In March, the ROC Day Warsaw event took place in Warsaw. It was a gathering of recruiters in Poland aimed at sharing experiences, discussing new trends, and expanding networking opportunities. The event was organized by the Recruitment Open Community, a community led by Kasia Tang.
And the EvoTalents team couldn't miss it :)
Here's how it went:
Well-thought-out organization, venue, and 80 fellow participants. A relaxed atmosphere that felt more like a meeting of colleagues to exchange ideas and chat. The event turned out to be a mix of recruiters and speakers from both the IT field and other industries. The entire meeting was divided into three blocks, each with several topics, and we could join the group discussing the topics of interest. Also, towards the end of the meeting, we had the opportunity to attend a presentation by Chris Raw on 'Candidate Experience.' One of the event sponsors was the startup JustJoinIT, which, in the last 12 months, has grown from 2 to 20 employees and has become the most popular place for job searches among Polish developers.
What Was Discussed
1. The Need for Automation:
The participants discussed and concluded that automation is undoubtedly beneficial, but apart from helping with database management and email distribution, it has limited applications in recruiting. The field is still far from creating high-quality chatbots, so human interaction remains a trend.
2. Where to Find Programmers:
In addition to well-known platforms like LinkedIn, GitHub, and Stack Overflow, Polish recruiters actively search for candidates on Facebook and Meetup.com. They ask acquaintances in the development field to add them to closed Slack chats, comment on relevant articles on Reddit and Medium, engage with game developers on Discord, and adhere to the main rule - "Talk to the people you are hiring."
3. The Depth of Personalization:
The discussion centered on how personalized emails should be, how much time should be spent gathering information, and whether it justifies the time spent. Local recruiters value personalization, as it yields results. However, it's essential to strike a balance, as overly detailed and personalized emails may not always yield better results.
4. GDPR Compliance:
Recruiters are cautious about sending emails to addresses found on GitHub, as developers may question the origin of their contact information, raising GDPR concerns. This approach is effective.
5. Communication Channels and Follow-Ups:
Recruiters prefer to reach out via LinkedIn, and they are hesitant to send messages on messenger apps, opting for calls if phone numbers are publicly available. Follow-ups are done, with 3-5 messages being the maximum.
6. Recruiting Ukrainian Specialists:
Ukrainian specialists are considered relatively less expensive than Polish ones, but there are challenges in terms of relocation, legalization, and adaptation that Polish employers face when hiring them. For instance:
- The language barrier: Companies are often reluctant to switch their working language entirely to English for just one developer.
- Navigating the bureaucratic process: Companies need to assist Ukrainian hires with document-related matters due to the complex legal landscape.
- Help with housing search: Finding accommodation for Ukrainian hires can be challenging.
7. Encouraging Women in IT:
Efforts are made to address the reluctance of local women to take risks and change their existing IT jobs. Key challenges faced by women include:
- Intense competition with male candidates for the same technical positions.
- Slightly lower salaries, around 5% less than male counterparts for the same roles.
- Differences in employment conditions and contracts with companies.
Polish organizations are developing programs to encourage more women to join IT companies because they recognize that "IT is not just a men's world," and there are many excellent female specialists in the market. Recruiters work to overcome resistance from management, facilitate communication during interviews, and help integrate women into IT companies.
We are just beginning to explore the local market and its peculiarities. We already have an understanding of where to go for the next event and are eager to share practices that we are not using ourselves yet.
