The greatest success ?

When answering this question, it is worth choosing a professional achievement that is most relevant to the position you are applying for. When talking about your success, emphasize your role, whether someone helped you with it, what were the difficulties along the way and how you managed to deal with them. The statement should show what determined the success of the entire project (e.g. your organizational skills or the ability to work under time pressure). If you can’t boast of professional success, choose an example from your private life or, for example, from your university days.

The biggest failure ?

At a job interview, everyone wants to present themselves from the best possible side. No wonder that the question of the biggest failure can cause many difficulties. Meanwhile, only those who do not work and do not take up challenges do not make mistakes. The recruiter wants to find out whether the candidate was able to react appropriately and draw conclusions in the event of failure. So when answering such a question, cite the context of the event and focus on how you managed to accept this failure, cope with the consequences of the mistake and draw conclusions for the future. Try to talk as much as possible about your behavior in this situation, while avoiding blaming others.

Why should we hire you in this position?

To answer this question, you need to know the job description you are applying for and be aware of what competencies and skills are in demand. If your previous experience and predispositions coincide with what the company is looking for, the answer to this question will not be difficult for you. All you have to do is compare your knowledge of the expectations for the ideal candidate for a given position with arguments that will confirm that you meet the requirements. Remember to present the benefits that the company will gain by hiring you. It is also worth emphasizing your motivation to work in a given company.

Expectations towards the supervisor ?

The purpose of this question is to verify whether the candidate fits into the company’s organizational culture and whether he will be able to work effectively with his future supervisor. Each manager has a different management style, which is why it is so important to confront the candidate’s preferences with them at the interview stage. If the supervisor likes to have everything under strict control and the candidate needs a lot of autonomy, the cooperation will not be successful for either party. Therefore, it is worth talking openly about your preferences and factors that may determine your satisfaction with cooperation. Focus on issues such as: professional relationships, approach to employee development, substantive skills. Remember not to describe the faults of your current superiors. Thinking about their weaknesses, you can present the opposite image of the supervisor you would like to work with.

Financial expectations ?

Before you go to a hiring interview, review the salary reports for the position you’re applying for. It is important that you confront the collected information with the scope of responsibilities on the position and your experience and competences. Prepare the so-called range of expected salary, both gross and net. Before you answer this question, during the meeting, get full information from the recruiter about the scope of responsibilities in a given position, so that you can still verify your initial assumptions if necessary.

Filling in the documents

The employer will provide you with a set of documents, the completion of which is necessary for the effective employment of an employee. These will be:

Signing the contract

After completing the documents, you sign an employment contract or a temporary employment contract and a statement that you have read the work regulations. If the employment contract has not been concluded in writing, the employer should confirm all arrangements and conditions in writing no later than on the day you start work. Within 7 days of employment, your employer should inform you m.in. o: the applicable working time standard, the dates and method of payment of remuneration, the length of holiday leave, the length of notice.

Medical examinations

On the basis of the personal questionnaire you have completed, your employer will issue you a referral for a medical examination. They are mandatory and are intended to exclude contraindications to work in a given position. Their cost is borne by the employer. Without them, you cannot be allowed to work.

Health and Safety Training

Before starting work, you must undergo initial training in health and safety regulations, as well as general and on-the-job instruction organized by the employer. The training is valid for 5 years and is a prerequisite for the employee to be allowed to work.

Insurance

Within 7 days from the date of employment, the employer is obliged to register you as its employee with the Social Insurance Institution, and then pay certain insurance contributions for you: pension, disability, sickness and accident insurance. ZUS also collects and transfers to other institutions contributions for health insurance, the Labour Fund, the Guaranteed Employee Benefits Fund and the Bridging Pension Fund.

The minimum wage is an important element affecting the country’s economy, the standard of living of employees and the costs of doing business by employers. In connection with the upcoming year 2025, it is worth taking a look at the projected changes in this area. In this article, we will discuss the planned minimum wage increases, their impact on net wages, the cost of hiring an employee, and what these changes mean for employees and employers.

Minimum wage in 2025

The Regulation of the Council of Ministers of 12 September 2024 on the amount of the minimum wage for work and the amount of the minimum hourly rate in 2025 was published on 13 September in the Journal of Laws. On its basis, from 1 January 2025, a new minimum wage (the so-called “national minimum”) will apply in Poland, set at PLN 4666 gross per month. This is an increase of PLN 366 compared to the rate applicable from July 2024, which was PLN 4300 gross.

Minimum hourly wage in 2025

Along with the increase in the minimum monthly wage, from 1 January 2025, the minimum hourly rate for certain civil law contracts, such as contracts of mandate, will also increase. The new rate will be PLN 30.50 gross per hour (Journal of Laws of 2024, item 1362), which is an increase of PLN 2.40 compared to the rate applicable from July 2024, which was PLN 28.10 gross.

