Interview Tips for Finland

If you only remember one thing: Finnish interviews reward calm, concrete answers. Show reliability (be on time, be prepared), and back claims with examples.

10 minutes (right now)

Do these four things and you’re already ahead:

Pick the 3 most important requirements from the job ad.

Match each requirement with one real example you’ve done.

Prepare a 30–45 second intro (who you are + what you do + why this role).

Choose 2 questions you’ll ask at the end.

Day before

Confirm time, location, and who you’ll meet (and plan the route).

If online: test camera + microphone, and open the meeting link in advance.

Have your CV and portfolio links ready to share.

Decide a salary expectation range (even if you’d prefer to discuss later).

On the day

Arrive 10–15 minutes early.

Answer first, then add detail (pauses are normal).

Ask clarifying questions if something is unclear.

What Finnish interviewers typically value (in plain language)

They want evidence. Titles and buzzwords matter less than what you actually did and what happened as a result. They want reliability. Being on time, following through, and communicating early if something changes. They want practical problem solving. How you think, how you decide, and how you handle trade-offs. They want a good teammate. Direct but respectful communication and low ego. Confidence is good; overselling is not.

Typical interview process in Finland (what “normal” looks like)

Most companies do 2–4 conversations. A common flow is:

Recruiter screening (15–30 min)

Hiring manager interview (experience + motivation + role fit)

Skills assessment (case, take-home task, or practical test)

Team / culture interview

References

Offer and contract discussion

If they say “we’ll get back to you”, it can still take a week or two—processes are often slow, not personal.

Before the interview (high-impact preparation)

Map the job requirements to your proof

Take the job ad seriously: it is basically the grading rubric.

Make a simple map: “Requirement” → “My evidence” → “Result”.

Try to include outcomes (speed, quality, savings, revenue, customer impact, reliability, learning).

If you can’t quantify, describe “before/after” clearly.

Prepare 5–6 stories you can reuse

Instead of preparing for hundreds of questions, prepare a small set of stories you can adapt:

A project you’re proud of (your role + outcome)

A problem you solved with limited info

A disagreement or conflict (what you did, not what others did)

A mistake and what you changed after

An improvement you delivered (process, tooling, quality, customer experience)

A teamwork example (how you collaborate in practice)

Gather what you may need

Keep it simple and ready to share:

CV and portfolio links

Reference contacts (with permission)

Right-to-work status, availability, and start date (if relevant)

Common questions (and how to answer them well)

“Tell me about yourself”

Think “present → past → future”:

Present: what you do now and your strengths

Past: 1–2 relevant highlights

Future: why this role and what you want to grow into

“Why Finland?” / “Why this company?”

Be specific and factual: mission, product, customers, tech, or way of working. If you’re relocating, be clear about the timeline and any constraints.

“What are your strengths and weaknesses?”

For strengths, match the role and back it with an example. For weaknesses, choose a real one and explain what you’re doing to improve it (a concrete method beats a “flawless” answer).

A simple answer structure (works well in Finland)

Use a simple structure and keep it tight:

Situation (one sentence)

Task (what you needed to achieve)

Action (what you did)

Result (what changed; numbers if possible)

Reflection (what you learned)

If you notice yourself talking for a long time, stop after the result and ask: “Would you like more detail?”

During the interview (Finnish-style communication)

Communication habits that work well

This is what “good” sounds like in many Finnish interviews:

Answer the question first, then add detail

If you don’t know, say so and explain how you’d find out

Be precise about your role and contribution

Don’t fill silence with talking—pauses are normal

Body language and tone

Aim for professional but relaxed. Eye contact and a natural handshake (in person) are enough. Calm confidence works better than high-energy sales talk.

Questions you can ask at the end (pick 2–3)

Role clarity

What does success look like in the first 30/90 days?

What are the biggest challenges for this role right now?

Team and ways of working

How does the team work day-to-day (tools, meetings, decision-making)?

What is your onboarding process like?

Process

What are the next steps and timeline?

Salary and terms (how to handle it)

If salary comes up early, a calm, practical answer works best.

You can give a range and say you’re open to discussing the full package.

If you’re unsure of the market, ask for their range or typical level for the role.

Before accepting, clarify start date, location/hybrid policy, probation period, working hours, and benefits.

A safe sentence you can use:

“Based on my experience and the role scope, I’m targeting around X–Y. I’m flexible depending on the full package and responsibilities.”

Assignments, cases, and technical interviews

Treat the assignment like a small project, not a test you must “ace”.

Clarify expectations: time limit, deliverables, evaluation criteria

Communicate assumptions and trade-offs

Prefer simple and complete over complex and unfinished

Present clearly: what you built, why, and what you’d improve next

Trial days and “work trials” (ask before you agree)

Some companies may invite you for a short practical trial (for example, a day with the team). Finland also has a specific “työkokeilu” program in some contexts, so always clarify the setup.