hei dingo

The one about potential

Mara Bande — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 10:49:40 +0000

23rd of October ‘25

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Let’s talk about potential.

When you’re unemployed, people love saying you’re “wasting your potential.” When you’re working at some lame-ass company, they say that “your potential could be better used elsewhere.” And when some Harvard/Oxford/MIT reject posts on LinkedIn about how they’re using their newfound free time to volunteer on a farm in Australia, everyone calls it “exploring potential.”

I’m honestly so done with potential here and potential there.

We all have the potential to become something uniquely cool, something that uses our BEST strengths. We also have the potential to mess up, make bad choices, or never get the chance to do better.

If I’m unemployed and sitting on my ass all day, I could be exploring my potential to become a crochet master (don’t hold your breath). If I’m a disgustingly overpaid exec at a multinational, maybe I’m wasting my potential to become a Victoria’s Secret angel.

Moral of the story? Potential is everywhere. Always in motion, never wisely used.

The ones “wasting” it, or failing to see it, are usually the ones who don’t hire us, promote us, or take a damn chance on us. So maybe the question isn’t “What’s your potential?” but “Who’s willing to bet on it?”

Mara, always rooting for you

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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News from Hei Dingo 🦊

Speaking of potential…
We’ve been quietly working on something that does just that. Our platform Hei Dingo is officially soft-launching 🎉

It’s your little career assistant: a space to uncover your strengths, see where you stand in the job market, and figure out your next move (no motivational LinkedIn posts required).

We’ve poured a lot of heart and late-night energy into this, and we’d love for you to try it out. Go explore it, play around, and see what you think, because soon I’ll be sliding into your inbox again to ask for feedback 👀

Check it out

🍃Community Recommendations

🎮 Game: Hollowknight: Silksong

Have you thought about becoming an e-sports prodigy? Me neither, I’m so garbage at League of Legends. This game, though? You need to try it. If you like platforming, beautiful visuals, beautiful storytelling, kinda hard boss battles, you’ll be glad to spend hundreds of hours on this. If you played the original Hollow Knight, you already know the hype is real. If not, play that one too!

✹ Events

Future Expert program

Apply before 26.10!
In partnership with the City of Riihimäki, Demola offers innovation projects tailored to support highly educated job seekers. This program helps you develop new skills, expand your professional network, and demonstrate your expertise by tackling real-world challenges.

Agile Data Engine Summit 2025 - Success at scale

29.10 | 15:00
Join ADE Summit 2025 in Helsinki on Oct 29. Real stories, sharp insights, and big ideas on scaling data success — part of Helsinki Data Week.

VERGE | Retail & E-Commerce: Profit, Purpose, and the New Playbook for Retail

30.10 | 14.00-19.00
Step into VERGE, the new global event series by Epicenter—the house of innovation. At VERGE, we stand at the tipping point of what’s next. Designed for those who dare to explore, challenge, and redefine the future, this is the movement that is set to amplify innovation on a global stage.

Psychological Ownership: An Innovative Approach to Sustainable Change and Engagementnership

28.10 | 08:30 - 10:30
Join Helsinki HR Community for an inspiring workshop where we explore how Psychological Ownership can transform the way organizations handle change and foster employee engagement.

HelsinkiJS October 2025

30.10 | 17:30-21:00
Regular monthly JavaScript meetups in Helsinki. This time hosted by NetLight!

Welcome to Finland Talent Match 4.-5.11.2025 | Online

Finland TalentMatch x Tech and IT is an online event connecting Finnish employers with international Tech and IT talents.

How to Work Remotely While Living in Finland

13.11 | 18:00
Can you live in Finland but work for a company abroad? Absolutely! In this webinar, Julia Zhukova from Nerdsbay will share practical tips.

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Thanks for tuning in! We are always on the hunt for newsworthy content to bring to the Hei Dingo subscribers. The best tips come from the community. So, please drop your updates HERE and fill me in on any related news in the Nordics ✨

The one about back to school feels

Mara Bande — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 15:23:21 +0000

8th of September ‘25

I’m baaaaaaaaaack

Friend!

A little birdie told me you felt abandoned by my newsletter silence. I apologize for worrying you! I’m alive, well, and still unemployed. A bit sad none of you checked in to see if I’d gotten an offer and jumped ship 😔 but alas…

The truth is, sometimes writing about job searching gets hard. And summer is DEFINITELY one of those times. I just wanted to lounge around and pretend I was getting paid for my holidays, manifesting a billionaire yacht owner hiring me straight on the beach.

Now September’s here, and it feels like the month for career moves. My LinkedIn is overflowing with acquaintances and former colleagues announcing shiny new jobs, promotions, or moves to greener, less unemployed crisis-y pastures.

Coming back from holidays with a job is like returning to school after summer break: you dread it, but hey, that’s the way the cookie crumbles. Coming back from holidays without a job feels more like inmates shuffling back to their cells after rec time. You try to ignore your situation, only to be pulled right back into it.

So how do you make that transition less soul-crushing? Maybe by leaning into the back-to-school mood, aka reconnecting with people, learning something new (or sneaking out to smoke cigarettes behind the gym… I don’t know your school experience).

September may not be a new year on the calendar, but it can still be a fresh start. Let’s see where it takes us. I’ll keep you posted & if you get a job you MUST let me know.

Mara, hiding my swimsuits and sunglasses 👙

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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🦊 About this newsletter

Babe, I know I have been saying something is going to happen soon but I swear that’s true 👀 In the meanwhile, I have a question for you.

Do you like this newsletter?
What value do you get from it?

I’m looking for people who can help me shape the way I’ll continue sliding into your inbox with my infernal yapping. If you have opinions, just answer this email and I’ll get back to you 💕👼🏻

🍃Community Recommendations

🎬 Docuseries: Katrina: Come Hell and High Water

It has been 20 years since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, and this docuseries delves into its survivors and the changes to the community today. When I was a teen, I watched Spike Lee’s “When the Levees Broke”, and this 3 episode series is a perfect follow-up to how things are today for the ones that lived through the storm.

✹ Events

DataTribe Meetup #5 - Data Engineering and AI @ Wärtsilä

📆 Date: Tuesday, September 9th, 2025 - 16:30 – 20:30
📍 Location: Wärtsilä, Hiililaiturinkuja 2, 00180 Helsinki
🎯 Theme: Patterns, Data Platforms & Practical AI

Herizon Fireside chat: Growing your career in Finland with Dinuka Lankaloka

Join us for a cozy fireside panel where we'll chat with our guest, Dinuka Lokalanka, a Product Designer currently working as a Lead Product Designer at…

Smart glasses as the next computing platform with Antti Sunnari

Join us as we explore how technology can amplify humanity, hosted every 2nd Thursday throughout the autumn. Our first talk is with Dispelix co-founder & CEO…

luma.com/mj5ojkjy

Maria 01 Builders' Breakfast: Building a Startup After a Career: Lessons from Monika Liikamaa’s Journey

Join us for the next edition of Builders’ Breakfast, where top-tier founders and operators share real-life stories. The wins, the failures, and everything in between.

maria.io/events/maria-01-builders-breakfast-monika-liikamaa

Peer Support Group in English - Luckan Integration

Peer Support Group in English (Helsinki) Why should you join this group? This group is designed to make job hunting and recruitment processes more accessible for unemployed job seekers who want to acquire essential skills for success in the Finnish job market. A group of ten participants meets every week for a minimum of eight

integration.luckan.fi/peer-support-group-in-english

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The one about never belonging

Mara Bande — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:38:07 +0000

10th of July ‘25

Are my Italy Chronicles back?

My dears,

I have once again returned to the motherland, and the last thing I want to talk about is looking for jobs. But I will still write this because I know you all miss me. I’ve been hanging out with my parents and my grandma, doing small-town stuff, aka canning tomatoes, making meatballs, watching the weird regional TV channel that plays crazy loud commercials.

I love my family, but coming back also means being "the one who went to Finland. Hilariously, in Finland, I’m always someone's Italian friend (and please stop spreading the fake news that I'm from Sicily!!! I'm from Sardinia!!!). In short, I’m either an exotic success story or a cute curiosity, depending on the direction of the passport.