Net minimum wage in 2025 – how much will an employee receive on hand

How much will the net earnings of employees who in 2025 receive a salary of PLN 4666 gross? In the case of full-time work – without taking into account the ECP, for an employee over 26 years of age, assuming that the employee submits PIT-2 and earns income from one employment relationship in the place of residence – the following are subtracted from the remuneration:

After these deductions, the employee will receive PLN 3,510.92 net.

The process of setting the minimum wage

The amount of the minimum wage and the minimum hourly rate is determined by the Council of Ministers by way of a regulation. The proposals are consulted with the Social Dialogue Council, but the final decision rests with the government. In the case of a forecast inflation rate below 5%, the minimum wage is changed once a year, from 1 January. With the expected price increase rate of at least 5%, two dates for raising the minimum wage are set – from 1 January and from 1 July.

We already know that in 2025 the minimum wage increase will take place only once and will be valid throughout the year.

Impact on the labour market and employer’s costs

For workers, an increase in the minimum wage means higher incomes, which can improve their standard of living and increase their purchasing power. This is particularly important in the face of the rising cost of living and inflation.

Employers must prepare for increased employment costs and take these changes into account when planning the budget for 2025. Employment of an employee in the amount of the minimum wage for full A full-time job will cost the employer about PLN 5,621.60 . The total cost of an hour of performance of a civil law contract by the contractor will cost the principal PLN 36.75.

An increase in the minimum wage may therefore affect the margins of enterprises, especially in sectors with a large share of employees receiving the lowest wages. Some employers may decide to reduce employment, which may primarily affect people with low qualifications. On the other hand, high labour costs can be an incentive for entrepreneurs to invest in automation and innovative solutions, which will contribute to an increase in productivity.

LeasingTeam Group is at the disposal of both employees and employers, offering support in the field of personnel consulting, optimization of employment costs and adaptation to changing market conditions. Feel free to contact us to discuss your individual needs and challenges.

Planning holidays in accordance with the calendar of days off allows you to make the most of your free time. In this article, we present the full calendar of days off in 2025 and explain how you can optimally use your holiday entitlement in accordance with the Polish Labour Code.

Length of leave for employees in accordance with the Labour Code

According to the Polish Labour Code, the amount of holiday leave depends on the length of service of the employee and amounts to:

It is worth remembering that the length of service, which determines the length of leave, includes periods of employment with various employers and education (e.g. graduating from university adds 8 years to the length of service). This allows many employees to take a full 26 days of vacation earlier in their careers.

Calendar of holidays in 2025

In 2025, the statutory employee is entitled to 14 days off work. Several of these days fall on working days, which opens up the possibility of effectively planning longer periods of rest with minimal use of vacation days.

List of non-working days in 2025:

Days off for holidays falling on Saturday

According to the Labour Code (Article 130 § 2), if a holiday falls on a Saturday, the employer is obliged to grant the employee an additional day off at a different time. This applies to people employed under an employment contract.

In 2025, this situation applies to two days:

This means that employees will receive an additional two days off, which they can use in consultation with the employer. This should take place in the same month as the holiday on Saturday – if the workplace has adopted a monthly settlement period. At the request of the employee, the company can give a day off after the end of this period. Then, in the case of an inspection, a specific reason for such a decision should be given. The employer can “give away” a day off before the holiday falling on Saturday or after it. It can also indicate specific days or allow the employee to choose a day off. Importantly, the employee is entitled to a full day of leave for a holiday falling on a Saturday. It cannot be divided into hours.

What is the best way to plan your vacation to get long weekends?

Below are suggestions on how to organize a long holiday using statutory holidays.

January – New Year’s Day and Epiphany

Epiphany, which falls on Monday, gives you the opportunity to spend a long weekend at the beginning of the year without having to take an additional holiday.

May 2025 – long weekend

Labor Day falls on Thursday, and Constitution Day falls on Saturday. It is enough to take one day off (May 2) to enjoy a four-day holiday (May 1-4). Thanks to the allowance for a holiday falling on a Saturday, the employee gains an additional day off at a different time.

Corpus Christi – June long weekend

Corpus Christi falls on June 12 (Thursday), which creates the possibility of a longer weekend when taking a holiday on Friday.

August – long weekend on the occasion of the Assumption

August 15 falls on Friday, which means a natural three-day weekend – the perfect time for summer rest.

November – a long weekend and a day off for All Saints’ Day

All Saints’ Day falls on a Saturday, which means an additional day off to use. In addition, Independence Day falls on November 11 (Tuesday). All you have to do is take a holiday on November 10 (Monday) to extend the weekend for four days.

Christmas – extended Christmas time

Christmas Eve (24 December) and Christmas Holidays (25-26 December, Thursday and Friday) combined with the holiday of 22-23 December can create a nine-day rest period (20-28 December).

