International Spouse Career Counselling

The aim of the career counselling is to assist the client, including newly arrived spouses to Estonia, in potentially entering the Estonian labour market. Career counselling helps to learn more about oneself, adapt to change and make informed choices in order to start or continue education and work life in Estonia. The counsellor helps to design a path towards working life in Estonia and gives counselling on the following:

– Analysis of personality traits to help you be more aware of your strengths and better understand your development needs.

– Identifying necessary skills for work (including Estonian language and other professional skills), employment or profession choices, including entrepreneurship opportunities.

– Identifying learning needs based on the skills and knowledge required for the local labour market.

– Assistance in acquiring suitable learning opportunities (in-service training, additional education) including the introduction of services and benefits of the Public Employment Service.

– Developing short-term or long-term career plans.

– Qualifications and cultural differences in the Estonian workplace.

In general, career counselling is available to anyone living in Estonia that is interested in learning and exploring further possibilities of professional development in the Estonian labour market. The International Spouse Career Counselling service is a more specific and specialised service aimed to help the spouses and partners of newly arrived international specialists to Estonia, where a group of 6 career counsellors focus on the most relevant topics and needs for those that accompany their wives or husbands to Estonia.

Counselling is available in the following formats:

– By appointment at the Public Employment Office (Töötukassa) – more personalised service

– By email

– By phone

– Via Skype

NB! If you are planning on moving to Estonia but are not yet here, a Skype pre-counselling meeting can be arranged as well, so you are more informed about the local labour market and potential opportunities for your career advancement even before you reach Estonia!

A counselling at the Office lasts approximately 45 minutes and it is recommended to assist between 1-3 times in order to get the most out of this service.

1 – The career counsellor will get to know your situation, needs and circumstances, and define your expectations and goals.

2 – The career counsellor will use tests, questionnaires, worksheets, exercises, tasks, etc. to analyse your skills and qualities, if deemed necessary.

3 – The career counsellor will work with you towards the development of an action plan and discuss what kind of support is needed to fulfil the planned activities and achieve the previously defined goals.

4 – The career counsellor will summarise the activities in a results sheet and evaluate them together with you, in accordance with the set goal and action plan.

5 – If there is a need to continue career counselling, the career counsellor will agree with you on the time and purpose of the next meeting. There might also be additional exercises to be done at home.

6 – The career counsellor will send the information and summary of the activities via email, or print them out for you.

Tallinn – Pille Pesti (in English), Anna-Liisa Tiisma (in English), Jelena Malõgina (in Russian) and Piret Palusoo (in English)

Tartu – Anne Kaaber (in English)

Ida-Virumaa – Margarita Ivko (in Russian), Jelena Bert (in Russian)