Attracting and retaining skilled experts is quite a quest, especially when it comes to the Polish IT market. There are at least 250,000 IT professionals working in the country, and the market continues to grow steadily. However, there are always more vacancies than applicants.
Natalia Perkowska, Co-Chief HR Officer at SOFTSWISS, shares how to find and hunt for ‘gold’ specialists. If you are a job seeker, this article will be useful for you too, as it will help you find out where and how to shine so that you get noticed. Let’s get started!
How to hunt: 5 methods that will bring you new employees
The IT market is a candidate market, and strong professionals who enter it with the label ’in search’, often have several companies vying for their attention. In this case, it is the candidate that holds the power to choose the place that appeals to them the most, considering factors such as salary, level of tasks, benefits package, career advancement opportunities, etc.
In such conditions, recruiters need to be especially careful in choosing methods for finding and attracting employees. So, how can you find a good specialist?
Direct search
This is the main method of reaching high-level specialists and experts in rare programming languages. The recruiter becomes a kind of detective, which means that high demands are placed on them. For a successful direct search, they must:
- Keep abreast of everything that happens in the industry and in the markets of interest
- Understand technical aspects, terminology, and slang specific to the profession they are recruiting for
- Win favour and build communication
- Show empathy and discover what interests a person
- Be able to search for information, just like a detective
For the latter, recruiters will need to embrace their inner ‘techie’ and master Boolean search techniques in Google, as well as X-Ray queries on specialised sites. For example, in the treasure trove of skilled StackOverflow specialists, even though tools like Jobs and Developer Story may be closed for employers, using specific queries to databases can yield lists of “IT people” from desired locations, such as cities (site:stackoverflow.com/users location * warsaw) or countries (site:stackoverflow.com/users location * poland).
You can search both by keywords in the profile description and by complex queries with several variables. A direct search detective must be ready to work 24/7 since a candidate can respond late in the evening or on weekends, and a lot depends on the recruiter’s prompt response. If you don’t actively pursue a specialist, others surely will.
Posting vacancies on job portals
This is the simplest and perhaps laziest method, which, however, should not be neglected. It works better for finding juniors and interns rather than middles and seniors. However, let’s not deceive ourselves. Even a novice specialist wants to see the value in a vacancy. Therefore, try to attractively describe the conditions in the job posting and answer the main questions that concern applicants. Requirements can be divided into “Required” and “It will be a good bonus.” This way, you can weed out those who do not yet fit the level and interest people with complementary experience.
Attendance at events
High-quality conferences, meetups, and hackathons are places where top IT people hang out to learn and network. Let an expert from your company give a bright and informative presentation, and during a break, get acquainted with those who are interested. Such presence works much better than stands, roll-ups, or flyers.
Content marketing
This is a powerful tool to attract not only customers but also employees. In a blog on your website and third-party sites, you can share tips, cases, write reviews, and publish expert opinions. The content format can be different, the main thing is that it:
- Showcases the level of interesting tasks that your company solves
- Emphasises the team expertise
- Imparts benefits or entertainment
- Leaves a positive impact
Game mechanics work great. An interesting test like “Find out how cool of a Python developer you are” can pique the interest of strong Python developers and encourage them to participate. Then simply invite those with the highest score to an interview.
Working with candidate databases
Discovering hidden talents among individuals who may not have initially aced hard-skills assessments a year or two before can be a game-changer. These once overlooked candidates might have evolved into strong specialists by now, making them incredibly valuable prospects. Igniting their interest is key, considering they may have previously missed out on that coveted offer from your company. Instead of simply extending a generic invitation like “we are ready to make you an offer now” or “come in for another interview,” entice them with something truly captivating.
Building a solid rapport with potential candidates is crucial. And the best way to achieve this is by offering detailed feedback and explanations for any rejections. Ideally, providing them with a conditional roadmap, outlining the skills they can improve upon, will significantly increase the chances of them considering your team in the future or even recommending your company to their friends.
What to do if you need rare specialists?
Here at SOFTSWISS, the Ruby language plays a crucial role in powering a range of our products. While Ruby ranks among the ten most popular programming languages over the last two decades, finding top-notch specialists is a challenge. These sought-after experts are in high demand, often receiving attractive offers and being fully aware of their worth.
Our company expands with an average of 45 new hires every month. As of the first half of 2023, we have successfully onboarded 25 exceptional Ruby developers to our team. Here’s what we’ve been doing to meet this challenge.
