Hiring in Poland
Hiring IT professionals in Poland can help your business tap into one of Europe’s most vibrant tech talent markets. But even experienced international companies often make critical IT hiring mistakes that hurt their results when looking for top talent in Poland.
Here’s what to watch out for if you want to avoid real setbacks (and missed hires) and get the best Poland has to offer.
1. Treating All Candidates as the Same: IT vs. Non-IT Talent
Mistake: Assuming Poland’s famous “IT talent pool” means all hiring works the same.
Reality: While tech candidates (developers, data engineers, testers) expect high flexibility, remote work, and B2B contracts, non-IT professionals (HR, sales, admin) usually prefer traditional stability, face-to-face onboarding, and classic benefits.
Failing to segment your approach leads to poor fit, slow recruitment, and offer rejections.
2. Using Only Global Job Boards
Mistake: Relying solely on LinkedIn, Indeed, or Glassdoor, while ignoring Poland’s specialized tech job boards.
Reality: More hires come from “friend of a friend” recommendations than most international companies expect. Ignoring internal referral programs is a missed opportunity.
More than that, the best Polish IT candidates are often found on local platforms like JustJoin.IT, NoFluffJobs, and Bulldogjob. These sites are where active and passive IT jobseekers actually look.
3. Expecting Fast Responses from Passive Candidates
Mistake: Treating Polish IT recruitment like US or UK markets and expecting instant replies to outbound messages.
Reality: The top Polish IT professionals are often “passively open” and slow to respond. They require a sustained, tailored outreach, sometimes through multiple channels (email, LinkedIn, Slack).
4. Overlooking the Importance of Contract Type
Mistake: Only offering full-time employment (UoP) contracts, or failing to mention contract flexibility.
Reality: In IT, B2B contracts are often preferred by senior developers and engineers because of tax efficiency and flexibility. Not offering various contract types depending on candidate preference (or not mentioning it in your offer) can significantly shrink your candidate pool.
| Want to understand the different contract types available in Poland? Check out our recent Guide for Employers and Candidates, where we compare B2B and employment contracts in detail. |
5. Not Mentioning Salary Up Front
Mistake: Leaving salary out of your job ad or initial offer.
Reality: Polish candidates increasingly expect transparency. Omitting salary leads to fewer applicants and damages trust. Salary negotiation is common, but a starting range is vital.
6. Ignoring Local Perks, Benefits, and “Must-Haves”
Mistake: Focusing your pitch only on salary and missing out on benefits like Multisport, remote work, or private healthcare.
Reality: Remote and flexible hours are now baseline in the Polish IT job market. Multisport cards, Luxmed/Medicover private health coverage, meal vouchers, and language courses are also expected. Missing or vague benefits make your offer less attractive to IT talent in Poland.
| Interested in finding out more about the different benefits that matter to Polish experts? Read our article discussing Top Employee Benefits in Poland for 2025. |
7. Not Preparing for Long Notice Periods
Mistake: Expecting immediate or two-week starts, as in other countries.
Reality: In Poland, notice periods of 1-3 months are standard, especially for experienced IT staff. Failing to plan for this can delay your projects and create hiring bottlenecks. This is a common IT hiring pitfall in Poland.
8. Failing to Engage Candidates During the Notice Period
Mistake: Assuming your offer is safe once a candidate accepts and waiting for them to start.
Reality: Polish companies often present strong counteroffers to resigning employees, especially highly specialized ones like AI specialists or data engineers.
Without regular engagement, updates, and onboarding before day one, your new hire might accept a counteroffer or drop out last-minute.
9. Underestimating the Power of Employer Brand and Online Reputation
Mistake: Ignoring feedback on GoWork.pl, Polish forums, or tech community Slack groups.
Reality: Poland’s tech and professional community is highly networked. Employer experiences—both good and bad—are shared in Slack groups, Discord servers, and closed LinkedIn communities. Polish candidates also do thorough research on potential employers.
Just one negative post or discussion can seriously damage your hiring efforts, often before you even realize it.
Conclusion
If you want to hire and retain the best employees in Poland, it’s important to look beyond compliance.
Take the time to understand what motivates people, adapt to candidate preferences, and build relationships within the local market. It’s often these less obvious details that make all the difference.
Don’t want to navigate hiring in Poland alone? Reach out to All IT Club. We support businesses at every stage of the hiring process, from sourcing top IT talent to project outsourcing, Try & Hire, IT contracting, and Employer of Record services. With a network of 400+ recruiters across Europe, we’re here to help you find the right people for your IT projects, whenever you need us.
FAQ
- What are common mistakes foreign companies make when hiring in Poland?
Misclassifying employment contracts, neglecting permits, and failing to adapt to local work culture. - How do I know if a candidate prefers B2B or UoP?
Ask directly during the initial screening. Preferences are usually strong, especially among tech professionals. Some companies let candidates choose.
If you’re worried about compliance, consult a local legal expert or partner with a recruitment agency like All IT Club for templates and guidance. - How can I manage long notice periods and reduce dropout?
Build in extra time, maintain engagement after signing, and prepare for counteroffers from the current employer. - Which job boards are actually effective in Poland?
For tech: JustJoin.IT, NoFluffJobs, Bulldogjob. For non-tech: Pracuj.pl, Goldenline, GoWork. - Are benefits like Multisport and private healthcare really expected?
Yes, especially for competitive roles. Not offering them can seriously weaken your offer.
