Finland’s skills shortage is a visibility problem, not just a talent problem

There’s a persistent narrative in Finland that we’re facing a severe skills shortage. Headlines reinforce it. Reports echo it. Yet, at the same time, we have a growing pool of highly educated, work-ready immigrant professionals who are unemployed or underemployed. So what gives?

As I recently commented on LinkedIn, the skills shortage also exists because most companies aren’t reviewing, evaluating, or interviewing immigrant talent.

The problem isn't just a lack of talent - It’s a communication gap

At Herizon, we work with international professionals every day - many of whom have the exact competencies companies say they’re struggling to find. But they send out hundreds of applications without a single response. Why?

Because most of those applications are long, generic, and fail to speak clearly to the employer’s needs.

This isn’t about intelligence or work ethic. It’s about knowing how and where to communicate your value. Generic, multi-page cover letters don’t get read. Weak or non-existent LinkedIn profiles don’t stand out. And applying only through visible job ads misses most of the roles that exist in the hidden job market.

That’s why a core part of Herizon’s nonprofit work is focused on bridging this gap by helping people identify their strengths, tailor their communication, and build both online and offline networks. That’s also why we’re able to help tens of people get hired every single month.

The Employer Side: It’s not always resistance, but structural fog

From the outside, it’s easy to say companies should just “consider more international applicants.” But having worked as both a VC and providing headhunting services through Herizon, I can tell you the employer side is often messier than that.

The real issue is that many companies don’t even have clear hiring goals to begin with. Teams often don’t know what roles they truly need, and even when they do, they lack the resources, structure, or headspace to open and run proper hiring processes. It’s easier not to hire than to do it wrong, especially in a market where survival takes precedence over growth.

So it’s not active exclusion. It’s ambiguity, overload, and lack of ownership.

Where we go from here

Of course, structural change is needed. Of course, there are also real talent gaps in the market. But if we want immediate impact, the most effective move right now is to equip job seekers with the tools to play - and win - in the system as it is.

That means:

• Training on outcome-oriented communication
• Stronger LinkedIn profiles and real-world networking
• Helping candidates match their skills to real business needs, not generic job titles

If more international professionals start communicating their value clearly and in the right places, we’ll start seeing fewer “skills shortage” headlines and more hiring that actually reflects the talent we already have.

Want to go deeper?

🔗 Yle article on hiring bias: https://yle.fi/a/3-12085416

🔗 Herizon’s study on industrial companies hiring international talent: https://blog.herizon.io/international-professionals-and-industrial-companies-research

🔗 Herizon's free LinkedIn Bootcamp for international job seekers to help in communications and networking: https://www.herizon.io/linkedin-bootcamp