You have fifteen years of experience across three continents. Your CV spans four pages, maybe five with references. Each role is detailed, every project is documented, and all achievements are listed. You send it to a Finnish employer. Silence follows.

The problem likely started before anyone read past your name.

Finnish recruiters make quick decisions. A 2018 eye-tracking study by Ladders found that recruiters spend an average of 7.4 seconds on initial CV screening (Ladders, 2018). A four-page document signals something immediately. It tells them you do not understand Finnish professional culture. It suggests you cannot prioritise information. It raises questions about your ability to communicate concisely.

This matters more than you think. In Finland's competitive job market, where unemployment stands at 9.5% and thousands of qualified candidates compete for limited positions, understanding CV expectations becomes essential for survival.

Why Finland Demands Brevity

Finnish workplace culture values efficiency above almost everything else. Meetings start on time. Emails state their purpose in the first sentence. Presentations skip preamble and dive straight into substance. Your CV should do the same.

Finnish employers value brevity and clarity, and a concise CV demonstrates respect for the employer's time. When you submit a lengthy CV, you communicate something unintended. You suggest that your time matters more than theirs. You indicate unfamiliarity with local norms. You mark yourself as someone who might struggle with Finnish workplace expectations.

The standard is clear. Keep your CV between one and two pages, or up to three pages for extensive work experience or multiple qualifications. Most successful applications use just two pages. Exceptional circumstances might justify three pages. Four pages or more belong in academic CVs for research positions, nowhere else.

This creates a genuine challenge for experienced professionals. How do you compress fifteen years into two pages? What do you cut? What stays? The answers reveal strategic thinking about what actually matters.

What Finnish Employers Actually Read

Understanding what recruiters prioritise helps you make cutting decisions.

Personal and contact information occupy the top centre of your CV. Full name, phone number, email address, LinkedIn profile if you maintain one professionally. Location matters. Whether you currently live in Finland or need relocation affects hiring decisions.

Professional summary follows in two to three sentences. Not a mission statement. Not career objectives. A clear statement of what you do and what value you bring. "Business analyst with eight years transforming operational data into strategic insights for manufacturing companies" works. "Motivated professional seeking challenging opportunities to leverage my diverse skill set" does not.

Work experience forms the core. List positions in reverse chronological order. Most recent first, moving backward. For each role, include employer name, your title, dates of employment, and three to five bullet points describing key responsibilities and measurable achievements.

Here lies the critical choice. Finnish recruiters want evidence, specifics and results. "Managed projects" means nothing. "Led digital transformation project reducing process time by 40%, delivering three months ahead of schedule and 15% under budget" means everything.

Education comes next. Recent graduates might place this before work experience. Everyone else positions it after. List degree, institution, graduation year. Relevant coursework or thesis topics only if directly applicable to the target role.

Skills require strategic selection. Do not list every software package you have touched. Focus on genuinely proficient skills relevant to the position. Quantify your achievements with numbers when possible, as this provides clear evidence of your contributions and success.

Languages matter enormously in Finland. State your proficiency honestly using recognised frameworks. The European Common Framework works well. A1 to C2 levels communicate clearly without ambiguity.

References appear either as actual contacts or the statement "Available upon request." Recruiters and hiring managers prefer to see information on referees and their contact details in a CV, so whenever possible, this information should be mentioned.

What Gets Cut

Reducing four pages to two requires ruthless prioritisation.

Remove ancient history. Your role from 2008 matters far less than your current position. If experience extends beyond fifteen years, summarise early career in one line or remove it entirely. Focus detail on the last decade.

Eliminate redundancy. If you held similar roles at different companies, combine descriptions. Detail the most relevant position thoroughly. Summarise others briefly, referencing the detailed description.

Cut generic responsibilities. Every marketing manager handles campaigns and manages budgets. These baseline expectations need no documentation. Focus instead on distinctive achievements and measurable outcomes.