I daydream a lot about coming back and bringing the tiny life I built to be closer to the people who love me without needing an explanation. But… I’m not really from here anymore. I’m a guest.

And I love the island I was born on. And don’t know how things work here.

I don’t know how people apply for jobs, or if there even is a startup ecosystem that’s desperately in need of a cool lady who can write one hell of a newsletter.

I know how to visit. I’m EXCELLENT at visiting. Even if I've built a life I’m proud of, I'm always slightly other. Life moves. People come and go. In this case, I am the one who comes and goes, and I don’t know what to do with that.

How do you belong to a place when you’re always leaving it?
How do you stay true to yourself when your identity is constantly shifting depending on the room you’re in?

I don’t have answers. Just wanted to mention that everyone here has Android phones and they voice operate their Google searches, and I feel like I’m an alien. That’s what prompted this whole thing!

Mara, sending love and tomatoes 🍅

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo

While I might be lazying around and sunbathing at the beach, my lovely team continues to work hard (thank you peeps, and sorry for abandoning you). Keeping up with what companies are doing is kinda hard, but we are here for you with the latest scoop 👇

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🍃Community Recommendations

🎧 Podcast: Embedded: Alternate Realities

While flying I have been listening to this three-part mini-series. The series is about Zach’s journey to reconnect with his dad, who has fallen deep into conspiracy theories that have fractured their family dynamics. In an effort to bridge the ideological divide, they make a bet: if ten of his father's cooky predictions don’t come true by year’s end, Zach wins $10,000. The podcast explores themes of misinformation, belief, identity, and how polarization affects loved ones.

☁️Friendly reminder

by Grace Carasco

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The one about being out of office when no office

Mara Bande — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 10:03:41 +0000

18th of June ‘25

Cool for the summer

I said it a million times, but it still bears repeating: being a jobseeker is a full-time job, except it’s more exhausting because no one is paying you. And now, to add salt to the wound, everyone with an actual job is vanishing on holiday. They’re definitely not emailing you back. If they are emailing you, it’s that corny Out Of Office automatic email stuff.

Unless your life is a rom-com and you meet a charming tourist billionaire business mogul who offers you a dream job over Aperols, it might be time to shift gears. I’m telling you because I’ve been trying to manifest this exact scenario and it hasn’t worked last summer…

Option A: Take a holiday too. A REAL one. Whether it’s a day trip, a nap in the sun, or a full week of doing absolutely nothing, the goal is to not think about work (or lack thereof). No job boards. No CV updates. Just you and your brain on airplane mode.

Option B (if Option A makes you anxious because if you don’t apply you think it’s your fault you’re unemployed): Use this “quiet” time to finally do that thing you’ve been procrastinating for months. My #1 recommendation? Sign up for a summer course. Local uni, online, whatever. Just something interesting that gets your brain going and gives you something to post about on LinkedIn.

Because we all know: sharing stuff on LinkedIn is key.

Mara, hit me up and I’ll like and comment on your LinkedIn

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

by Oyow

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo

Obviously if you knew what to do you would already be doing it, I’m not trying to teach you how to live. If you want more concrete examples of things you could be doing over the summer when the job application well runs dry, you can find a few here 👇

Looking for a job in tech or business this summer?

We’ve put together a list of things you can explore if you feel up for it (think free upskilling in Helsinki, gentle personal branding tweaks, or low-pressure networking). But here’s the most important part: We encourage you to rest. Seriously.

JOIN THE WAITLIST

🍃Community Recommendations

📚 Book: Open, Heaven by Seán Hewitt

I’m old and bitter, but I still remember what it’s like to be 16 in a town that is just too small for you.

But this book is about so much more than that. It’s about yearning, it’s about dreaming and it’s about love that changes the very essence of your being. James lives in a small village in England, and he’s comfortable with who he is, which makes him somewhat of a loner. By chance, or after much daydreaming, he meets Luke, and teenage yearning begins. You can tell that the author is a poet, this book really captures the magic of being 16 and knowing nothing.

✹ Events Stuff to do

Kids! I just couldn’t find events for you this week because of Juhannus, so here’s a compilation of free stuff you could be doing or start doing!

Stanford - Human-Computer Interaction Seminar Series on Youtube

This is just an example! There are tons of Ivy League Universities that share lectures, whole courses , or interesting panel discussions on Youtube. Just queue them up and listen as if it was a podcast. This playlist keeps getting updated.

Class Central - a huge course directory

If you’re looking for courses and certs then Class Central is probably the easiest place to look them up. Not all of them are free, but the filtering makes it easy to find the ones that are.

Opintopolku - Studyinfo

Universities and higher education in Finland continues throughout the summer. It’s not free, but you can enroll through Open University and learn something new or update your skills!

LinkedIn Learning: Online Training Courses & Skill Building

Also not free, but it has a free trial! Lots of topics and certifications.

secret club

And if you don’t want to stress with courses and just want to chill, relax and meet new cool people (to maybe do new things together), you should join Secret Club!

☁️Friendly reminder

By Katrina Romulo

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The one about hitting the ground running

Mara Bande — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 10:02:44 +0000

11th of June ‘25

…and falling flat

New week, new job? Or new week, same old mess? Just in case you’re one of the lucky ones, let’s talk about onboarding. Or more specifically, the lack of it.

You’ve probably heard every interviewer ask for someone who can “hit the ground running.” I love to think that it would be ME. That’s often code for: “We have no onboarding plan. We’re too busy to train you. Please already know everything, thanks.”

It’s a lazy way of hiring. It assumes the ideal candidate is a mind reader with insider knowledge of your internal tools, processes, power dynamics, and unspoken expectations.

I’ve been there. They were thrilled to hire me, excited about the “impact I could have.” Gave me a shiny MacBook (yasssss) and then... what? No goals, no buddies, no context. Just me, a brand new email address, and a vague hope I’d figure it out.

By day 7, you’ve read all the internal docs twice, and you’re a lost Sims character staring at a blank screen. But no one has time to onboard you. And aren’t you supposed to know what you’re doing? Sure. I know how to do my job. But what are your expectations? What does success look like here? In 30 days? In 90?

So what do you do when you’re on your own? You set your own direction.

Define what you want to achieve, schedule 1:1s with key people (even if no one tells you to), ask annoying questions, create your own learning plan, and build your own path.

And yeah, sometimes that plan might be “learn enough to leave.” If the vibe is off, the red flags are flying, and you're getting nothing but confusion and silence... maybe your self-onboarding ends with you walking straight into a better opportunity.

Mara, just saying 🤷🏻‍♀️

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

By Eric Carle

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo

My beautiful readers, in addition to ranting in this newsletter every week and sharing how my job search is going (not so well), I have a marketing team that creates super cool content on social media. I would really really love it if you could show us some love there too, because we are starting to think you’re haters 😔 Check out the latest reel 👇

Instagram post

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🍃Community Recommendations

📚 Book: We Could Be Rats by Emily Austin

I’m on a roll with those coming-of-age stories!

We Could Be Rats is the story of two sisters who have drifted apart after one of the two left to study away from home, who try to find their way back to each other. This book isn’t all pink and flowers, it’s about childhood wounds, sisterhood, love, and that time before adulthood sets in. Wonderfully written and painfully relatable.

I’ve also always thought that if I were an animal, I would be a rat 🐀

✹ Events

Beyond Pride Month: What Happens When the Rainbow Comes Down?
12.6. - 17:00

Every June, companies paint their logos in rainbow colors. But once July 1st hits, many of those same companies go silent on LGBTQ+ rights, continue funding politicians or organizations that harm the queer community, fail to invest in LGBTQ+ founders or create real opportunities.

Herizon workshop: How to design the product of You with Emma Ylivainio
12.6. - 16:30

Join us for an interactive keynote and workshop where you’ll learn how you can use design thinking to productize yourself as a job seeker. This session is led by Emma Ylivainio, an experienced designer and entrepreneur specializing in helping startups crystallize their vision and thrive in today’s competitive market.

