Understanding the Polish job market.
1. Do you know the job market in Poland well?
Before recruiting in Poland, it is essential to have an understanding of the job market. Research job trends, salary expectations, and the availability of skilled talent in the desired industry. There are many international companies in Poland now, that means there is a lot of competition but it also means many skilled candidates. According to the National Statistics Bureau in 2022, 297,400 students graduated from Polish universities. In addition, the number of foreign students is constantly rising and in 2022 there were nearly 90,000. International companies are taking advantage of this group’s language skills and many employ foreign students and graduates in their offices in Poland.
2. Should I write a job advert in Polish or English?
If you need fluent English for your role you can write the job ad in English, but be aware candidates will often search using Polish so add some key words in Polish for good SEO to allow candidates to find your job adverts.
3. What job boards to use?
Use job boards and social media: Homegrown job boards like Pracuj.pl, and Praca.pl are popular. Specialist job boards for IT are NoFluffJobs.pl and JustJoin.pl. Indeed and LinkedIn are also popular in Poland. Posting job openings on these platforms will increase your visibility to potential candidates.
4. Should I use a recruitment agency in Poland?
Consider partnering with recruitment agencies for your first roles they will have a deeper experience of the local market in Poland and will speak Polish so can search more deeply for candidates. After that you can potentially recruit using your own talent team.
5. What’s the local salary for my role?
Offer competitive salaries: Salary expectations vary depending on the industry, location, and level of experience. A local recruitment agency should guide you on what to offer. Salaries are usually quoted as a monthly amount in Poland and not annual. Ensure that the salary you offer is competitive to attract top talent. It’s not common to put a salary on the advert in Poland, therefore putting it in will differentiate you. You can work out net and gross salaries here – wynagrodzenia.pl
6. What’s different about your company?
Emphasise company culture: Polish candidates value a positive and inclusive company culture. They also value working for international companies. Highlight your company values and emphasise the opportunities for growth and development.
7. How to interview?
Conduct thorough interviews: This is critical to ensure the candidate is the right fit for the role and the company culture. After a video interview consider meeting the candidate in person as they will value the chance to meet you and when it comes to considering an offer they will remember that you put in the effort. Be transparent: Candidates in Poland value transparency in the hiring process. Be upfront about the expectations of the role, the company culture, and the interview process to build trust and rapport with potential candidates.
8. How to handle the job offer?
Send a clear contract and offer letter: Polish candidates expect to receive a clearly written employment contract before they consider the offer in a serious light. Call the successful candidate regularly through the offer process to ensure they remain engaged. Notice periods in Poland often cover a full calendar month so get your offer in before the end of the month so you’re not left waiting too long.
9. When to give feedback and updates?
Provide clear feedback and updates on the recruitment process: Candidates in Poland appreciate feedback on their interview performance. Ensure you provide clear and constructive feedback to candidates after the interview process. Even if the news is that there’s a delay, call candidates to explain so you keep them engaged.
10. How to check references?
Check references: Checking references is essential to ensure the candidate’s background and experience align with their resume and interview performance. Consider using a local company to conduct reference checks in Polish if no-one speaks Polish in your team.
