Annes with long working histories

The first career steps of two Annes in the world of public procurement were very similar, even though they were taken on different decades. Both started as couriers of Hansel, known as the central procurement unit of the Finnish Government at the time, after which their journeys have contained several office duties. Now, both of these ladies have over 40 years of experience in public procurement.

In autumn 1973, Anne Juslin was browsing the job advertisements on the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper, which used to have pages of them back in those days. An advertisement caught her eye that mentioned the word “government”. In the 1970s, people still talked about the government’s long and thin bread, which implied a small but secured income. This tempted Anne, who was just starting her career path, and she decided to apply for a job at the government’s central procurement unit (VHK).

“During the job interview, I was asked if I could start the next day at 8 a.m., to which I replied ‘absolutely!’”, says Anne, looking back on her quick VHK recruitment.

However, Anne worked as a courier only for a few months, as the supervisor of the financial and calculation unit had noticed the energetic new employee and wanted her in their department. In addition to accounting and pay calculation, Anne learned computing skills early on after she worked as an operator. The VHK offered its employees training alongside work, an opportunity which Anne seized more than once.

“Accounting, calculation secretary, secondary school graduate from evening classes, customer service and sales training”, Anne lists as her studies that are comparable to apprenticeship training.

Working for an employer that invests in its employees and their development was pleasant, and Anne was happy to be moving up the career ladder.

Over the years, VHK changed to Kauppatalo Hansel. At that time, Anne worked with the Hansel card system. When Hansel dropped Kauppatalo from its name in 2003, she was making car deals for customers. As of 2006, Anne has worked in Hansel’s customer service, where a long history of experience and silent knowledge are particularly useful.

Career advances through training

Anne Majalampi began working for the government’s central procurement unit in autumn 1980. Her diverse duties included working in the archives and being the secretary for the departments that precede the current product and service categories. Anne too seized the training opportunities paid by the employer and she completed a degree in the commercial field whilst working, for example.

Anne’s nicest work memories at VHK relate to working as a person responsible for products in the device and equipment procurement for hospitals and laboratories. This was not least due to Anne’s previous dream of working in the healthcare sector.

“I was already going to study at Helsinki’s nursing school, but work won in the end”, Anne says happily without a sign of remorse.

At the time of Kauppatalo Hansel, Anne was the service organiser in purchases and sales. As Hansel was established, she joined the customer group work, as well as tendering projects of different products and services.

Healthcare procurement followed Anne, currently working as a procurement expert, to the Hansel years as well, as she has worked with one of Hansel’s most significant procurement projects for 15 years, occupational healthcare.

Learning keeps work interesting

Even though office work has become automated and further digitalised in the past decades, both think that the most progressive development has happened during the current Hansel era.

“There’s no way to be ready yet, to know everything after 40 years ­ there’s always so much more to learn”, says Anne Majalampi.

It is exactly this opportunity to continuously expand your competence that keeps work interesting and gives it a boost. Both Annes also consider it a wealth of Hansel to have employees of different ages, different views, and skills from various sectors. At the same time, they are happy about Hansel’s new customers; municipalities and parishes.

“After you have seen all this change and development, and having the opportunity to work in interesting tasks yourself, it keeps you in its hold from one decade to another”, sums Anne Juslin. And her namesake Anne Majalampi agrees.