Aaltoes x LeRobot Robotics Hackathon
14.6. - 10:00

Join us at Hugging Face LeRobot Hackathon hosted by Aaltoes on June 14th! We are providing 12 sets of open-sourced LeRobot SO-101 for participating teams! Whether you're a robotics newbie or expert, all levels welcome.

DataTribe Meetup - Data Engineering and AI 18.6. - 17:00

Join fellow developers, data engineers, and tech enthusiasts for an evening of real-world insights, networking, and drinks at the next DataTribe technical meetup hosted by Sevendos.

☁️Friendly reminder

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The one about an offer you can't refuse

Mara Bande — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 10:38:02 +0000

5th of June ‘25

A love letter to job offers I once had

Hi friendzzz,

Since the topic of the week is job offers, I hate to disappoint you once again by saying: I don’t have one. Still waiting. Still refreshing my inbox, as if it owes me rent and Beyoncé tickets.

Both I and TE Toimisto continue to identify me as an active job seeker. That said, the mere thought of a job offer makes me go nuts, like a dog hearing a treat bag crinkle. Alas, there's no fresh offer to dissect this week, so let’s take a walk down memory lane, back when the economy wasn’t in shambles and the world felt like it might just say ✨yes✨ to me.

At one glorious point, I had two job offers. TWOOOO. Imagine that. A fork in the road, paved with employment. I’m not someone who struggles with decisions until it involves jobs. Because when it comes to jobs, you usually pick between the one that pays more and the one that makes you feel something.

I went with the one that paid more (don’t judge). Naturally, I was deeply miserable. The other one? More interesting, but a few months in, they started laying people off. Seven months later, the company went bankrupt.

I got laid off around that time, too. From the one I picked. So… did I make the right choice? Who knows.

Anyway, let’s talk job offers this week. The real ones, the daydreamed ones, the toxic ones, the unicorns. Let’s romanticize them until one actually shows up.

With persistent hope (and a slightly bitter laugh),

Mara, always manifesting 🔮

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

by Hiroyuki Izutsu

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo

Kids, I’m not gonna lie. Every time I share something from our socials and you don’t go like, comment, and share, an angel (me) loses its wings. We are truly putting out cool stuff & we could use some expert (you) opinions. This is something that just dropped on LinkedIn… check it out 👇

Ever got a job offer that made you feel a little… 🤨 off?

JOIN THE WAITLIST

🍃Community Recommendations

📚 Book: Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K Reilly

Summer is about to start so here’s a good one to add to your beach reading list. Greta and Valdin is a book about two siblings, navigating life, love, family, and self-acceptance. We follow them from both of their perspectives, and filter life through their quirky sense of humor and insane family dynamics.
This was probably the only New Zealander I’ve ever read, and made me realize how little I know about the island and Maori culture. Not super plot-driven, but wonderfully written and entertaining!

✹ Events

Design Therapy Night
6.6. - 18:00

Join us for Design Therapy Night – a casual, supportive, and fun evening where designers can come together, share experiences, and connect over the highs and lows of our industry.

Helsinki HR Communtiy Breakfast
6.6. - 8:30

🌞 Rise and shine, HR friends!
Join us for a lively Helsinki HR Community Breakfast at the cozy Lazy Fox place. This breakfast marks the closing of our event season before the summer break, so come hungry for both great food and conversation!

WiT Upskilling Night
11.6. - 16:00

This event explores how mid and senior level professionals can move beyond dashboards and KPIs to tell better data stories, make bolder decisions under uncertainty and lead with empathy, resilience and clarity.

Join us for an evening of real stories, peer-level conversations and actionable strategies on how to lead with data, especially when the answers aren’t obvious.

Beyond Pride Month: What Happens When the Rainbow Comes Down?
12.6. - 17:00

Herizon workshop: How to design the product of You with Emma Ylivainio
12.6. - 16:30

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The one about reversing the process

Mara Bande — Thu, 29 May 2025 09:32:59 +0000

29th of May ‘25

Falling through the cracks 🤔

Sometimes (all the time) I think about how strange the job hunt is. How I can spend hours on an application, rewriting my CV for the seventh time, answering questions like "why do you want to work here" when the company won't even bother sending me more than a shrug in email form.

And yet, they all claim to want “top talent.” They want someone who can write like a poet, edit video like a filmmaker, manage a calendar like an assistant, plan strategy like a CEO, and ideally, has 3 years of experience in walking on the moon.

They ALSO want you to do a bogus personality test, three assignments, five interviews, maybe even a case study. Unpaid, obvs. “Part of the process.” And we do it, because we want them to give us a chance to prove ourselves!

But what if it was flipped? What if we asked for a 2-minute video explaining why their company is actually worth it? What if we ghosted them after they spent ten hours on a tailored pitch deck and then followed up three times? What if we told them, “Sorry, I’m applying to 300 companies right now and don’t have time to send formal rejections.”

It would sound harsh. But that’s the standard for candidates. This messy, cold process doesn’t attract top talent, it pushes everyone to avoid it. Because smart, capable people know their worth. They won’t stick around to be strung along.

Hiring is a two-way street. Respect candidates’ time, communicate clearly, design a process where everyone leaves with something (even if it’s just a sense that their time mattered). One day, the person you ignored might be the one deciding whether to work with you.

Let’s treat each other accordingly!

Mara, looking for more empathy 👼🏻

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo

I think sometimes, when I focus too much on job search and how crippingly depressing it is to be unemployed in this day and age, I lose focus on what’s truly important: getting everyone employed. We are working hard on Instagram and on LinkedIn to push out some good content, while still keeping the goal in mind. Check it out 👇

Instagram post

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🍃Community Recommendations

🎧 Podcast: The Thing About Pam

Calling all the true crime heads! I know this genre can be a bit dark for someone, but not for me. As a long time Dateline fan, I think their podcasts are the perfect deep dive. This case, specifically, the murder of Betsy Faria, unveils a deep web of scheming and suspects. Give it a go!

✹ Events

LinkedIn Outreach — How and Why
3.6. - 12:00

“LinkedIn applications don’t work anymore in 2025”
That’s why we’ve invited Anna Sozieva to join us for a live session and share what actually gets results. Anna saw firsthand what it’s like to job hunt as a foreign professional. Now, she helps others navigate this journey.

From dashboards to decisions: Reading data with a customer lens - Finnair case
4.6. - 18:00

Join us for an inside look at how the Finnair Product team manages their product development process—from ideation to launch and everything in between. You'll hear real-world stories, practical insights, and lessons learned directly from the team shaping the digital travel experience for millions of passengers.

Finland Azure User Group @ Nitor
10.6. - 17:00

FAUG hosts an event at Nitor’s office on Tuesday, the 10th of June, starting at 17! Join us to hear the presenters, discuss Azure, network with peers, and have a snack and a drink!

Design Therapy Night
6.6. - 18:00

Join us for Design Therapy Night – a casual, supportive, and fun evening where designers can come together, share experiences, and connect over the highs and lows of our industry.

☁️Friendly reminder

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The one where you're still in review (sigh!)

Mara Bande — Thu, 22 May 2025 14:05:11 +0000

22nd of May ‘25

"Still in review" is the new "just checking in" 🙃

Hi friends,

There’s a particular kind of job-search cringe that no one warns you about: when someone refers you for a role, and suddenly you’ve unintentionally looped them into your jobseeking emotional rollercoaster.

You’re still waiting to hear back, and now they’re waiting too. “I still see it as in review, haven’t they called you yet?” That’s super sweet, and really really supportive… just a little bit mortifying.

Because now it’s not just you refreshing your inbox with that quiet dread. It’s your well-meaning friend checking in, following up, and gently watching your progress (or lack thereof) like a mother hen who just wants to see you win.

You’re grateful. They did you a solid. But now you feel like you owe them closure. An update. An explanation.

“We had a great call, but then… nothing.”

“They said I was a top candidate, but they’re pausing the hiring.”

“They just said they received a ton of applications, and not this time.”

