Job search in Poland hits record length as caution grips employers

The Polish job market is presenting a challenging landscape for candidates, with the average time taken to find new employment stretching to a record 4.5 months in the first quarter of this year. This represents a significant increase from 3.3 months during the same period in 2025, according to the latest Labor Market Monitor from employment agency Randstad.

Daria Seklecka, a manager at Randstad Polska, attributes this extended search period to heightened caution among employers. In an uncertain economic and political climate, companies are meticulously analyzing candidate competencies and often expanding recruitment processes to mitigate hiring risks. This is particularly acute for job seekers over 50, whose search times nearly double.

Candidates are feeling the pressure, with 61% reporting a lack of suitable job offers in their industry or region. Over two-fifths are dissatisfied with the quality of available positions. The primary deterrent remains low compensation, cited by 72% of job seekers as the main obstacle.

Beyond salary concerns, the recruitment process itself is a major hurdle. Three out of four candidates find application procedures overly complicated and burdensome. More than half believe the processes take too long, and 46% complain about the excessive number of stages involved. Ironically, the increasing use of technology and algorithms in pre-screening applications has not led to shorter selection times, leaving candidates feeling thoroughly scrutinized.

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The extension of the average job search time to 4.5 months is a natural effect of increased caution in the market – employers, wanting to minimize risks, more thoroughly analyze talent competencies and often expand recruitment processes.