Remove hobby lists unless genuinely relevant. Finnish CVs sometimes include interests, but only when they demonstrate relevant capabilities. Marathon running shows dedication and discipline. Reading does not differentiate you from millions of others.

Delete the objective statement. Your cover letter handles motivation and interest. Your CV presents capabilities and evidence. The two serve different purposes.

Formatting for Finnish Eyes

Structure matters as much as content.

Use clean, professional fonts. Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman work well. Size between 10 and 12 points ensures readability. Avoid decorative fonts, multiple colours or complex graphics. Finnish professional culture favours substance over style.

Create clear visual hierarchy through consistent formatting. Bold headings for sections. Regular text for content. Bullet points for lists. White space between sections allowing the eye to rest and navigate easily.

Finnish recruiters prefer one to two pages maximum with no fluff. Every line must justify its presence. If removing a sentence would not diminish understanding of your capabilities, remove it.

Save your CV as PDF unless specifically instructed otherwise. Name the file clearly. "FirstName_LastName_CV.pdf" works. "Resume_Final_v12.pdf" does not.

The Photo Question

International practices vary wildly regarding photographs on CVs. Some countries expect them. Others consider them inappropriate. Finland occupies middle ground.

Including a photo on your CV is not required in Finland, and it is generally recommended to leave it off unless specifically requested by the employer. If you choose to include one, use a professional headshot. Passport style works well. Avoid casual photos, group shots or anything suggesting lack of seriousness.

Personally, I advise leaving photos off unless the employer specifically requests one. Focus on making your capabilities impossible to ignore. Let your achievements speak before your appearance enters consideration.

Practical Action Steps

This week, complete these tasks:

Audit your current CV ruthlessly. Print it. Read it as though you were a busy recruiter seeing it for the first time. What could you remove without losing essential information? Cut 30% minimum.

Rewrite every bullet point to include specific, measurable outcomes. Replace "Responsible for customer service" with "Resolved 95% of customer issues on first contact, improving satisfaction scores from 3.2 to 4.6 out of 5."

Test the six-second rule. Hand your CV to someone unfamiliar with your background. Give them six seconds to scan it. Ask what they remember. If they cannot articulate your core value proposition immediately, your CV needs restructuring.

Create role-specific versions. Build a master document containing everything. Then create tailored two-page versions for different role types. A CV for project management positions emphasises different achievements than one for technical roles.

Get Finnish feedback. If possible, ask someone familiar with Finnish recruitment to review your CV. Cultural norms matter. An outside perspective reveals blind spots you cannot see yourself.

The Larger Truth

The two-page rule reflects something deeper than arbitrary restriction. It demonstrates your ability to distil complexity into clarity. It shows respect for others' time. It proves you understand priority and focus.

These capabilities matter enormously in Finnish workplaces. Teams function through clear communication. Projects succeed through efficient execution. Careers advance through demonstrated value rather than claimed potential.

Your CV is your first demonstration of these capabilities. Make it count. Two pages. Clear structure. Evidence-based content. Measurable achievements. No fluff.

Finnish employers will notice. The right ones will respond.

References

Finnish CV format requirements. (2024). Resume Example. https://resume-example.com/cv/finnish-language

Finnish job market CV standards. (2025). Jobera. https://jobera.com/finland-cv-writing-guide/

How to write a professional CV for Finland job market. (2024). ResumeFlex. https://resumeflex.com/how-to-write-a-professional-cv-for-finland-job-market/

Ladders. (2018). Eye-tracking study. TheLadders. https://www.theladders.com/static/images/basicSite/pdfs/TheLadders-EyeTracking-StudyC2.pdf

References in Finnish CVs. (n.d.). Finrepo. https://finrepo.fi/en/write-or-update-your-curriculum-vitae

VisualCV Finland resume guide. (2024). VisualCV. https://www.visualcv.com/international/finland-resume/

About the Author

Francis Oyeyiola, MA Edu., AmO, MSc. Econ. (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 towards meaningful work aligned with their authentic capabilities.