Poland is the largest economic power in Central Europe. Its economy is healthy and GDP growth of 0.7% is expected in 2023 and increase to 2.6% in 2024. The unemployment rate is around 3%, which actually means full employment. Poland has a minimum wage that will be €500 net per month. Salaries are less than half those in many other European countries. But the shortage of staff and the fact that salaries are rising faster than in the rest of Europe make Poland an interesting country to look for and find work. There are many jobs available, but to find a good job in Poland you need to have good skills, a good CV and knowledge of Polish.
Jobs in Poland
To find a job in Poland, you can use the Polish employment office or use the services of private employment agencies, many of which also work online. You can register by uploading your resume.
Alternatively, you can check the job offers published in various newspapers, both in print and online.
To work in Poland, you must know Polish, unless you work for a multinational corporation or in a call center, in which case English will enough. Most jobs available to foreigners in Poland are in one of the many BPO / SSC (Business Process Outsourcing) companies that exist in the country.
The best opportunities and the highest salaries are in the big cities: Warsaw at the top, Wroclaw, Krakow. The best season for finding a temporary job is definitely summer. With offer in agriculture or tourism.
I repeat that knowledge of Polish is indispensable. To get a well-paid job in Poland, you need to have a good command of the Polish language, and when I say good, I mean a B2/C1 level. There is a labor shortage in Poland, but as mentioned above, good language skills are required for most jobs.
The general rules for finding a job also apply in Poland:
- Create a good LinkedIn profile,
- Check job search websites
- Contact recruitment agencies,
- Send your application directly to the companies
Good opportunities are offered by the countless startups that keep popping up in the country. So if you want to embark on a new adventure, in a sector that is also different from yours, you have the opportunity to try.
Most in-demand jobs in Poland
The most in-demand jobs in Poland are currently in the following industries:
- Engineering: there is a great shortage of engineers in the country, but knowledge of Polish is often required
- IT: software developers, programmers, analysts, etc.
- Health: various professions are becoming scarce (nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, etc.)
- Hospitality: chefs, pastry chefs, etc.
- Customer service: native speakers of many foreign languages (Italian, Danish, German, English, Spanish, etc.) are in demand.
- Manufacturing: there is also a shortage in this sector, but wages are quite low, and generally these jobs are filled by many Ukrainians living in the country
Finance and law: in one of the many international companies
Finding a job in Poland, work culture
In Poland, there is a pronounced hierarchy in the workplace, the structure is strongly top-down, positions within the company are clearly defined and there is a very formal respect and attitude towards superiors. Higher superiors and colleagues are considered more experienced and wiser people, so they should always be treated with respect and deference.
The initiative of those who hold a lower position in the company is not desired, subordinates must work strictly according to the instructions given to them and are rarely involved in decisions made at the corporate level.