It’s hard enough to get rejected. It’s harder when someone else is standing next to you, waiting to see how it all pans out. I think I’m writing this as a way to exorcise my own demons related to when professional kindness gets tangled up in personal shame. I want you to be free of those worries!

You don’t owe anyone performance. Especially not during a job hunt.

Mara, never hovering 👼🏻

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

by Joey Guidone

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo

Most times we tend to believe that we job seekers are the only ones affecting the outcome of our search. Employees have a hand in it as well! On Instagram, we have been sharing some theories we came up with, curious to hear your thoughts 😌 Check out our rundown 👇

Instagram post

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🍃Community Recommendations

📕 Book: The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter

My DMs have been on fire with people asking for more book recommendations, so here I am to deliver. I have been reading a bunch of disappointing novels lately, so I had to dig into the depths of my Kindle for something GOOD. This novel follows Melanie, a teenage girl who, after the sudden death of her parents, is sent with her younger siblings to live with their Uncle Philip, a weirdo toymaker, in London. The story is haunting, poetic, and deeply layered, as coming-of-age tales usually are. If you’re not afraid to be unsettled, this is the book for you!

✹ Events

Revival with Melanie Dower
23.5. - 8:15

We´re a morning lecture series for Helsinki´s creative community that also take place in 244 cities around the world. We continue to strive to connect our audience with heard and yet-to-be heard voices that make Helsinki creative, beautiful and diverse.

www.creativemornings.com/talks/revival-with-melanie-dower

Women in Tech Breakfast Date
27.5. - 8:00

At this breakfast event you will enjoy a delicious complimentary breakfast, hear inspiring stories from Nordea employees and get the opportunity to network. Speaker for the event is Johanna Rönkkö, People Business Partner for Core Technology and Group Data Management. Join us in exploring the ways of managing work-life balance in the ever-growing world of technology.

www.nordea.com/en/careers/women-in-tech-breakfast-date

How can you work remotely while living in Finland?
27.5. - 10.00

During this webinar, we will meet with Julia Zhukova from Nerdsbay to talk about: Why you should consider expanding your job search beyond Finland, which countries are best suited for remote work, how to find remote opportunities, what legal options exist for remote work from Finland, what EOR is.

www.linkedin.com/events/howcanyouworkremotelywhilelivin7321497878382669824

Service Design Day 2025
27.5. - 17:00

Like every year, during Service Design Day, we come together to connect, reflect and inspire each other. Whether you’re an experienced practitioner or just getting started in your career, we invite you to join SDN Finland's Service Design Day 2025 celebration. This year, in cooperation with Elisa.

MLOps Meetup Helsinki #6
28.5. - 17:30

We’re reviving the MLOps community with a night of talks, ideas, and connection. Join us for talks from local practitioners building with LLMs, agents, and the latest in AI.

☁️Friendly reminder

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The one about friends of friends

Mara Bande — Tue, 13 May 2025 13:15:29 +0000

13th of May ‘25

Can you tell your boss I'm amazing?

Let’s talk about references and referrals.

There’s something wildly awkward about asking for help. Especially when it's not the “can you hold my purse for a sec?” kind of help, but the “can you tell your boss I'm amazing?” kind. You know, asking someone you just kinda know to bring up your name in a meeting, forward your CV to their manager, or vouch for you to someone two doors down. It feels bold. A little too in-your-face bold.

Even asking a former boss to be your reference is super weird. You loved working with them but… did they love working with you? (mine did, cause I’m delightful obvs)

Ok BUT, If the roles were reversed, you'd do it. Even for someone a bit random you didn’t know that well. Even if you never grew up playing Barbies together. You’d still say yes. You’d probably even ask, “What do you want me to say?” And then you'd say it.

So why is it so hard to ask?

Maybe we think people won’t help us unless they’re our best friend. But most people - especially the ones who’ve been through it - get it. They’ve asked before. They’ve been helped before. And they’re probably just as ready to pay it forward.

Recently, I found out that there are only three degrees of separation between me and the pope. So yeah. You're good introing me to your boss.

Mara, willing to lie to a recruiter for you 💕

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo

Last week we hosted a lovely live chat on our Instagram with Career Coaches Lidiia Salo and Karolina Numminen. Our discussion was all about networking, best practices and pitfalls to avoid. We received some questions about networking opportunities for non-technical people, and we delivered. Check out our rundown 👇

It’s SocialSaturday with Hei Dingo!

We’ve hunted down a pretty decent list of events happening in Helsinki this May 2025, from AI brainiacs and business rebels to awkward mingling over sushi 🍣 or full-on cardio with strangers in suits 🏃‍♀️👔.

www.linkedin.com/posts/hei-dingo_socialsaturday-activity-7326909264915046400-w3kO?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAACGGYOsBDsX8v1XSxLeDNEgKcjNVqamlq5E

JOIN THE WAITLIST

🍃Community Recommendations

🎬 Series: When Life Gives You Tangerines

Life on an island is tough, isolating, and always with an eye to the mainland. As a certified island girl, this series spoke to me.

The story of this family, located in Jeju island, could be the story of mine, or yours. Starting from childhood, we follow the characters all the way to their old age, with twists and turns, sad and happy moments.

This is not the classic K Drama sappy romance. It’s touching, it’s sweet, and most of all it feels real. Stop whatever you’re doing and go watch this series NOW.

✹ Events

How to Make Your Brand Unforgettable
14.5. - 17:00

Learn the secrets to creating a brand that sticks in people's minds and hearts at our event "How to Make Your Brand Unforgettable!"

Digitalization Transforming Nordea
21.5 - 16:30

Join us for an exciting edition of Helsinki Data Science Meetup hosted by Nordea, the leading financial services group in the Nordics and the preferred choice for millions across the region. This event dives into how digitalization and AI are transforming the financial sector.

The Unsung Heroes
21.5. - 13:30

Behind every breakthrough, a shadowed genius. On May 21, step into a world where science meets entrepreneurship. The Unsung Heroes is a one-day immersive experience celebrating those who build in the background: researchers, founders, civil servants, thinkers. The ones who trade applause for progress.

Event: AI Agents at scale
22.5. - 13:00

Join us for a hands-on afternoon exploring how AI agents are transforming digital sales: from real-world cases to building your own.

☁️Friendly reminder

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The one about networking 🌸

Mara Bande — Mon, 05 May 2025 12:42:14 +0000

5th of May ‘25

More than friends

Everyone and their mom is “out there networking.” Coffee chats, cold DMs, LinkedIn posts about being “so inspired after grabbing coffee with a legend”… Sometimes it feels like I missed the memo on when talking to people got rebranded.

What I secretly think is that you already have a network, whether you built it on purpose or not. It might be your classmates, coworkers, friends, or that one person you met at a random event and somehow still follow on Instagram. That’s all a network. The question isn’t if you have one, it’s what you’re doing with it.

If your network already exists by chance, imagine what happens when you’re intentional with it. When you shape it to reflect your values and your goals. That’s when your network stops being random and starts being relevant.

Opposite to what it might feel, networking isn’t a performance. It’s checking in, following up, helping others without a hidden agenda. It’s choosing who you surround yourself with and why.

So here’s your gentle challenge this week: Say hi to someone you admire, reconnect with someone you miss, offer help where it’s needed. Your future self will thank you and so might someone else.

Mara, sending out catch-up invites 💌

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

by Anisa Makhoul

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo

Have you seen what’s happening on our LinkedIn? If you’re not sure about your personal network, why not leverage ours? 👇

NEW DROP: Dingo Trails 🦊

Dingo Trails is a visibility engine for exceptional people who often go unnoticed by traditional hiring systems. Every two weeks, we spotlight one ridiculously hireable human, sharing their journey, grit, and direction, not just a résumé, but a roadmap.

Each feature includes a visual Dingo Card (a mini billboard of their superpowers), real job leads and intros from the Hei Dingo team, and a challenge to the community: Can you open one door for this person?

Want to walk with us? Nominate someone whose journey inspires you, tag hiring managers, connectors, decision makers. Plu,s you should drop real encouragement - yes, words matter!

