Summer jobs attract more than just young people and students. Photo: Saara Peltola / Lehtikuva
- Previous Article Finland to launch return-focused asylum centre in Vantaa
- Next Article Finland to see spring warmth return with 20°C possible next week
A growing number of jobseekers in Finland are applying for work outside their own professional field, according to a new survey by the country’s largest unemployment fund.
The YTK Unemployment Fund reported that 59% of jobseekers are now seeking employment in other sectors. The data was collected from a membership survey with over 7,000 responses.
The trend is most evident among workers in retail, transport and logistics, and hospitality sectors, industries often associated with low pay, high workloads, and insecure contracts.
According to YTK, these sectors also tend to have lower formal education requirements, allowing for more flexible transitions between job types.
Auli Hänninen, CEO of YTK, said that the economic pressure is clearly visible in the survey results. “People in certain sectors and on lower incomes are more likely to look outside their own field,” she said.
The shift reflects broader struggles in the Finnish labour market. At the end of March, there were 320,400 unemployed jobseekers in Finland, 34,200 more than a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment. New job postings dropped by 9,400 over the same period. The national unemployment rate has risen to 9.3%, according to Statistics Finland.
While the figures reflect a worsening job market, Hänninen said there is a positive side. “It’s a sign that people are becoming more open to reevaluating their skills and considering a wider range of opportunities,” she said. “Certain professions disappear, and new ones emerge. It’s healthy for the labour market.”
Respondents earning less than €20,000 annually were most likely to be searching beyond their own industry. At the same time, workers in higher-paid and more stable sectors such as ICT, finance, and communications showed less willingness to apply for jobs outside their field.
YTK attributes this to higher education levels, better job satisfaction, and stronger employment security in those sectors. Employees there tend to stay within their industry due to competitive working conditions and career prospects.
The survey also noted that the requirement for jobseekers to apply for at least four positions each month could be influencing broader application activity. Additionally, the growing use of AI in drafting applications has lowered the effort barrier, encouraging jobseekers to cast a wider net.
On more stable, well-paid sectors, YTK found that job applications remain more selective. “A reluctance to apply for lower-paid roles can also be interpreted as a sign of secure labour market status,” the organisation stated.
YTK, open to all employees in Finland, provides earnings-related unemployment benefits and support for periods of layoff, part-time work, or self-employment. It currently has 535,000 members.
HT
- Previous Article Finland to launch return-focused asylum centre in Vantaa
- Next Article Finland to see spring warmth return with 20°C possible next week
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
