Are international students unemployable? – This student says no!

Imagine a scenario: you are a young person arriving to a foreign country for studies – the country that is famous for its developed infrastructure, digital world, and snowy winters. You, as a young person, are socially active, feel comfortable in the multicultural environment, know a couple of languages and study an interesting programme that you enjoy at the university. During your stay in Estonia, you become acquainted with the culture, get to know new people, and feel like at home. You then realise that you do not want to leave after graduation, that the country is now very dear to you and is the cosiest place in the world. So, you do what is logical – you start looking for a job.

Or just imagine that you are a foreign student who wants to get working experience and earn money during their studies. So, you do what is logical – you start looking for a job. One scenario or the other, the goal is the same – securing employment in Estonia – the country where great opportunities and no less greater challenges might be encountered on a foreign student’s way towards that goal.

From the statistical point of view, the picture looks promising – about 50% of the 5,520 international degree students studying in Estonian universities worked in 2020/2021. But nevertheless, looking for a job in Estonia might take some time and energy, especially when you are aiming for the specific sector that interests you.

Embarking on the search for jobs as a student is like walking in fog – you do not see the situation unless you get closer, you might bump into a few things on the way, and well, there is a chance to get lost and take a longer route. There are dozens of questions, starting from: “Where do I begin?”, “What is out there on the labour market?”, “How do I approach companies?” and progressing to “Why should they hire me and not the Estonian citizen?”, “How many more CVs would it take until I find something?” or “Why does the company not reply to me?”

Research studying employment of international students in Estonia has shown, that the biggest challenges in landing a job for them are knowledge of the local language, the low payment that is offered for the entry level positions and the narrow specialization of the study field that only leaves a few vacant spots on the Estonian labour market.

Not as scary as it looks

Good news is – either the weather eventually changes, or you get yourself that fancy anti-fog flashlight. Even though these are indeed the obstacles you may encounter during your job search, and they can be quite demotivating, there are more than 2,500 international students a year who secure a job. Since 2020, Institute of Baltic Studies has been implementing a project that is aimed at introducing foreign students to Estonian labour market through a series of online and on-site events that connect the employers and the students. During the events we have received a number of job-landing tips from the employers that can serve as cornerstones for those who are in the process of applying for work positions and we will gladly share them with you:

The biggest mistake applicants make is putting on the CV something that is not entirely true or applicable to them. Do not feel like you need to put something extra. (Financial institution)
Let the recruiter know what you are doing besides studies – maybe you took part in some project or other social activities. (IT company)
Prepare your questions and do research about the company if you are going for an interview, just to show that you care. (IT company)
If the person does not have the background, that is similar to the position, it is still worth applying if the vacancy is interesting and not very hard requirements are set to have it, just add a cover letter to explain why this particular position relates in some ways to you. (IT company)
You have to know for sure what you are interested in and what are your strengths. If you know that, you will definitely achieve all the heights. (Energy company)

During the introduction to the labour market trainings for foreign students, our coach shared a few recommendations as well:

It helps to explore the local labour market and your possibilities before making a career choice. Knowing the work environment as well as where and how to find jobs will influence your decisions
If you see yourself staying in Estonia for a longer time period, it is definitely worth using language-learning possibilities.
Internships are a great way to enter the labour market and practice the acquired theoretical knowledge in a real work environment.

Students who participated in the events and are employed in Estonia also shared some helpful bits of advice. We have learned that the key steps are having a concrete strategy, being open to or trying something new, building connections in the new country and looking at how your hobbies or volunteering can be helpful on the career path.

You should have a goal and a plan how to reach it. If you decide to stay here, navigate, and find out what are the steps, what is the back-up plan if you do not get job straight away. (Medical student, University of Tartu)
You should try different things, check out different companies, go to the events – networking events, career fairs or webinars on job opportunities are very important. You can get lots of useful information and tips there. (Social Sciences student, Tallinn University)
Having a network of friends/acquaintances, however big or small in Estonia is important. (Medical student, University of Tartu)
Volunteering is volunteering, it doesn’t matter what you do or what you pick. Wherever you go – you gonna get the knowledge, you gonna get the skill, get into the specific community. Choose something that you enjoy doing too. I knew I liked the international community, so I went there. /–/ This is on my CV and I can use it. /–/ One thing leads to another, and you can connect it to your future career.” (Business Administration student, University of Tartu)

As for us, we would encourage you to keep going! However big or small the steps you take are – the pieces will fall into place eventually, and you will grow and learn as you go along. And if you are looking for that first step to take, you might check our YouTube channel with the recordings of “Unlock your potential in Estonia” networking events to find additional tips and potential employers. Best of luck to you! You are almost there.

Maria Khrapunenko
Former international student at University of Tartu
Junior Researcher at Institute of Baltic Studies

_{Cover picture: Mette Mari Kaljas}_{(our collaboration with the young artist is supported by the National Foundation of Civil Society)}

^{The the “Various Trainings and Events to Introduce Estonian Labour Market to Postgraduate Students from Third Countries” project} ^{is co-funded by the European AMIF fund and the Estonian Ministry of Interior.}