JOIN THE WAITLIST

🍃Community Recommendations

🎬 Movie: Mickey 17

I was soooo excited for this movie, I love Bong Joon Ho’s films and I also really like science fiction, so I had it in my list.
In this story, Robert Pattinson plays Mickey, an “expendable” crew member who can be cloned any time he dies on the job, during a space expedition to colonize a new planet. The story is a unique mix between a comedy and a serious look at moral dilemmas that come with cloning, space invasion, and science in general. Not what I was expecting but worth a watch!

✹ Events

AI Success Summit
6.5.2025, 8:30 AM

Join us at the AI Success Summit, where you'll discover how to ensure your AI initiatives are successful. Experts from AWS, NVIDIA, Aalto University, and Firemind will share real-world tactics on how to make sure your AI projects thrive and unlock the enormous potential offered by AI.

AI for SaaS | Making your SaaS AI Native
6.5.2025, 16:30

Learn how to integrate artificial intelligence seamlessly into your SaaS product at our event!

Open Source Evening
7.5.2025, 17:00

Get insights on how startups and enterprises co-create with open source communities, and meet with like-minded students and industry leaders to push your project forward with open source tech.

Low-Key Data Meetup by Helsinki Data Week
9.5.2025, 17:00

Join us for another LOW-KEY meetup of data people at Kaisla! The first meetup of 2025 in March was a great success with many new and old faces. Let's have at least this one more meetup in Helsinki before the summer break!

Maria 01 Builders' Breakfast: Why Scaling Deep Tech Is 90% Funding Strategy
13.5.2025, 8:30 AM

Join us for the next edition of Builders’ Breakfast, where visionary founders share their real-life startup stories. This time, we’re sitting down with Pasi Vainikka, Co-Founder & Board Member of Solar Foods, to explore what it really takes to scale a deep tech company—and why funding strategy makes all the difference.

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The one about the many versions of you

Mara Bande — Thu, 24 Apr 2025 12:32:15 +0000

24th of April ‘25

You’re your own leverage

In today’s digital age - and in today’s market, where employers often hold all the cards - standing out in a sea of CVs can feel like an impossible task. But here’s a fact: having a well-curated personal brand could be what sets you apart.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that personal branding is only for creatives, influencers, or people who spend their days posting online. Another is that your personal brand needs to be a calculated identity, set in stone from day one.

The truth is different: even if you’ve never ever posted a single thing online, you already have a brand. People remember YOU for something. Maybe it’s the way you explain complicated problems simply. Maybe it’s how calm you stay under pressure, or how you always bring structure to chaos. That’s your brand, whether you’ve sat and defined it or not.

And yes, tech peeps! You have a personal brand as well. Staying behind the scenes doesn’t mean you’re invisible. It means you need to be intentional about how your strengths are seen and understood. Even the most private among us have a personal brand. Your personality doesn’t need to shine on social media to matter. It could live in the tone of your writing, the clarity of your documentation, the elegance of your Git commits, or the kind of colleague you are (and strive to be).

This isn’t about turning yourself into a product. It’s all about self-awareness. Knowing what you’re good at. Learning how to communicate that clearly, especially to people who don’t know you (yet). Awareness is your best tool, and when used well it can be your biggest advantage.

Mara, pondering how you see me 🤔

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

by Anisa Makhoul

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo

Did you see the pictures from our launch party? 👀

It was great, we managed to bring together a roomful of big names in the Helsinki recruitment scene and had the most insightful conversations on hiring, the state of things, and the way we wish to revolutionize how things have been so far.

Are you not in the wishlist yet? What the H-E double hockey sticks are you waiting for?!

JOIN THE WAITLIST

🍃Community Recommendations

🎧 Podcast: Stuff You Should Know

I’m too lazy to check if I’ve recommended this one before, so if it’s a repeat, forgive me (or take it as a sign to finally give it a listen). Stuff You Should Know is a looooong-standing podcast where the hosts, Josh and Chuck, manage to explain everything from obscure historical events to wild tech developments in a way that’s clear, concise, and actually fun.

They’ve armed me with half the trivia I use to dazzle acquaintances at dinner parties. If you’re even a little bit curious about the world, this one’s a must. Just pick a random episode… you seriously can’t go wrong!

✹ Events

Crossroads with Javier Sánchez
25.4.2025 at 8:15 am

A morning lecture series for Helsinki´s creative community that also take place in 244 cities around the world. We continue to strive to connect our audience with heard and yet-to-be heard voices that make Helsinki creative, beautiful and diverse.

Wednesday Pre-wappu Picnic
25.4.2025 at 10:00 am

Come and start your wappu celebration with wednesday.! We will have some wappu themed snacks and drinks, perfect for getting in the wappu mood!

Friend Program Event: Chill & Chat – A Networking Night
25.4.2025 at 17:30 - 20:30

Whether you’re new to the Helsinki area or simply want to expand your social circle, this event is for you.

Finding Your Ground in a New Culture
28.4.2025 at 6 - 8:30 pm

A hands-on workshop about exploring how cultural shifts affect our sense of self, and how to stay connected to our values.

Bloom 2025 — Growth through innovation
29.4.2025 - Tennispalatsi, Helsinki

This year, BLOOM centers on how businesses can thrive in a world where everything is uncertain by exploring the intersection of digital innovation, customer experience, and culture to create meaningful, lasting impact.

AI Success Summit
6.5.2025, 8:30 AM

☁️Friendly reminder

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The one about making lemonade 🍋

Mara Bande — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 10:24:49 +0000

9th of April ‘25

Bouncing back, babyyyy

Hey there 👋

Over the past weeks, we touched on subjects like taking leaps of faith & reframing negative thinking. I’ve also been skirting around the real elephant in the room: failure.

I'll keep it real with you: failure sucks. It stings, it’s embarrassing, and it makes you feel like everyone is watching (allegedly they’re not, they’re too busy worrying about their own mishaps). Failure is also inevitable if you’re actually doing anything at all.

My take is that failure is not a dead end. It’s a plot twist. And what do we do with unexpected twists? We adapt, learn, and keep going. So how do you turn setbacks into stepping stones? I call it “The Three R’s”:

1️⃣ Reflect → What went wrong? What can you learn? (Be honest, but also EXTRA kind to yourself.)

2️⃣ Reframe → Instead of “I failed,” try “I learned what doesn’t work.” Shift the narrative.

3️⃣ Retry → Adjust, tweak, and give it another shot. Every successful person you admire got there by failing a bunch 😌

So, next time life throws lemons at you, don’t just focus on how sour they are. Make something out of them. Better yet, make a whole lemonade stand 🍋

Mara, sipping lemonade 🍸

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo

I don’t want to give too much away (a promise is a promise 😉), but just know that big news is coming super soon.

Right now, we’re working hard behind the scenes to refresh our website so that anyone who gives us a quick Google search can instantly see who we are, what we’re about, and why it all matters. That’s getting unveiled soon.

And even more exciting? We’re this close to announcing when we launch.

Stay tuned, and… well, you’ll see. 👀

JOIN THE WAITLIST

🍃Community Recommendations

📚 Book: A Cigarette Lit Backwards by Tea Hacic-Vlahovic

I don’t remember recommending a coming-of-age story before, but this one is too good to pass.

Kat is a 16-year-old who so terribly wants to be cool. This story is about how teenagers would do anything to be accepted and how disruptive the need to belong can be. When she gets the recognition she craved, she also has to keep up with it.

Well written and relatable. We all wanted to be punk starts at 16, no one wants to be a poser!

✹ Events

Entergrate Meet - Monthly Meet-up

15.4. | 17:30 - 19:30
Join Entergarate for their monthly meeting! Enjoy a chitchat session over pizza and beer 🍕

Startup Refugees Business Breakfast

24.4. |
For network members old and new to share ideas on workplace diversity and well-being over coffee, good food and company.

