one. Identify the core challenge the role addresses, then explicitly connect your inherent talents to that challenge. Generic applications disappear. Talent-aligned applications create recognition.

For networking:

Enter conversations not with "I'm looking for any opportunity," but with clear talent-based value: "I'm particularly skilled at bridging technical and business perspectives. I'm exploring where that capability is most needed in cleantech or digital health sectors."

The Gift You Bring

Finland doesn't need another generic applicant trying to fit an exact specification. Finland needs people who can solve problems, create value, and contribute genuinely.

Your inherent talents are how you instinctively create value. When you operate from your talents, work feels less like an obligation and more like a contribution. The Finnish values of rehellisyys (honesty), luotettavuus (reliability), and osaaminen (competence) support this approach. Finland is a place where authentic capability, honestly presented and reliably demonstrated, creates opportunity.

The question is not whether to use your talents in your job search. It is whether you trust them enough to build your search around them.

What are you choosing to believe about what's possible?

Trust your talents. Position them clearly. Demonstrate them consistently.

That's how inherent talent transforms a job search from desperate scrambling into purposeful navigation.

References

Bank of Finland. (2025). Finland's economy heading out of recession. Bank of Finland Bulletin. https://www.bofbulletin.fi/en/2025/6/forecast-finland-s-economy-heading-out-of-recession/

Buckingham, M., & Clifton, D. O. (2001). Now, discover your strengths. Free Press.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. Harper & Row.

European Commission. (2025). Economic forecast for Finland. Economy and Finance. https://economy-finance.ec.europa.eu/economic-surveillance-eu-member-states/country-pages/finland/economic-forecast-finland_en

About the Author

Francis Oyeyiola, MA Edu., AmO, MSc. Econ. (in Industrial Management), BEng. IT, founder of CoachMe2.fi, specialises in helping professionals navigate career transitions in the Finnish market and across continents. With more than 10 years of experience in career coaching and a deep understanding of workplace cultures, Coach Oye has guided hundreds of international professionals toward meaningful work aligned with their authentic capabilities.

Finland is known for its high quality of life, strong social support systems, and innovative industries. However, for internationals, navigating the Finnish job market can be a challenge, especially given recent shifts in government legislation and the overall economic climate. Yet, with the right strategies, a clear understanding of the landscape, and an initiative-taking approach, internationals can still find rewarding opportunities in Finland.

Understanding the Finnish Job Market

The job market in Finland, like several other countries, is evolving. Finland’s economy is highly influenced by its technology, manufacturing, and services sectors. Start-ups, especially in tech, are booming in cities like Helsinki, Espoo, and Tampere, and Finland is globally recognized for its innovations in fields such as artificial intelligence and sustainable technologies. However, finding a job as an international can come with certain hurdles. For many, the language barrier is the biggest obstacle. While English is widely spoken, especially in the professional sphere, several companies still require fluency in Finnish for client-facing roles or
those requiring deep integration with local operations. Additionally, the Finnish government has introduced new policies aimed at tightening immigration and work regulations. Understanding these changes and adjusting your job search
approach accordingly is key.

Recent Legislative Changes Affecting Internationals

In recent months, the Finnish government has implemented policies that impact internationals seeking employment:

• Stricter Work Permit Requirements: The government has made obtaining work permits more stringent, particularly for low-skill jobs. Employers must now prove there is no suitable candidate from the local workforce before hiring an international, making it more difficult for non-EU workers to secure jobs in certain sectors.
• Focus on High-Skill Immigration: The government is, however, encouraging the immigration of highly skilled professionals, especially in tech, engineering, and healthcare. For internationals with expertise in these fields, there are opportunities, but the competition is stiff.
• Language Learning Incentives: Recent initiatives are promoting the learning of Finnish or Swedish (Finland’s official languages), with more emphasis being placed on language as a key to integration. While English remains prevalent in sectors like IT, finance, and academia, learning Finnish greatly improves your chances of landing a broader range of jobs and integrating into Finnish work culture.