Employed individuals’ stories motivate and inspire

Topics

• Job seeking
• Member benefit
• Unemployment

At the end of 2022, the joint Työvoitto (“Job Win”) pilot was launched by YTK Working Life and Remmi, the aim of which is to employ one hundred members of the YTK. The speciality of the pilot is the job search buddies who support and spar the job seeker, says Mika Mustakallio, Chairman of the Board of Remmi, who has also worked as a job search buddy himself.

“During interviews and meetings, it has been a great feeling to see when an unemployed person’s faith in their own possibilities has begun to awaken. It also brings a lot of joy as a job search buddy when the person searching for a job gets employed. The journey of Remmi and the stories of those who have found employment are very motivating and inspiring,” says Mika Mustakallio about his experiences.

Mustakallio is one of the founders and chairman of the board of Remmi Työpalvelu Oy, a working life service for connecting job seekers and employers. During his career, he has worked as a consultant and entrepreneur, among other things.

Job search buddy activities are Remmi’s specialty and core. “A job search buddy helps an unemployed person in their job search, creates connections between the unemployed person and employers, offers new perspectives and ideas, and supports them in refining their goals and finding solutions,” says Mika Mustakallio.

Solving the mismatch problem one person at a time

Founded in 2022, Remmi has had a fast-paced start. The recruitment and staffing company originated from the annoyance felt by its founding members, because it is sometimes very difficult for skilled people to find employment. On the other hand, they had noticed that helping people get a suitable job is the best and longest-term recruitment for all parties involved. The remaining question was how to bring applicants and jobs together.

“At the end of 2021, we once again discussed how huge the number of unfinished work and unemployed job seekers in Finland does not meet. From that, we set out to make a business plan for Remmi and to implement the establishment of the company,” says Mustakallio.

A few months later, a group of about 70 entrepreneurs and business leaders was assembled. These people now work at Remmi as job search buddies, voluntarily and as part of the service. Remmi works like a charity: the proceeds are used entirely to promote employment.

Job search buddies spars and supports on the way to employment

Mika Mustakallio says that sometimes the challenges faced by job seekers are relatively easy to face and solve.

“Someone can be shy by nature and nervous about a job interview. In this case, the job search buddy can join the interview, help overcome challenging points and bring out the employee’s true abilities. At times, there may have been difficulties in writing an application or CV.”

Job search buddies have recruited countless people themselves during their careers. Thus, they are in a good position to spar and help someone who is looking for a job.

Mustakallio points out that the unemployed person’s desire to work is very important for employment. Sometimes, however, the experiences of the unemployed can be very overwhelming, and trust is rightly flimsy if, despite dozens or hundreds of applications, the applicant has not even been able to get an interview once.

“It is important for the applicant and the job search buddy to discuss the fears of the job search and previous, even challenging, situations. Through joint discussions, the person’s current situation, dreams, competences and abilities are mapped out.”

The goal of Remmi is to employ people one person at a time. By bringing the right people and jobs together, good and long-term employment relationships can be created.

“It can be said that we are in full operation, although of course only at the very beginning of our journey. It also gives you a huge amount of strength when you get to see how meaningful the help provided by a personal job search buddy is,” says Mika Mustakallio.