Hiring in different countries
Our network of offices across Poland, Georgia and Malta allows us to tap into talent from various locations. Even if a perfect candidate resides in a different country, we’re open to considering relocation options. Remote work has become the new norm, especially since the COVID pandemic, and it has proven to be highly effective. Our team includes employees living and working on tropical islands, proving that no time zone differences can hinder us from maintaining seamless collaboration. When necessary, we are prepared to provide enticing compensation packages, covering moving expenses, insurance, school or kindergarten facilities for children, and more.
We pay referral bonuses for all parties
We believe in fair and rewarding systems, which is why both the referrer and the recommended candidate receive monetary bonuses. Depending on the level of the specialist, these referral bonuses can reach up to USD 2,500 each. Similar to mobile operators offering promotions like “Bring a friend and get a gift”, we recognise the immense value of this approach in the IT industry.
We conduct marketing activities
One of our successful initiatives is the Speed Interview held at our Poznań office. This informal communication format allows us to get acquainted with potential candidates and conduct interviews. If the interaction goes well, we extend an offer to the candidate. Prior to the event, participants fill out a questionnaire, which helps minimise dropouts. We are committed to identifying both established developers and promising talents on the rise.
We create conditions for team development
To foster growth and excellence within our team, we provide support for courses, books, and specialised event attendance. Our ‘rubists’ are encouraged to participate in conferences like EuRuKo and wroc_love.rb. With over 1,400 people working at SOFTSWISS, we function like a medium-sized private university. Internal education is highly valued, featuring hackathons, competitions, and meetups, where our experts and invited guests share their knowledge.
We motivate recruiters
Recognising the significant role of recruiters in identifying and attracting specialists, we have implemented our unique, non-classical approach to motivation, yielding impressive results. At SOFTSWISS, we have developed a point-based motivation system for recruiters. All vacancies are categorised into three levels of attraction complexity, and recruiters must accumulate a certain number of points per quarter. Achieving this goal results in a quarterly bonus, while surpassing the required points allows them to participate in a lottery for valuable prizes. Embracing this gamified strategy perfectly aligns with our iGaming paradigm.
Why not give some of these tactics a try? Feel free to tailor them to suit the unique characteristics of your company.
Flourishing in the dynamic Polish IT market
Venturing into the Polish IT market in 2020, we were quick to adapt to the rapidly evolving competitive landscape, and now we are thrilled to share our valuable insights with you.
Harnessing the power of branding
In the realm of success, your company’s reputation reigns supreme, and in Poland it holds even greater significance. Building trust and garnering recommendations are paramount. When your present and past employees speak highly of your organisation, triumph beckons. However, as the saying goes, a fly in the ointment can spoil the whole barrel of honey. Hence, meticulous attention to ethical conduct and unwavering compliance with agreements is imperative. Every link in the chain, including recruiters, sales managers, PR specialists, and beyond, should internalise this ethos.
Clarity in documentation
The Poles take pride in their sense of responsibility, especially when it comes to what they sign. Prior to employment, job seekers often request contract templates for a thorough review. Even if you know your documents like the back of your hand, and are certain of their integrity, provide your future employees with the same assurance. Interestingly, this trait is particularly evident among Polish IT specialists, while their counterparts from other countries may not be as meticulous. Avoid any potential disagreements arising from misunderstandings. Ensure all parties grasp and adhere to the contract’s conditions. Whether it’s Umowa o dzieło, Umowa zlecenie, or Umowa o pracę, clarity is key. Ranked in ascending order of convenience, security, and benefit for applicants, the preferred choice is Umowa o pracę, specifically the na czas nieokreślony (indefinite) option.
Forging connections: navigating the IT market in Poland
As you step into the Polish IT market, support from seasoned specialists is invaluable at the outset. Consider engaging with a recruitment agency or in-house recruiters who possess specialised experience in IT. Even better, collaborate with recruiters associated with foreign legal entities that have established offices in Poland. Don’t hesitate to tap into your network to connect with reputable recruiters already entrenched in the Polish market.
Embracing the rise of non-technical IT specialists
Poland aligns with the Western European trend by witnessing a surging demand for non-technical IT specialists, a phenomenon not yet as prominent in neighbouring eastern countries. The hunt is on for talented individuals in project and product management, business analytics, marketing, and sales. Middle and Senior-level positions are particularly sought after, as the investment in attracting and onboarding such professionals reaps swift rewards. Nonetheless, don’t dismiss ambitious Junior talents, for they might surprise you with their exceptional dedication and performance, shining as brightly as the most seasoned experts. A true gem may very well be hiding behind the unassuming title of a beginner.
By the way, at SOFTSWISS, we actively seek both promising newcomers and seasoned Ruby developers to join our exhilarating projects! If you believe you fit the bill, do not hesitate to reach out to us at: careers.softswiss.com