MiB Career: Navigating Finnish Work-life: Professional Networks, Rights and Unemployment Security

16.4. | 16:00 - 18.00
Insightful session with Anne Delgoulet, International Liaison Coordinator at Suomen Ekonomit, where we delve into the critical aspects of the Finnish work environment to support your professional advancement.

Career Moves & Job Hunting with Erica Terranova

16.4. | 17:00 - 19:00
Join Erica Terranova, Head of Growth at Moomin Characters, for an insightful workshop on transitioning careers in Finland. Gain essential job-seeking strategies and learn how to navigate the Finnish labor market.

Collaborative CV Workshop

23.4 | 14:30 - 16:30
Work on your CV collaboratively, receive feedback, and explore different CV formats. Bring your existing CV or start fresh! Register here and send your CV to integration@luckan.fi

☁️Friendly reminder

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The one about catastrophizing

Mara Bande — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 07:47:04 +0000

24th of March ‘25

Not all is doomed!

Howdy 🤠

You know that feeling when you try a whole bunch of things, take a big leap, and nothing comes out of it? Yeah, same.

I’ve had those moments where I put myself out there, sent the email, applied for the thing, pitched the idea, just to get radio silence or a polite “no.” And after enough of this sort of stuff, it’s so easy to start seeing a pattern. To think, “wow, maybe I’m actually terrible at this”. You start playing defense, convincing yourself that if you just never try, you’ll never have to deal with failing.

Last summer, I wrote about regrets, the way we idealize the paths we didn’t take and dwell on all the wrong (are they even wrong tbh) choices. This is kinda the same thing, just in advance. Instead of regretting a past decision, you’re obsessing over a negative outcome that hasn’t even happened yet. What if things go wrong? What if I fail?

And yeah, things WILL go wrong. They always do. Sometimes it’s my fault (bad timing, bad execution, bad idea), but a lot of the time? It’s just luck. Things outside my control. And that’s annoying, but also kind of freeing. Whether in my control or not, then the better question is: What if it goes right? Or even just… somewhat right? What if it doesn’t go perfectly, but I can still be satisfied with my effort? What would that even look like?

That’s where my head is at this week. Instead of overthinking what could go wrong, I’m trying to get excited about everything that could go right. And if nothing else, at least that means I’m still trying!

Mara, using the scientific method 👩🏻‍🔬

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo
And so it begins!

If you’ve signed up for the beta, you know we had a few failures in the past weeks. But no more! Beta testers, check your inbox: your access details should be there (or will be very soon 👀). We’d love to hear your first impressions, so don’t be shy about sharing feedback, bugs, or even just “this is cool” messages. Every little bit helps us make the platform better before the big launch.

And if you didn’t sign up in time? No stress. Just hop on the waitlist, and you’ll be the first to know when we go live for real. Until then, we’ll be over here, tweaking, fixing, and making sure Hei Dingo is as great as it can be.

More updates on the launch soon… stay tuned! 🚀

JOIN THE WAITLIST

🍃Community Recommendations

🎮 Game: Hello Kitty Island Adventure

When I recommended video games in the past, I mentioned how I’m not one of them cozy gamers. Well, I’m here to eat my words. Since Hello Kitty landed on gaming platforms I turned a new leaf and made it my goal to become friends with her and her whole crew of cuties. This game is a bit like Animal Crossing, but with all the Sanrio critters you know and love (you better!!). Recommended to all that get too stressed with normal games 🌸

✹ Events

Understanding the Business: A Critical Skill for POs

Wed, Mar 26, 2025, 6:00 PM
This event explores how POs can bridge the gap between R&D and business strategy, navigate different organizational models, and make impactful decisions. Join this interactive session to elevate your role beyond backlog management and drive true product success!

DevOps Finland March Meetup

Thu, Mar 27, 2025, 5:00 PM - Hosted by Wärtsilä
During this meetup, you’ll touch on three different topics: Scaling Databricks on AWS: A Terraform-Powered Approach, Introducing AI Colleague - concept who tirelessly pays technical debt, Lessons Learned: In-place migration from AWS VPC CNI to Cilium.

Launch Your Tech Career as a Data Analyst

Tue, Mar 25, 2025, 3:30 PM
Are you ready to unlock the power of data and pivot into a thriving tech career?

Finnish Language

Thu, Mar 27, 2025, 7:30 PM
Come meet new people, practice your Finnish, and enjoy a friendly and supportive atmosphere. It's the perfect opportunity to enhance your language skills while having a great time.

☁️Friendly reminder

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The one about new challenges

Mara Bande — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 09:09:37 +0000

10th of March ‘25

Your Degree ≠ Your Destiny

Hiya 👋

The AI boom has everyone convinced that half of today’s jobs will disappear. And if you don’t have the perfect clear-cut degree or experience, the future might seem even more uncertain.

But here’s the truth: no one starts as a CTO. No one starts as a founder, a marketing lead, or a partner at a law firm either! Every promotion, every career change, every pivot is a leap into something new. No one teaches you how to move from one stage to the next, you figure it out by being delusional and convincing yourself that you can do it.

So why box yourself in? Your degree is a starting point, not a boundary. If you understand your skills and trust your capacity to learn, you can take bigger leaps than you think ✨

The future belongs to those who are willing to jump. Are you?

Mara, wearing a chef’s hat

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo
The magic starts soon ✨

Like I mentioned last week, we are SO ready. At least mentally, the platform is not yet ready. The insights are not yet insightin 👀

So many of you have already joined the beta, but we still need to amp up the numbers. If you want an exclusive (AND FREE!) first look at the newest platform designed to supercharge your career growth, this is your chance.

We are accepting more beta testers! No special skills or experience needed. As long as you have looked for a job at some point in your life, you’re good to go. All we ask is that you test things out and fill in a few quick surveys to help us make it even better.

We have pushed the beta kick-off to March 17, so if you’re in, sign up through the form and we’ll be in touch soon. Already joined? Know someone who could use an extra umph in their job search? Send them our way. We’d love to have them in on the fun 👀

APPLY HERE TO BECOME A BETA TESTER!

🍃Community Recommendations

🎧 Podcast: The Telepathy Tapes

If you’re looking at the charts, you might have seen this podcast climb up the ranks in the past month. I bought into the hype, and while I’ll forever be a skeptic, it did not disappoint.

This “documentary” dives into the life of non-verbal kids, and explores the possibility that they might be able to communicate telepathically, mind read, and have the ability to tap into all kinds of knowledge.

It sounds a bit kooky, and it definitely sounds far fetched, but it’s a fascinating and entertaining listen.

✹ Events

AI / LLM Developer Event · 12.03. - 17:30

Supercell and Symposium AI are coming together for this exclusive event tailored to AI/LLM developers.
It’s a great way to meet fellow enthusiasts, hear more about how Supercell is leveraging the latest technologies, and network + mingle!

lu.ma/krul0x7u

Explore Startup Sauna 2025 · 13.03. - 17:00

Everything you want to discover about the startup ecosystem – in one evening. If you haven’t looked into Startup Sauna, its entities, and all the student-led initiatives around the Aalto campus, this is your chance to get familiar with it! Plenty of volunteering opportunities, as well as all the hottest startup buzz.

lu.ma/yc9rt0u0

How to own the room? · 20.03. - 17:30

Public speaking is a skill very few people have mastered, and yet becoming more confident on stage can open all kinds of doors off stage too. Join this bootcamp with Elsa Ervasti to become more confident and able to chat up a storm!

lu.ma/uq449omq

☁️Friendly reminder

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The one about something brewing 👀

Mara Bande — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 06:00:00 +0000

26th of February ‘25

Where have we been?

Hello hello!

Long time no newsletter! 🌸 I know, I know… I disappeared from your inbox without a word, and I’m sorry. But I promise it was for a good reason, and it’s a good one.

The past few months, I put this whole writing thing on pause and jumped in to help the team actually build our product. And guess what? We did it! It’s finally ready, and we cannot wait to launch. More on that below, so keep reading!

