Conditions First, Vacancy Second: How Ukrainians Choose Jobs in Poland

Such circumstances often influence the choice more strongly than the job title. Two candidates may see the same advertisement, but only one of them may find the city, schedule, physical workload and living conditions suitable.

This is often where a conversation with a consultant from the free 2598 hotline begins. A person explains where they are, when they are ready to start work, what schedule suits them and whether they need accommodation. After that, offers can be compared based on their specific situation.

The 2598 hotline consultants select offers from the Workium catalogue, which contains current <a href="https://workium.net/vacancies/robota-v-polshchi" target="_blank" rel="dofollow">jobs in Poland</a>. Before contacting the hotline, a candidate can browse vacancies independently, choose several offers and prepare questions about their conditions.

The Workium team analysed enquiries about employment in Poland received through the 2598 hotline and the <a href="http://2598.eu" target="_blank">2598.eu</a> website.

Among the people whose enquiries were included in the analysis, 42% were already in Poland, while 58% were planning to leave Ukraine. At the same time, 19% of candidates did not limit their search to Poland and also considered other European Union countries.

Only 28% of candidates immediately named a specific profession or position. Much more often, the conversation began with the city, schedule, accommodation or other conditions that a person could not or did not want to change.

Candidates most often reported the following preferences: <ul> <li>accommodation provided by the employer — 61% of enquiries;</li> <li>a job in a specific city or nearby — 48%;</li> <li>employment without knowledge of Polish — 43%;</li> <li>no night shifts — 29%;</li> <li>jobs for couples — 24%;</li> <li>the possibility of starting work within the next 14 days — 37%.</li> </ul>

The requests of candidates already in Poland differed from those of people who were only planning their trip. Among those living in Poland, 64% were not ready to move to another city. Among candidates contacting the service from Ukraine, only 31% limited their choice to a specific city.

People looking for work as a couple formed a separate group. Among these enquiries, 55% of candidates wanted to work at the same company, for 72% shared accommodation was the main condition, and 38% agreed to different shifts if they could remain in the same city.

These data show that a job search often does not begin with a profession. First, a candidate identifies the circumstances that will affect their daily life and only then compares available vacancies.

The terms “warehouse worker”, “production operator” or “packer” give only a general idea of the future job.

At one warehouse, an employee picks orders using a scanner; at another, they receive goods, prepare parcels for shipment or constantly move products between sections. At one production facility, work is performed sitting down; at another, standing throughout the entire shift.

The temperature indoors, pace of work, permitted weight of goods, length of breaks and means of getting to the workplace may also differ.

Therefore, a job title alone is not enough to understand whether a vacancy suits a particular person. First, it is necessary to find out what the working day looks like and which tasks the employee will actually perform.

The search becomes easier if all requirements are divided into two groups.

The first group consists of circumstances without which a candidate cannot accept an offer. For example: <ul> <li>day shifts only because of health reasons;</li> <li>work in a specific city with no possibility of relocation;</li> <li>no significant physical workload;</li> <li>mandatory availability of accommodation;</li> <li>shared accommodation for a married couple;</li> <li>employment without knowledge of Polish.</li> </ul>

The second group consists of preferences for which a person is willing to consider different options. This may include a certain type of work, a desired number of hours, a specific town or the distance from accommodation to the workplace.

If all preferences are made mandatory, the number of available offers may decrease significantly. However, if essential limitations are not specified, the candidate will have to spend time on vacancies they will reject anyway.

A practical approach is to identify two or three non-negotiable conditions and remain open to comparing different options for everything else.

A person planning to travel from Ukraine and a candidate who already lives in Poland usually begin their search from different starting points.

Before departure, it is easier to consider several regions. You can first compare vacancies and plan the route and arrival date only after making a choice.

For a person who is already in Poland, location often matters more. They may be tied to rented accommodation, their child’s school, documents or their spouse’s job. In this situation, the search begins with a specific city and the distance the candidate is willing to travel every day.

At the same time, it is not worth automatically rejecting companies in neighbouring towns. Sometimes an employer provides transport, and such an offer may be more convenient than a job in one’s own city that requires travelling independently with transfers.

Therefore, it is important to compare not only the company’s address but also the entire route from accommodation to the workplace.

If two people are looking for work, the availability of two open positions is not enough.

It is necessary to clarify separately: <ul> <li>whether the company accepts two candidates at the same time;</li> <li>whether they can work at the same site;</li> <li>whether their shifts will coincide;</li> <li>whether shared accommodation is provided;</li> <li>whether the employment start date will be the same;</li> <li>whether the physical requirements and work tasks suit both of them.</li> </ul>

Sometimes a man and a woman can be employed at the same company, but in different processes or on different shifts. In another case, two jobs may be available, but there is no shared room for the couple.

Therefore, candidates should decide in advance what “working together” means to them: the same company, the same shift, shared accommodation or simply working in the same city.

To begin a job search, it is not necessary to know the exact name of the profession. It is more useful to describe your own circumstances briefly and specifically.

For example: “I am in Wrocław, I have warehouse work experience and do not speak Polish. I can work shifts, but I am not ready to relocate. I can start next week.”

Or: “We are looking for work for a couple with accommodation. We are ready to move to another city, but we want to work at the same company. We have no experience, and night shifts are suitable for us.”

Such a description contains more useful information than the phrase “I am looking for any job.” It immediately defines the geographical scope of the search, possible start date, acceptable schedule and main limitations.

Before getting in touch, it is enough to prepare answers to several questions: <ul> <li>where are you currently located;</li> <li>are you ready to relocate;</li> <li>when can you start work;</li> <li>what documents do you have;</li> <li>do you know Polish;</li> <li>what schedule suits you;</li> <li>do you need accommodation;</li> <li>what work can you definitely not perform.</li> </ul>

A high rate of pay, a well-known company or an attractive description do not automatically make an offer the best one for a particular candidate.

If a person cannot work at night, night-shift bonuses will not matter to them. If the journey to the workplace takes two hours each way, a job in the desired city may prove inconvenient. If a married couple works opposite shifts, joint employment will not always solve their situation.

Therefore, offers should be compared according to how well they match a person’s real circumstances. Sometimes, accepting a job in a neighbouring city is enough to find employment quickly. In another situation, it is better to consider a different position but get a schedule that the candidate can maintain long term.

The free 2598 hotline helps Ukrainians receive advice and find a vacancy in Poland and other European Union countries.

When contacting the hotline, a consultant clarifies the candidate’s location, experience, documents, possible work start date and mandatory conditions. After that, available offers can be considered, questions can be asked, and the candidate can independently decide whether a particular option is suitable.

Adult subscribers of Ukrainian mobile operators who are in Ukraine can call 2598. The call, consultation, vacancy selection and employment support are free of charge for candidates.

People who are already in Poland or another country can contact the service through the 2598.eu website: write via Viber or Telegram, or leave a phone number for a callback.

It is better to begin the conversation not with the words “anything will do for me”, but with a brief description of your own abilities and limitations. The right choice begins not with the longest list of vacancies, but with understanding which job truly suits a particular person.

Source of information: the official website of <a href="http://WORKIUM.NET" target="_blank">Workium OÜ</a>.