From intern to a full-time employee at Nordea Bank Oyj by Igor Kajander

Last year in 2021, I was studying abroad at a university in Moscow. At the be beginning of 2021 I started actively seeking out practical training positions and summer jobs for myself for the upcoming summer. I have applied for dozens of places in central Finland. Some of them progressed to the interview but most I did not even make it to the interview. After spending spring outside of Finland, I wanted to find a place for myself in Jyväskylä. Still despite trying to find an entry-level position at which I can do my practical training and maybe continue as an employee in the banking area is hard.

 I started to seek a position outside of Finland and applied to a loan process specialist position at Nordea Bank Oyj in Estonia. The process moved quickly and in one week I was offered a full-time position at Nordea starting next month. The only problem was that I have just moved from Moscow back to Finland and was in my new apartment which I rented. Had to make big decisions, but the position I was offered was truly worth it. In one month from that, I was on a ferry moving to Estonia and the rest is history.

During my probation time, which is 4 months, I was able to complete my practical training for JAMK. I have learned a lot during that time and have been learning ever since. I work in a Finnish team that handles Finnish corporate customers. My day-to-day tasks are related to loans, limits, pledges, and guarantees. I prepare a lot of documents for signing. I have been taking part in multiple projects. Even when every day I am supposed to do some tasks, no one day was the same as another. In a way, this position is exactly what I wanted to do when I graduate. In addition to that in a company this big, I think I have almost unlimited opportunities here to grow.

I am pleased with my decision to move to another country after work position. After all, IB does stand for international business, opportunities are everywhere if you just look wider.

Author: Igor Kajander