A few things from here on out:

I’m bringing the newsletter back. Might keep this format, or bring back the OG one, might switch it up, but either way, you’ll be hearing from me more often.
I wanna know what you think. What do you like about this newsletter? What do you wanna see more of? Hit me up!
We’re gonna be way more active online, so if you’re not following us on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, or wherever else, now’s the time.

That’s it from me, but scroll down for the juiciest Hei Dingo update yet. 👀 Like I said, something’s cooking!

Mara, wearing a chef’s hat

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo
AAA Beta Testers Wanted

Like I said, we’re SO ready to launch. If we could, we’d drop it today tbh. But before we do, we need to make sure everything runs smoothly.

For the past few months, we’ve been working hard on something we truly believe can make a difference. We’ve built a job-seeking platform that gives you real-time insights on the job market, your skills, and how they compare to other applicants and what recruiters are looking for. This first version has been a labor of love, and honestly, we wouldn’t have gotten here without all of you who’ve been supporting us from the start.

Now we just need one last bit of help. We’re looking for beta testers! No special skills or experience needed, just that you’ve looked for a job at some point in your life. All we ask is that you test things out and fill in a few surveys to help us make it even better.

The beta kicks off on March 10, so if you’re in, sign up through the form and we’ll be in touch soon. This is the final step before we launch for real, and we’d love to have you be part of it!

APPLY HERE TO BECOME A BETA TESTER!

🍃Community Recommendations

🎬 Show: The Penguin

Any Batman fans here? I am one, and my fav thing about it has always been the villains.

You might remember Danny De Vito’s Penguin from back in the day. It’s still the same dude but with a not-so-Gothamy backstory. If you like mob movies, DC Comics worldbuilding, and amazing acting, this show is for you.

I can’t recommend this enough, I finished it in a sitting! Plus, I got to nerd out with a bunch of fan facts about the Arkham Asylum 🫣

✹ Events

More info

Change Management!

12.3. - 17:00 - 19:00 - Hoxhunt Offices

The Customer Success Community comes together again for an event on Change Management! This time, they invited ex-hoxhuntian and now happy googler Maria Moilainen to share her approach to Change Management in Customer Success.

☁️Friendly reminder

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The one about new doors 🚪

Hei Dingo — Mon, 06 Jan 2025 14:22:57 +0000

We’re always looking for fresh updates and here’s where you can contribute:
🔗 Local News Drop – Got something happening in your area? Send us the details by Saturday and see it featured in the next update!

When one door shuts, another opens 🚪

Hello sunshine!

How are you today? I hope you started your year with a bang 💥
I saw that everyone has been doing their personal lists on what’s in and what’s out in 2025, and I was feeling left out. So here’s the list of what’s going to define 2025:

Embracing The New

Turning dreams into visions
Converting challenges to stepping stones
Building meaningful connections
Advocating for our worth

Leaving Behind

The voice of self-doubt
The comfort of staying still
The fear of visibility
The habit of playing small

I can’t see the future yet, but I have a hunch that I might be right 🔮

Mara, a semi-safe bet

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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💡What’s the bizz buzz in the Nordics?…

Davide Frattini on LinkedIn: AI in Finance: Revolutionising the Financial Industry

Everyone is talking about the benefits of AI, but AI can also be confusing and difficult to understand. As someone working in the financial services industry…

www.linkedin.com/posts/davidefrattini_ai-in-finance-revolutionising-the-financial-activity-7280927402875060224-a6Ql?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

@f9finance
I have tested all of the big AI models for finance work so you dont have to. Youll be surprised which ones didnt come through. #financial... See more

✹ Events

More info

7ᵗʰ Winter Satellite Workshop

21-23 January 2025, Espoo

The largest New Space meeting in Finland, Scandinavia and the Baltic countries. It brings together space tech specialists, scientists, and students to discuss current topics in a rapidly developing space field.

More info

5th Nordic RWE and AI Conference

28-29 January 2025, Helsinki

Will the use of data improve the competitiveness of EU and result in value based decision making and healthcare?

✧That moment when Jobs✧

🚀 Supermetrics - Senior Platform Engineer – IAM (Helsinki) - 06.01.2025
👨‍💻 eMabler - Full Stack Developer- EV Charging Industry (Helsinki) - 06.01.2025 📊 Innopipe.ai - Full-stack Developer (Helsinki) - 06.01.2025
🌐 University of Helsinki - Senior Research Software Engineer (Helsinki) - 07.01.2025
☁️ Canonical - Cloud Field Engineer - EMEA (Remote, Nordic Region) - 23.12.2024
🌍 Integrify Academy - Open Roles for Freelance Tech Professionals (Helsinki) - 06.01.2025

☁️Friendly reminder

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We are always on the hunt for newsworthy content to bring to the Hei Dingo subscribers. The best tips come from the community. So, please drop your updates HERE and fill us in on any related news in the Nordics ✨

The One About Career Plotting

Hei Dingo — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 06:04:00 +0000

🔗 Local News Drop – Got something happening in your area or industry? Send us the details by Saturday and see it featured in the next post!

Holiday Season 🎄

Hey there,

Keeping things light and breezy because let's be real, this is the season for kicking back and staying warm! While everyone's busy with holiday chaos, I'm here embracing the art of doing absolutely nothing. After all, isn't that what this magical time is all about? Being with family, friends, and all the wonderful humans who make our hearts happy.

Speaking of family - sending an extra warm hug to everyone who's spending the holidays away from their home crew. This is my 9th Christmas away from my family (wild, right?), but I'm blessed with the most amazing chosen family who make sure I never feel alone, even when I'm missing home like crazy.

You've probably heard me say this before, but it's worth repeating, your circle matters SO much!

My holiday wish for you: may you be surrounded by people who've got your back, love you for exactly who you are, and show up for you no matter what. And may you be that person for someone else too, during the holidays and always! ✨

Merry Christmas and all the warm fuzzy feelings,

Mara, Santa’s Little Helper 🧑‍🎄

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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💡What’s the bizz buzz in the Nordics?

@_footluce
Replying to @Rianne My Christmas name is Lapland Lucy for all those wondering #lapland #finnishlapland #workaseason #finland #christmasjob

If you are considering a summer job, you should start preparing and applying now during winter. On the other hand, if you are looking for a great gig opportunity for winter 2025, as @_footluce mentions in her post, you should apply during the summer. We will be curating where to find these opportunities in the next month’s newsletters.

🍃Community Recommendations

Find more here

👨‍🏭 Job Board: Nordic Tech Jobs - by Persunde (github name)

A few keywords and you might be able to find your next job opportunity with the search of Nordic Tech Jobs.

Check it out and tell us what you think.

✧That moment when Jobs✧

🌐 M-Files - Digital Marketing Manager, Nordics (Sweden) - 18.12.2024
🎳 Kahoot! - Marketing Manager, Northern Europe - 18.12.2024
🏗️ Fortum - Manager New Services and Business Development Nordic (Espoo) - 18.12.2024
🔧 Rejlers - Automaation ja Instrumentoinnin asiantuntijoita (Oulu) - 20.12.2024
💻 Jamix Oy - Senior Full-Stack Developer (Jyväskylä or remote) - 20.12.2024
🧪 Jamix Oy - Technical Test Lead (Jyväskylä or remote) - 20.12.2024
☁️ Barona Northstar Talent - System Architect (Helsinki) - 24.10.2024
🔐 Hansel - Tietoturvapäällikkö (Helsinki) - 24.10.2024
💼 Alma Media - Liiketoimintajohtaja, Real Estate (Helsinki, Tampere) - 24.10.2024

☁️Friendly reminder

While you're cozied up with your holiday treats, here's a little insider tip: January is THE month for job opportunities in the Nordics! So maybe take 10 mins between Netflix episodes to save those interesting job posts or bookmark cool companies. Just planting that seed... while you plant yourself on the couch! 😉
Hei Dingo Team

Like this reading? :)

Thanks for tuning in! We are always on the hunt for newsworthy content to bring to the Hei Dingo subscribers. The best tips come from the community. So, please drop your updates, recommendations, TikTok or LinkedIn interesting posts HERE and fill us in on any related news in the Nordics ✨

The one about storytelling!

