Cleaning is a common first job in Finland, and companies hire for offices, schools, hospitals, hotels, shops and homes. Many people think a CV doesn't matter for cleaning work. It does: employers want to see quickly that you are reliable, can work on your own and know the basics of safe cleaning.
What Finnish employers look for in a cleaning CV
- The type of places you have cleaned. Offices, schools, hospitals, hotel rooms, shops, construction sites or private homes. Each one needs different skills.
- Working independently. Cleaners often work alone, early in the morning or in the evening. Show that you can manage your own route and finish on time.
- Machines and methods. For example: floor scrubbers, vacuum and mopping systems, cleaning chemicals and dosing, waste sorting.
- Cards and training. Some jobs ask for an occupational safety card (työturvallisuuskortti), for example on construction sites. Cleaning jobs that include handling food, such as in hospitals or schools, may ask for a hygiene passport (hygieniapassi). A qualification in cleaning services is a plus, but many jobs don't need one.
- Driving licence and availability. If you have a driving licence, or can work early mornings, evenings or weekends, say it.
Common mistakes
- Writing only "cleaning". Say what you cleaned, how big it was and how often. "Cleaned offices" says much less than "cleaned a 2,000 m² office building every morning".
- Leaving out short or informal jobs. Home cleaning, hotel housekeeping and short contracts all count. Group them if there are many.
- Forgetting the Finnish job titles. Ads use words like siivooja (cleaner), laitoshuoltaja (cleaner in hospitals and care units) and kotisiivooja (home cleaner). Using the same words helps the right people find you.
- No language information. Even if the job needs little Finnish, the employer wants to know if you can understand safety instructions and talk with customers.
A short example
Quick checklist for a cleaning CV
- Types of places you cleaned, with size or number of sites
- That you can work on your own
- Machines, methods and chemicals you know
- Safety card or hygiene passport, if you have one
- Driving licence and the hours you can work
- Finnish level in plain words
Looking for cleaning jobs and staffing agencies that hire for them? See our resource directory.
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Get your free CV reviewThis guide is general information based on publicly available Finnish guidance. Requirements can change and can differ between employers, so always check the job ad and the official sources linked here. It is not legal or professional advice and does not guarantee interviews or job offers.
Free Finnish CV template
A ready-to-fill Word template built for Finnish employers, with examples for care, cleaning and restaurant jobs.
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