Employability of Foreign BBA Students at Arcada

Abstract

This research is commissioned by Arcada Career Services. The topic of this research is “Employability of Foreign BBA Students at Arcada.” This study determines how foreign degree students can differentiate themselves in the Finnish labour market. The importance of the personal brand and the university brand are also discussed. The addressed research questions are: Does the student’s university’s brand influence the employability of students? What are the employers’ requirements of foreign job seekers in the Finnish labour market? How should foreign BBA students brand themselves in order to get em-ployed? The aim of this research is to accelerate the employability of foreign degree stu-dents; with a focus on foreign BBA students at Arcada. Limitations of this research in-clude the small number of interviewees. The empirical research is conducted through qualitative research, by using a structured interview method. The research method is cho-sen by keeping in mind the objective of the research. The interviews are done with HR professionals from different fields. The interviewees represent McDonald’s, Student Work and Management Events. The fourth interviewee is anonymous. All interviewees have positive experience of recruiting foreigners. One pointed out that a foreign job seeker should understand the importance of skills in the domestic language and that some companies require that the person have studied Finnish or can in some other way prove that he or she has an interest towards learning the language. Having the right attitude, mo-tivation and values are highly appreciated characteristics among employees. Basic busi-ness skills, fluent business English, solid knowledge in the own field and an interest in learning Finnish are qualities that employers require of foreigners. This research indicates that the university brand is not as important as the personal brand. However, a renowned university brand can enhance the possibilities of getting employed especially when there is a lack of previous work experience.