Mara Bande — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:50:34 +0000

16th of December‘24

What’s Your Story?

Hi there!

Last week, I caught up with someone who’s seen it all when it comes to career growth and personal branding. Something she said really hit home: success—whether in landing your dream job or building a business—is rarely just about skills. It’s about the story you tell.

When you're applying for a job, simply listing your skills won’t make you stand out. But weaving those skills into a story that highlights your journey, achievements, and unique perspective? That’s what makes you unforgettable. The role you’re aiming for starts feeling like a natural next chapter in your career.

Most of us find it hard to see ourselves as the main character of our own tale. Want a starting point? Ask your friends, “What’s the one thing about me that stands out?” Then build on that insight to craft your narrative.

The power is in your hands. You’re the author of your career story—just make sure it’s one people won’t forget. 😉

Mara, Looking for the next big idea 💡

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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💡What’s the bizz buzz in the Nordics?

Shared 16.12.2024

🍃Community Recommendations

Listen Here

🎙️ Podcast: The Future of Work - Nordic Talks

The labor market is undergoing massive changes, creating uncertainty for millions of people. Why is this happening? And is it possible to reverse this trend?

This series includes an episode on "The future of work" which discusses changes in the labor market, including the shift towards short-term and freelance work.

✧That moment when Jobs✧

by David Stewart

🚀 Hiab, Cargotec - Marketing Manager (Helsinki) - 09.12.2024
📲 Kalmar - Digital Marketing Specialist (Helsinki) - 09.12.2024
✍️ IQM Finland Oy - Content Marketing & SEO Specialist (Espoo) - 11.12.2024
🎨 Takomo Golf Company - Digital Designer Marketing (Turku) - 11.12.2024
🏦 Oulu - Project Lead for the Banking Sector - 13.12.2024
☁️ CGI Suomi - Cloud Architect, Innovation Center of Excellence (Helsinki) - 21.11.2024
🏃‍♂️ Vauhtisammakko - Running Coach (Tampere) - 16.12.2024
🌐 CGI Suomi - Cloud Architect, Innovation Center of Excellence (Helsinki) - 21.11.2024

🦊 What’s New from Hei Dingo

Pivots, research, validation and lots of interviews. For 2025 we are giving away a career report to see how your skills and background are valued in the Nordic market. Would you like to participate? Just fill this 1min form (link) and you will receive it in your email.

We have also done a tiny rebrand to open and welcome now every ambitious individual looking for regional career insights to understand how to move strategically in their career. Know anyone who might need our information? Send them this newsletter and tell them to subscribe (here).

More awesome news on next week’s newsletter.

☁️Friendly reminder

Snoop Doggie Dog

Thanks for tuning in! We are always on the hunt for career related content to bring to Hei Dingo subscribers. The best tips come from the community. So, please drop your updates HERE and fill us in on any related news in the Nordics ✨

The one about Slush

Mara Bande — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 13:57:27 +0000

18th of November ‘24

Slushhh is here 🤑

Hello Hello!

Last week we spoke about preparing for Slush. Well, Slush Week is finally here and the city is going to be chaotic and full of new people. I hope you took my advice and checked out the side events because I really wish I was able to be in multiple places at once.

One thing that got maybe a bit lost last week (my bad! I just assumed!) is what Slush actually is. Slush is a startup and tech event held in Helsinki every November. It’s probably the biggest tech event In Europe. It attracts a super international and interesting crowd. Slush is the place founders go to to meet investors, so it’s maybe not super interesting if you’re neither, but it’s much more than a trade show.

Every year, Slush happens mostly thanks for thousands of volunteers, some of which travel from abroad just to help out! If you missed out on being a volunteer, you should definitely plan ahead for next year.

Will you be going all out for Slush Week? Or just watching from the sidelines?

Let me know!

Mara, busy bee 🐝

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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💡Always keep in mind…

by Celia Jacobs

All skills are transferrable

When talking about your experience, you should always be in control of the narrative. If you’re volunteering at Slush as, for example, Badge Claim, it might seem like you’re just printing badges and handing them out - in reality, you’re dealing face-to-face with customers, problem-solving, sometimes managing people and schedules, using new software and so on. Learn to reframe those experiences and you’ll never have an empty cover letter!

🍃Have you…

🎧️ Listen: In The Dark

My very first investigative journalism rec!
The New Yorker bought out this podcast, and they recently put out a third season.
The “In The Dark” team mostly focuses on cases that happened long ago, it could be something unsolved, unjustly incarcerated people, or, in the latest one, the Iraq war. It’s very well done and makes me wish more journalists would do work like this!

✹ Events

Slush Side Events

All week

If you haven’t found a good side event you haven’t looked hard enough. Find side events on the curated Luma and on the Slush Platform!

⌛This Week’s Progress at Hei Dingo

We know Finland's startup ecosystem is bubbling with potential, just like Slush proves every year. We're blowing Hei Dingo wide open to help all professionals turn those insights into your next big career move.

Personal branding doesn't have to be slushy - it can be strategic, authentic, and game-changing.

Stay tuned…

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The one about preparing for Slush

Mara Bande — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:59:15 +0000

11th of November ‘24

Start filling your calendar

Hey there!

In case you have managed to stay sheltered all this time, Slush week is looming upon us. Now, I’m usually the first one to tell everybody that, if you’re not an entrepreneur looking for investors or an investor looking to fund something new, Slush isn’t really all that fun. The best part of Slush is all that comes with it.

There will be a bunch of cool international people roaming the streets and everyone and their nan (me included) will be organizing amazing side events that are sometimes open for non-ticket-holders to join. So here’s my little guide on how to prepare yourself for Slush Week.

Make a game plan: your Slush week can be as busy and overbooked as you wish for it to be. Which days will you be free to explore? What topics and fields interest you the most?
Check out the Slush Platform and go through all the events listed there. You’re able to filter the type of ticket needed (or not needed) and search by keywords as well.
Eye on the map! Most side events actually don’t take place at the venue. Look for the location and if you’re planning on booking yourself solid, make room for travel time from point A to point B 🥺
See you there? We might bump into each other!

And speaking of bumping into each other… Keep your eyes peeled on the Hei Dingo Instagram page cause I’ll be taking over this week 👀

Mara, making plans 📆

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

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💡Always keep in mind…

By Marly Gallardo

It’s a match!

A few months ago, I told you about how good volunteering can be in your job-searching journey.

Slush volunteering specifically opens one door that is oh-so misunderstood. Being able to enter the venue allows you to use the Slush Matchmaking tool just like other attendees. That means you can schedule chats with CEOs and cool company representatives and pitch yourself to the best of your abilities. Make the most out of those connections, research the companies you’d love to work for and go for it!

🍃Have you…

📞 Listen: Acquired

Ok, this might not be everyone’s cup of tea! Acquired is a good podcast to set the tone for Slush. Every episode is centered around a BIG company, and the hosts break down the stories and strategies that brought them where they are.

The episodes are super long, more like audiobooks, but quite insightful!

✹ Events {{slush is here}}

Space Startup Network Mixer- Slush side event 2024

Monday, November 18

16:00 PM

“This event presents a unique opportunity to establish connections between the Finnish startup scene and international ecosystem leaders visiting for Slush 2024.”

Growth Marketing After Dark - Slush side event 2024

Tuesday, November 19

4:30 PM - 8:00 PM

“with the brightest minds in Growth and Marketing from the realms of Tech, E-commerce, Food Delivery, Retail, and Gaming.”

Female Founders Stories goes Slush!

21.11. at 14 - G18

In the frenzy of Slush Week, it’s all hustle and founder mode, but how often do we dig into the oopsie moments? Get ready to be inspired by real, unfiltered stories behind success: the fails, pivots, and lessons that don’t make the highlight reel. Because sometimes, success is just two mistakes in a trench coat 😉 Our panelists for the day are Monika Liikamaa, Fadumo Ali, and Anna Sillanpää!

No slush ticket needed!

⌛This Week’s Progress at Hei Dingo

**** Freelancers & Entrepreneurs welcome too ****

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