Employment contracts and Salary negotiations
Salary discussions
When you finally reach the interview, you should find out what kind of salary you can command. Career Services regularly conducts career follows up on our alumni to see how their careers salaries have developed. You can find the latest Career follow-ups here.
You can also contact the union and/or others who you know work with similar tasks at competing companies, for example via LinkedIn. There are also websites such as Glassdoor where you can read about the experiences of former employees and also salaries at companies. AI tools can also be useful for figuring out what a good salary to ask for could be.
Try to make an assessment of your work (degree of difficulty, responsibility, expected performance, business/industry, etc.) and your skills. Place your salary request a little higher than you believe the employer will agree to in order to create a bot of room for negotiation. If you get a low starting salary, it can be difficult to get out of the pit.
The salary discussion can be brought up at a stage when it feels natural, when both parties have a rough idea of where they stand with each other. Sometimes the employer asks about it themselves. Be prepared to compromise if it is a job you really want!
The Finnish Business School Graduates' publish recommendations for salaries for recent graduates from Business Schools, summer jobs and thesis pay and remuneration. You can read more at their web page.
Other things to negotiate
Besides the salary, it is important to also consider the benefits included in the employment. These can, for example, include flexible working hours, the possibility of remote work, bonuses, health benefits, or support for skills development. An overall assessment of both salary and benefits gives a more accurate picture of the job's value.
Always write a contract of employment
Once you are offered the job, it's time for the contract of employment. The contract of employment significantly reduces the possibility for misunderstandings relating to your work.
If your office is part of a collective agreement it will be referred to in your employment contract. The collective agreement regulates questions regarding vacations, periods of notice, benefits and other employment conditions. The collective agreement only states minimum levels.
If you are hired by an enterprise that does not belong to a collective agreement, it is particularly important that an employment contract is drawn, stating all employment conditions.
The following should always be stated in an employment contract:
- Employment title and tasks
- Form of employment (fixed-term or indefinite)
- Period of notice
- Salary and benefits
- Working hours and compensation for over time
- Pension (is often governed by law + collective agreements)
- Salary during sick leave (is often governed by law + collective agreements)
- Salary during parental leave or military service (is often governed by law + collective agreements)
- Travel allowance and allowance for expenses
Further information and advice regarding employment contracts is offered by labour unions and the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.