After relocating from bustling Paris to significantly quieter and more conservative Seinäjoki in Ostrobothnia, western Finland, Fatima Choaïbi decided to take her fate into her own hands and moved to Helsinki in search of work – and sushi. Fatima soon decided that traditional approaches to the job search weren’t cutting it and she decided to do things “the Latin way”.
For Fatima, that meant singling out several companies that were likely to benefit from her training, experience, language skills and connections in Algeria. It also meant bypassing recruiters.
“And one thing that really moved the needle is that there is no way I'm reaching out to HR. HR has never listened to me, has never focused on me. So now I'm going to the decision maker. And what is a decision maker? Well, it's simply the MD or the CEO,” she said.
A calculated risk that paid off
It was a calculated risk that paid off, because one of the 17 companies that she’d contacted responded the very day that she’d sent out her targeted email. That marked the beginning of a career that took her from stop-gap work as a cleaner to her current status as a seasoned marketing professional. Choaïbi said she owes her professional breakthrough to one CEO who read her email and responded within an hour.
“I really would like to dedicate this podcast to Perti Korhonen [a former Outotec CEO], actually. If he's listening…you're the main trigger to my career here in Finland. You trusted me, you answered my message and that's what led me [to] where I am now, actually.”
Networking is key
The former Parisian said that despite her professional progress, she has faced challenges at work, which she has tackled with a combination of hard work and determination. She encouraged newcomers to Finland not to give up their career aspirations, and advised them to find ways to differentiate themselves – and to network.
”Networking is key. It's a small country, small circles and people know each other. So if you know the right people, if you meet with the right people, if you connect with the right people, you're enhancing your chances big time.”
Listen to Fatima’s story of persistence and resilience in Episode 8 of FTTLG. You can follow and subscribe to Finland: Through the looking glass on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify for Podcasters (formerly Anchor.fm). Remember to like, share and rate the show and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Audio production was provided by Travis Glossop and the podcast was recorded at Enchanté Café in Helsinki.
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