5 hidden jobs in 3 months: how a strategic job search brings results. A story of Martial Labarthe.

Moving countries, closing a startup, burnout, job searching as a foreigner - none of this is simple. In this conversation, Martial shares his journey honestly: why he moved to Finland, what didn’t work in his job search, and what eventually did. This is not a “perfect strategy” story. It’s a real one.

To listen to the podcast on Spotify, click here. 

Martial, welcome. To start, what brought you to Finland initially?

It’s been around seven years since I've been in Finland. The main reason was family. My spouse is Finnish, and we have three wonderful princesses. Before Finland, we were living in Canada, which was very far from the grandparents — the distance, the jet lag, everything. So it made sense to move closer to family.

What were you doing in Canada before moving here?

In Canada, I was working as a mobility planner. For example, planning public transportation — where buses go, when they pass, how the network works. Similar to public transport companies here in Helsinki.

When you decided to move to Finland, what were your expectations about work?

My main dream was to bring my skills and background and share them with my new community. Of course, continuing my career was important, but also feeling useful here in Finland.

How did your job search journey start?

Before talking about job hunting, it’s important to mention that I was the founder and CEO of a startup in sustainable mobility. Like many startups, it didn’t go as planned. That’s part of the risk.

After that, I went through a very strong burnout — about two years. I wasn’t ready to look for a new job immediately. It was a very hard period. Thankfully, my family supported me a lot.

So the first step wasn’t applying. It was accepting what happened. Understanding that the startup was not a mistake. I learned many things, and I still had value and skills for the future.

I also questioned a lot: who am I, what inspires me, what do I really want to do? I remember a quote shared in a bootcamp, from Iris Apfel: “If you are not interested, you cannot be interesting.”

That stayed with me. I realized how important it is to know what I care about — otherwise, I would just apply everywhere and lose my energy.

What helped you answer those questions about who you are and what you want?

I read a lot. Books about failure, about trying and accepting things.
Start With Why by Simon Sinek helped me a lot.
Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman also helped me understand what kind of person I am, and what kind of job could make sense for me.

You described job searching as feeling like having a boss constantly telling you, “You are not good enough.” How did you manage that emotionally?

It’s very important to find positive actions during this period. Sports, events, meeting friends — something outside of job searching.

I remember one application where I could send a short video instead of a letter. When I recorded my first draft, I realized how sad I looked. That was a wake-up call. Attitude matters a lot.

You cannot just apply all day and think only about rejection. You need positive energy from somewhere else.

At some point, you decided to take a break from applying. What did that change for you?

After about six months of applying, I started to feel burnout again. So last summer — July, when everything is calm in Finland — I took around three to four weeks off with my family.

During that break, I stepped back and asked: why is this not working? The job market is hard for everyone, but especially for foreigners, we have to be more proactive.

I realized I needed more focus. And I also realized I wanted to lead my own job search — not just follow the system.

That’s when I started writing my first blog posts for Geopath. Just to share my expertise. After the first two articles, people told me: “You could do more of this.” That helped me remember: I am not a job seeker first. I am an expert.

Then you shifted fully to networking. What did that look like in practice?

LinkedIn was my main tool. I sent private messages to people in my network. I commented on posts. Slowly, conversations started. Then coffee meetings and lunches.

I always preferred meeting face-to-face. For me, the energy is completely different. You don’t only talk about jobs. You talk as people.

And where did that lead?

In about two to three months, I discovered 5 hidden job opportunities. One turned into a short consulting contract in November and December. Two others are still in discussion.

For me, networking is the easiest and best way to access hidden jobs — especially as a foreigner. You need to be at the right place at the right time, before others.

What did you do differently compared to many job seekers?

I never introduced myself as a job seeker. I talked about my story as a person first, then as an expert.

Hiring is often more about fit than skills. Many people have similar skills. What matters is attitude and whether people feel they can work with you.

Sometimes a coffee is just a coffee. But if someone agrees to meet you, they are usually open to supporting you — with advice, introductions, or ideas.

Be curious, not desperate.

What would you recommend to people job searching right now?

Networking, for sure. Be proactive.

On LinkedIn, you don’t need to post every day. Commenting and engaging is already enough. I never used the “OpenToWork” LinkedIn tag. I preferred to talk about my expertise, not my job search.

Also, NGOs in Helsinki, Espoo, and Vantaa are doing an amazing job — The Shortcut, Auroras, Startup Refugees, Herizon, and others. They provide real support, and I wish more people knew about them.

If you had just landed in Finland today, what would you do differently?

First, connect with your local community — for example, people from your home country. It’s easier at the beginning, and they can introduce you to Finns and employers. I didn’t do that enough when I arrived.

Second, be clear about Finnish language learning. If you want to integrate fully, learning Finnish shows that you want to be part of the community. If you choose not to, that’s okay — but you also have to accept that some doors will stay closed.

Any final thoughts?

This is not a perfect strategy. It’s just what worked for me.
Job searching is a very challenging period, but I believe we can come out stronger.

And remember:
You are not a job seeker first.
You are an expert first.

About Martial Labarthe

As a trained 𝗴𝗲𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗿 and 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿, he has built his career at the intersection of human behavior, urban systems, and sustainable transformation.” adding business development after urban systems.