Employers

Language aware recruitment

In language-aware recruitment, the employer considers the linguistic requirements of each task and is able to assess the applicant's language proficiency.
The student is smiling and chatting with the teacher at a table. The student looks at the smiling teacher with a pen in her hand. There are some sheets of paper and a computer on the table.
Content:

Instructions for planning and implementing the different stages of language-aware recruitment. 
For whom:

HR, management, recruitment officers, supervisors
Time:

Reserve time to consider language issues.
Benefit:

Improves the attractiveness and employer image of the company, expands the possible pool of recruits and prepares both the applicant and the work community for a smooth start at work. 

Before recruitment

  1. Prepare the work community to receive a foreign language speaker. Good reception is an important part of a successful start at work.
  2. If the work community is prepared to support language learning or requires the applicant to commit to learning Finnish, state it in the job advertisement.
  3. Determine language proficiency requirements of the post realistically based on the demands of the actual work tasks. Neither underplay or overplay the significance of Finnish.

As necessary, learn about laws to do with language proficiency requirements:

  • Administrative Procedure Act 2003/434 Section 9
  • Act on Health Care Professionals 2015/1659 Section 18a
  • Decree on Qualification Requirements for Teaching Staff 986/1996; (2003/1133) Section 9
  • Non-Discrimination Act 1325/2014 

Read more about language requirements for different positions.

During recruitment

  1. Provide the applicant realistic information about what life in Finland without any Finnish can be like.
  2. Explain the applicant's options for learning Finnish.
  3. Explain the benefits of language proficiency and the investment language learning requires.  
  4. If possible, include existing international employees from the work community. These employees can then can answer questions about language learning and living in Finland.  
  5. Scope out the applicant’s motivation to learn Finnish.
  6. Remember that during selection, applicants may not perform at their best linguistically due to high stakes involved.
  7. If necessary, assess the employee’s starting level in Finnish by for example using a self-assessment tool, a language specialist, or the assessment tools developed as part of the OsaajaKS project (material available only in Finnish):  

After recruitment

  1. Make sure that the orientation and onboarding fulfil the promises made regarding supporting language learning. 
  2. Ensure that the work community receives support for supporting language learning and functioning in a new linguistic environment. 

©2024 Johanna Komppa, Eveliina Korpela, Lari Kotilainen, Salla Kurhila and Inkeri Lehtimaja

Language-aware recruitment, august 2024, produced by Johanna Komppa, Eveliina Korpela, Lari Kotilainen, Salla Kurhila and Inkeri Lehtimaja, is licensed under a CC-BY Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The material can be found at kielibuusti.fi. Photos: All rights reserved. 

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Content:

Instructions for planning the orientation for new language-learning employees.
Time:

Reserve time to consider language issues in planning the orientation.
Benefit:

Helps understand the language support required in orientation.
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Content:

Instructions for taking language into account and supporting language learning in orientation. 
Time:

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Benefit:

The new employee learns relevant language in orientation. 
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Time:

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Benefit:

Increases understanding of language proficiency assessment in the professional context.
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