People tend to take a safe and familiar approach to their job search, limiting the scope to their local area and their own field. This is understandable, as many are reluctant to upend all aspects of their daily life for the sake of employment. They have concerns about the time and cost of a long commute, and information regarding available benefits might be lacking. However, this approach can significantly limit chances of finding employment. If there are currently no vacancies in your immediate area or within your usual field, a slight adjustment in your mindset can help you uncover unexpected new opportunities.
When you widen the scope of your search – in terms of both field and geography – more options open up. Simply extending the area of your search can yield a surprising increase in the number of vacancies available. By expanding the scope of your job search from your home municipality to neighbouring areas or the entire region, the number of open jobs often increases by dozens of percentage points.
Draw a circle on the map – you could see your options multiply
Take out a map and mark your home as the centre point. Draw a circle around it with a radius of 30, 50 or even 100 kilometres. Then, see what you have available inside the circle.
Example:
- Helsinki → the entire Uusimaa region: approximately +118% more vacancies
- Jyväskylä → the entire Central Finland region: approximately +48% more vacancies
- Oulu → the entire North Ostrobothnia region: approximately +64% more vacancies
Source: Jobly, Feb 10, 2026
Write down every municipality and city that falls within your circle. The list might help you uncover some surprising options that you would not have otherwise considered.
Many jobseekers have developed a tendency to narrow their job search to a small local area. This limits their results, sometimes hiding potential job openings. Even a short-term gig a bit further away can lead to new opportunities closer to home in the future.
You should also compare actual travel times between different locations. A longer commute in kilometres may not always take much more in minutes. Also, take a moment to consider whether you could work during the commute – on a train, for instance.
While a longer commute may increase costs, you can compensate for these expenses through mobility allowance, provided that commute duration requirements are met. Read more about eligibility for mobility allowance.
You might also be eligible for tax deductions related to long commutes or moving for work, provided that certain requirements are met. Deductions can often be made for travel expenses and, under certain conditions, job-related housing arrangements. You should always check the latest details and personal eligibility from the Finnish Tax Administration’s website.
While perhaps a risk, taking a job further away can also be a calculated and often financially well-supported opportunity.
You are not alone in your job search
Expanding the scope of your job search is not something you have to figure out by yourself. A-kassa members have access to job search support services. They are designed to help you assess your situation and opportunities from a broad range of perspectives.
In collaboration with Barona, A-kassa offers support for your job search, helping you put your competences into words and discover new options. Barona’s job search channel connects you to all potential open positions with a single application. Barona will also get back to you with a personal follow-up to help you assess your specific situation.
Quick tip!
You do not have to commute alone. See if carpooling is an option.
Facts about extending the scope of your job search
- Impact by occupational group: When searching for jobs in construction, maintenance and manufacturing within Southwest Finland, there are approximately 7,600 vacancies available. By expanding the search to include Pirkanmaa and Uusimaa, the number of opportunities surges to more than 30,000. (*)
- Significance of the commute: A commute within your home municipality can often take just as long as a journey to a neighbouring one. By widening your search radius from Helsinki to include Espoo and Vantaa, the number of available vacancies in the logistics and industrial sectors increases by an estimated 75–110%.(*)
- Workforce mobility: 34% of those in employment are considering changing jobs, and 39% believe they will switch to another industry at some point in their career. (**)
- Willingness to relocate: Only 17% of those in employment would consider relocating for a new job, even though the biggest obstacle to changing jobs is the lack of suitable vacancies. (**)
- Hidden potential: In construction, industrial and logistics sectors, skills are often transferable from one industry to another without the need for extensive retraining.
Source: * KEHA Centre 2024
Source: ** Barona’s Working Life Survey 2026, https://www.barona.fi/en/work-life-research/