Recent news (YLE morning 25.11.) about the number of unemployed academics once again brought to the surface a question that affects tens of thousands of top professionals annually: what happens when expertise is strong, but the job disappears?
In Finland, unemployment is still often experienced as a standstill – an interim phase where one waits for a new permanent position, and where the interim option is also considered. But in Central Europe, the logic is different. There, interim work is a profession, not a solution dictated by necessity. Many build their livelihood and career by taking on fixed-term management and expert roles that last from a few months to a couple of years.
Precisely this kind of model could be an opportunity for many academic Finns who suddenly find themselves unemployed – and simultaneously a source of agility for companies operating in constant change.
Becoming unemployed would not mean a standstill – but a transition
Interim professionalism could bring to the Finnish labor market something that is currently missing:
1. A Fast Route Back to Working Life
Companies that are not ready to hire permanently are often fully prepared to engage an interim professional for 3–24 months. This can be a significant advantage for individuals to quickly return to working life and for companies to obtain critically needed top expertise.
2. Accumulation of Experience in Real Situations
Change situations, projects, and growth phases are precisely the situations where interim professionals typically work.
The assignments are not “temporary jobs” – but real tasks that rapidly enhance one’s CV.
3. New Contacts and Opening Doors
Interim roles often lead to new opportunities, follow-up projects, and networks.
In Central Europe, many end up in permanent roles precisely through interim assignments.
For Companies, This Is Agility at Its Best
While top professionals would gain a new pathway to working life, companies would benefit significantly from the interim model.
1. Agile Resources in the Midst of Change
The market changes rapidly: change negotiations, organizational restructuring, digitalization, investments, production relocations. Often a permanent role cannot – or should not – be filled immediately.
Interim enables:
- rapid response
- without a lengthy recruitment process
- without permanent cost liability
- without headcount growth
2. Change Management When It Is Most Needed
Many Finnish companies struggle with change because experienced leaders are not sufficiently available.
Interim professionals bring experience that cannot be developed internally in time.
3. No Labor Shortage – When Professionals Move Flexibly
When professionals dare to transition to a project-based model, it becomes easier for companies to find:
- operational managers
- change leaders
- leaders for major projects/initiatives
- internationally proven professionals to open new markets
- project-driven professionals in IT and digital development
The Interim Model Benefits All of Finland
This is not just an advantage for individuals or companies. This is an advantage for all of Finland’s national economy.
When employment accelerates → expertise does not remain idle → companies remain competitive → growth becomes possible.
In Central Europe, interim work is a normal, respected, and clear career path.
In Finland, it could be a solution to the current situation, where:
- the pace of corporate change is increasing
- labor shortages and talent needs are evolving
- layoffs and furloughs are occurring more frequently
- people need a new way to remain mobile in the labor market
Summary
Interim could be a new Finnish way to gain employment quickly and flexibly.
For academics who become unemployed, it would be a fast route back to working life.
For companies, it would be an agile way to ensure that change does not come to a halt.
As changes accelerate, the labor market must evolve accordingly.
Interim work is not a temporary position – it is a profession that can serve both individuals and companies better than traditional models.
