A Vietnamese brand manager at a computing startup based in Helsinki, Hoang-Mai Nguyen, gave an interview with Good News From Finland about her experiences studying and working in Finland.
She said the main differences between working in Finland and other countries were work-life balance, salary level, and work hierarchy.
“I’ve never worked in another country but based on what I heard from my friends, the work-life balance is much better in Finland.” She highlighted that the competition in Asia “is incredibly tough,” and “Also, the salary level in Vietnam is lower, and in some cases, you must work hard to make a living.”
Mai said she “was surprised” with the work hierarchy in Finland, adding that everyone is accessible despite their position. “I can always chat with them and discuss either work or personal issues by the coffee machine, during lunch, or over a glass of wine during the company’s after-work hours,” she said.
In addition, she shared her insights on working in the Finnish startup sector, saying that the country “has a great ecosystem for startups.”
She said:
“The Finnish startup ecosystem has also significantly evolved during my time here. There are now many more startups, many of which have been founded by an expat living in Finland. As a non-Finnish person, that means a lot to me.”
As Mai moved to Helsinki to continue her studies after graduating from high school in Vietnam and currently is working there, she further shared about her time in Finnish universities, her lifestyle living in Finland, and why she loves living in the Nordic country.
Read the full interview with Goof News from Finland here.
