There is a plenty to see and do on your days off, especially in prominent tourist cities like Warsaw, Krakow, and Wroclaw, which are also major job hubs for recent graduates. Poland is home to several woods, lakes, and mountains in addition to the world-famous Warsaw Old Market Place. The Crooked Forest near Gryfino, for instance, is worth checking out.

It's a great place to experience a fusion of western and eastern European cultures, learn a new language, and save money compared to the rest of Europe.

Employment Opportunities in Poland

Poland has become one of the leading business process outsourcing/shared services centres (BPO/SSCs) in Europe, which means there are many opportunities for international workers to find employment there.

The bulk of the labor force is employed in the service industry, while other sectors include the production of alcoholic drinks, chemicals, coal, processed foods, iron and steel, glass, machine building, shipbuilding, and textiles.

Common Graduate Occupations

Automotive \sBusiness \sConstruction \sEngineering \sIT
As well as important Polish businesses, Poland is home to a number of international conglomerates.

• Asseco Group Agora SA Diebold Nixdorf
• In Poland, FCA Group and GSK (GlaxoSmithKline) are a dynamic duo.
• Polish Airlines, or LOT for short
• Orange Group Nordea Polska
• Orlen PKN PKO Bank Polski Poznan Poland Volkswagen RB
• Poland's T-Mobile
• Toyota Polska Motor.

Learn more about the Polish job market and international corporations with a presence in Poland by consulting the Careers in Poland Guidebook.

In addition to the many multinational corporations with a physical presence in Poland, the country is also home to a number of thriving start-ups including LiveChat, Brand24, Estimote, and Brainly.

Competency gaps

Graduates are in limited supply in the following fields:

Those who work in the fields of civil, chemical, electrical, and mechanical engineering; medical doctors; and accountants and financial analysts.

Finding Work in Poland: a Guide

The vast majority of job seekers apply for positions in their own country, most frequently through an online jobs board. Another option is to contact a foreign corporation that has a presence in Poland and see if they are hiring.

The following websites provide access to job listings:

• Employment Opportunities in Poland - Careerjet.pl (in Polish)
• Openings at Warsaw's Infopraca.pl
• Career in Finance - Praca.pl, Reed in Polish

In addition to using commercial recruiting firms, EU and EEA nationals can take advantage of the resources available at their local Polish labor office.

Social networking platforms like GoldenLine (Poland's counterpart to LinkedIn) make it possible to look for work from home.

The classifieds sections of several Polish newspapers provide extensive employment postings, such as:

GazetaPraca.pl
Polish newspaper "Life in Warsaw" (Warsaw Voice)
In addition to the Polish employment market, the European Job Mobility Portal (EURES) is a great resource for finding work in Europe.

If you want to work for a certain company, you may submit them a CV and cover letter on spec, just like in the UK. Unless otherwise specified, however, most Polish firms require applications to be submitted in Polish.

Include a data protection clause at the conclusion of your CV to indicate that you agree to the employer's usage of your personal information. This is the clause:

I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purposes necessary to carry out the recruitment process (in accordance with the Polish Law of 29 August 1997 on the Protection of Personal Data; "GDPR") (tekst jednolity: Dz.U. z 2015r., poz. 2135).
This sentence, written in English for a submitted application, reads as follows:

In accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act as of 29 August 1997, consolidated text: Journal of Laws 2015, item 2135 as amended, I hereby grant permission for the processing of my personal data included in my application for the purposes of the recruitment process.
If you are not a citizen of the European Union and have been invited to Poland for an interview, you should contact the Polish embassy in your home country to find out if a visa is required.

Jobs for the Summer

Hotels, restaurants, and bars, as well as major corporations, often hire seasonal workers throughout the summer months. If you're interested in working for the latter, it would be best to check the aforementioned job boards, apply speculatively, or, if you're already in the nation, inquire directly.

Jobs in education

Polish workers' ability to speak and understand English, the worldwide business language of the European Union, is in higher demand than ever since the country's 2004 accession to the bloc. Therefore, one of the most readily available careers for fluent English speakers in Poland is teaching English as a foreign language. Jobs in education can be found in public schools, private language schools, summer camps, and even as a private tutor.

