26/10/2021 | Written by Adéla Nováková
Café Crème for Luin Living – Story of Their First International Recruitment
Noora, co-founder of Luin Living, a home–textile company, shared a charming story of hiring the first international employees and her tips for other local companies to follow the international adventure.
As Noora explains, the need to become an international company was clear to them since the very start. “We knew from the beginning that we need to be international if we want to succeed and grow the company.”
Lowering your language requirements can open a wider range of the job applicants and finding the right person for your team and needs.
“When we started our recruitment process, we had not decided on a strict profile, or knowledge of certain languages, we just knew we needed a person who is not afraid to contact potential international retailers.“ Sharing the job opening on Jobs in Finland website, dedicated for international people searching for a job in Finland, broadened up the variety of job applicants significantly. “I did not know about this option before, but luckily we got the hint to do that through TE-services”. In adition to other services, TE-services offer support for finding and hiring international talents.
“It can surprise you what kind of great talents we even have in Tampere area.”
“I would have never imagined that it could be even possible, but we received more international than Finnish applications, from over 25 different nationalities.” Luin Living ended up accepting two new international team members, with a support of Business Finland funding. “It did not even come to my mind we could be able to hire more than just one, but we found the perfect match in two of the candidates.”
Communication in the company is more than just about a language
“We changed our internal language to English, of course. Everybody in the team was excited about it.”
“These two persons that we recruited; they have been living in Finland for a couple of years already. And they understand a lot of Finnish and can even speak it. I did not even know this, because people are so humble. So sometimes it can be a mess of people explaining things in English and Finnish, and somehow, we just understand each other.”
“It opened the world even more for us.”
Hiring an international is an opportunity to bring new ideas to the company. But also, a big advantage in breaking the language barrier while contacting potential partners and scanning the target market. A native speaker makes it much easier in the international fairs taking place abroad. “Now we will not have the problem with language barrier when any technical or other issues appear in international fairs. For example, in France even ordering a coffee with milk in English might be a challenge,” laughs Noora, “Café Crème”.
“The applicants who show interest towards your brand are typically the best and most motivated ones and that is certainly not a nationality issue.”
“Write your job add in English and at least try to see what is out there in the labour market if Finnish language is not a total must. Go through the CVs without even looking at the nationality first. Just stay open-minded and go for it.”
Luin Living was founded by Noora Mustajärvi and her life-time friend Mari Luodes 6 years ago. Luin Living produces timeless and high-quality products with a commitment to ecologically and ethically sustainability to indulge luxurious experience of every-day home spa treatment.
