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The Growing Demand for IT Professionals in Poland
For years, Poland has faced a significant demand for skilled programmers and IT specialists. According to the Polish Economic Institute, the country currently lacks around 147,000 IT professionals to reach the same workforce ratio as other EU nations. The challenge is even greater when it comes to attracting the most experienced and highly qualified candidates. So, how can recruiters successfully find and hire top IT talent? In this article, I will outline the key steps in the recruitment process for IT professionals.
1. Reviewing a Candidate’s CV and Initial Contact
The first stage of recruitment involves screening the candidate’s CV or LinkedIn profile. This step provides valuable insights into their education, experience, and technical skills. However, it’s common for recruiters to verify these listed competencies later in the process to ensure they match reality. The initial review helps filter out candidates who meet the basic job requirements.
One of the biggest challenges in IT recruitment is reaching candidates. Many IT professionals do not actively seek new opportunities, making them less likely to respond to job offers. The best programmers typically change jobs only when presented with significantly better offers. More often than not, they are recruited through recommendations, headhunting, or outsourcing companies.
2. The Recruitment Interview
The main goal of the recruitment interview is to evaluate both technical and soft skills. While technical expertise is crucial, soft skills are also essential when hiring IT professionals.
Strong interpersonal skills, including communication and teamwork, play a significant role in modern IT roles. Creativity, problem-solving abilities, and a commitment to self-improvement are all considered critical skills for the future. Since developers frequently work in teams and contribute to project development, these qualities are just as important as technical capabilities.
Additionally, the interview allows recruiters to assess the candidate’s motivation, interest in the role, and willingness to adapt to the company’s requirements. It is also an opportunity to test language proficiency, as many IT positions require at least an intermediate level of English.
3. Competency Assessment
If the candidate performs well in the interview and remains interested in the position, the next step involves assessing their technical skills. Depending on the role, different methods can be used:
- Technical Interview – a recruiter or a senior IT professional asks technical questions related to programming languages, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, or data analytics. The candidate may also be asked to solve a sample problem.
- Remote Task – the candidate is given a task to complete outside of the interview within a specified deadline. This allows recruiters to evaluate not only their technical skills but also their ability to manage time effectively.
- Live Coding – the candidate is asked to solve a coding problem in real time (typically 30-45 minutes) using tools like Codebyte. Recruiters can monitor their progress and later ask them to explain their thought process.
- Pair Programming – a collaborative exercise where the candidate works alongside the recruiter to solve a coding problem. The recruiter plays the role of the navigator, asking questions and identifying potential errors while the candidate writes the code.
- Portfolio Review – the candidate presents their previous work, such as an application, algorithm, or website, or provides a sample of their code for discussion.
Regardless of the chosen method, recruiters should provide feedback after the assessment. In some cases, additional evaluations may be necessary, extending the process slightly.
4. Negotiating Employment Terms and Signing the Contract
Once a candidate has successfully completed the assessment and remains interested in the role, the final interview focuses on discussing employment terms. This stage includes negotiating salary, contract details, and working conditions.
According to a Bulldog Job report, IT professionals prioritize salary (with an average gross salary of PLN 11,427 as per the 2023 Valueships Salary Report), work arrangements (remote or hybrid), and career development opportunities.
Finding the Best IT Professionals
Given the talent shortage in the IT market, recruiting skilled professionals is increasingly challenging. Since top specialists are rarely available, companies must either offer highly competitive positions or persuade them to switch jobs. This is why many businesses turn to headhunters and outsourcing firms. Outsourcing is particularly advantageous, as it allows an external provider to handle the entire recruitment process, saving time and effort.
Are you looking for Top IT Talent? ITDS specializes in finding and assessing highly skilled programmers and IT professionals who meet your exact requirements. Partner with us for an efficient and effective recruitment solution that saves you both time and money!
Michał Warda – Recruitment Team Lead with 7 years of experience in the IT industry. Michał combines his expertise in recruitment with a strong passion for technology, ensuring that every project he manages meets the highest standards. Currently, his main focus is on building a strong team and helping his colleagues develop their skills.