In order to qualify for these positions, you need a Bachelor's degree and a valid teaching license, and the duration of the position is normally a single academic year. You'll see more ads for them in the new year and the summer (June to August).

Check out TEFL.org.uk if you're interested in learning more about teaching English in Poland. Job openings can be found at:

• Languages Other Than English: Obtaining a Job
• Try Internships Abroad

A successful internship may help you build your resume, provide you hands-on experience, and expose you to the culture of a different nation. You'll be in a stronger position to land a graduate position after gaining this experience.

It's worth noting that Poland is home to a lot of international corporations. You may either take a targeted strategy by visiting certain websites, or take a more speculative one by making cold calls to potential employers.

It's not unheard of for Polish internships to provide subsidized housing in lieu of a wage. Pay for these jobs will likely be around the Polish minimum salary of 3,010ZL (£555) per month.

Check out the latest offerings at Praktyki.edu.pl and Overseas.

Applications for Polish Visas

If you are a citizen of an EU member state and wish to relocate to Poland, you can do so without first obtaining a work permit. A temporary residency visa, valid for up to three years, is required because you will most likely be working for more than three months. You can make these arrangements at any Voivodeship Office.

If an EU citizen moves to another country to find employment, they may be able to bring their health and social security benefits with them. The European Commission is the place to go for details on individual member states.

A formal employment offer from a Polish company is typically required for non-EU workers, such as those from the UK, to qualify for a work permit.

The Polish Embassy in London is your best bet for up-to-date visa information for citizens of the United Kingdom.

Need for a Common Language

Polish is the most widely spoken language in Poland, hence fluency in the language is likely to be required for numerous positions.

Younger generations in particular have one of the highest percentages of English as a second language anywhere in the world. In the professional sector, there is no shortage of openings for those who speak English.

If you want to communicate with the locals, especially the older generation, you should make an effort to learn at least some basic Polish before you go. All around the United Kingdom, you can enroll in a Polish language class, and the Internet is rife with resources to help you learn a new language or brush up on your existing abilities. Learn the fundamentals of the Polish language with the help of resources like BBC Languages – Polish and Study in Poland – Polish language.

Methods for Selling Your Skills to Potential Employers

Since Poland is a part of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the Bologna process, you should find that your UK degrees are comparable to their Polish counterpart and are thus completely recognized by Polish businesses. Look at Go! Poland - Recognition of degrees for further information on how your credentials stack up against those in Poland.

However, if you need to have your credentials vetted (say, for a job in a highly regulated industry in Poland), you can peruse the detailed list of occupations that need for such evaluations.

How is the Work Environment in Poland?

Standard paid vacation time for Polish enterprises is twenty days per year. While most offices are open from 8am to 4pm or 9am to 5pm, legally, employees can only put in eight hours of labor each day. You have the right to withdraw your consent to this provision of your employment agreement by submitting a written request to that effect. The annual cap for overtime hours is 150.

Working Saturdays from 8 am to 2 pm is common in certain industries; but, if you work more than five days a week, you may always trade in those hours for a day off.

While organizational hierarchies still exist, authoritarian corporate culture is fading away in favor of more open communication between upper and lower management. In general, Poles are kind, hospitable, and tolerant; nonetheless, meetings may be stiff, straightforward, and professional; and timeliness is highly valued.

Be ready to address coworkers by their titles and last names rather than their first names, and don't shake hands with strangers in the hallway or anteroom; some communities believe doing so brings ill luck.

Numbeo.com reports that compared to the United Kingdom, the cost of living in Poland is 40% lower, with rent being especially inexpensive at roughly 50% less than in the UK, despite incomes being on average lower.

When relocating to a new country, social media can be a terrific resource for connecting with others who share your interests and goals. Groups like Krakow Expats and Expats in Warsaw can ease the transition.

Investigate Further

Learn about the academic experience in Poland.
Careers in Poland is the place to discover the newest openings and get helpful guidance on your career search.