How to plan your vacation in 2025 – tips

1. Early appointment – setting vacation dates at the beginning of the year avoids collisions with your team’s plans and gives you access to preferred days off.

2. Effective use of vacation days – in 2025, thanks to the skilful combination of public holidays and annual leave, you can gain as many as 36 days off while using only 11 days of vacation.

3. Individual adjustment of the length of the holiday – more frequent, shorter holidays may be beneficial for people who prefer short trips, and longer holidays will work, for example, when planning foreign trips.

Leave management in the company – how to ensure smooth work?

Effective leave management is a challenge that every company faces. Proper planning minimizes disruption to teams, ensures an even workload on employees, and avoids sudden staff shortages. To make the vacation planning process simpler and more transparent, it is worth using a modern HR and payroll system, such as TalentPoint.

TalentPoint is a platform supporting human resource management, which offers the function of electronic leave requests. Thanks to this system, both employees and the HR department can easily and efficiently plan their free time. Electronic leave requests provide many benefits:

Implementing a solution like TalentPoint helps companies not only automate administrative processes, but also increase employee satisfaction by approving requests more transparently and quickly. As a result, companies can manage working time and human resources more effectively, which has a direct impact on the productivity and smoothness of teams.

Summary

When planning your holiday for 2025, it is worth familiarising yourself with the calendar of days off and adjusting your plan so as to make the most of the 20 or 26 days of leave you are entitled to in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Code. Careful planning allows you to have more time to rest, minimize the number of vacation days used during the year, and enjoy longer weekends that are conducive to regeneration and complete relaxation. Modern tools such as TalentPoint support companies in managing the leave process, streamlining the submission and approval of requests. With automation and real-time visibility into the vacation calendar, companies can plan work more effectively and minimize disruptions related to employee absences.

The upcoming holidays are a good time for those looking for additional income. Experts assure that there will be no shortage of seasonal job offers and you can earn quite well. Even if we have no experience. Low-skilled workers are needed mainly in tourism and agriculture. Pupils and students can count on an average of PLN 27 gross, and in our western neighbours the rates are nearly 3 times higher. How much can you earn on seasonal work and what to pay attention to when deciding to go abroad?

Holidays are a time that allows us to regenerate and break away from reality. However, not everyone associates them only with blissful relaxation on the beach, visiting exotic places or mountain trips. Young people, especially students, are increasingly using their free time from academic classes to gain an additional injection of cash. “Seasonal work is an ideal solution for students, people who want to earn their first money, as well as for those who are just entering the professional market, gaining their first experience ,” says Anna Kotasińska, Head of the Recruitment Team at LeasingTeam Group.

During the season, Polish employers are mainly looking for people for work related to the harvesting of vegetables and fruits, the flower industry, gastronomy and the hotel industry (maids, waiters/waitresses) and for inventory work. On the other hand, our western neighbours lack workforce in the hotel and catering industry, but also in the warehouse and food industry. These classes do not require much experience and are willingly performed by pupils or students.

How much can you earn on seasonal work?

Rates in the catering, hotel and agricultural industries are similar. Performing these jobs in Poland, we can earn an average of PLN 27 gross per hour. In Germany, we can count on 13-14 euros gross, which is about 60 zlotys. According to the calculations of the LeasingTeam employment agency, a seasonal worker in Germany, with an 8-hour day in the period from June to September, can earn EUR 8,992 gross, i.e. about EUR 40,000 in terms of our currency. PLN. gross.

“If you decide to work seasonally in Germany, you can expect to earn 13-14 euros gross per hour. An advantage is the possibility of working a large number of hours, especially in the catering and hotel industry, which has a direct impact on the employee’s gross monthly salary, which oscillates between 2200 – 2400 euros – lists Anna Kotasińska, Head of the Recruitment Team at LeasingTeam Group.

Without a doubt, the upcoming holidays are a good time for those looking for additional income. Especially for pupils and students up to 26 years of age, who are in the privileged situation of receiving a gross take-home amount when working on a contract of mandate.

“In the case of pupils and students up to 26 years of age, a contract of mandate will be the most advantageous form of employment, precisely because of the tax exemption. However, when it comes to the issue of contributions, the amount of insurance or the right to leave, it is worth considering employment on the basis of a temporary employment contract – explains Victoria Wochnik, HR coordinator at LeasingTeam Group, specializing in recruitment for jobs in Germany.

Seasonal work abroad – what to pay attention to?

When making a decision to go abroad, we must first carefully read all the terms and conditions of employment. The answers to most of the questions can be found in the contract, which we should read very carefully. If you have any doubts, don’t be afraid to turn to someone who knows better. In the case of cooperation with a temporary employment agency, a dedicated coordinator will be the right person. Experts emphasize that when analyzing the contract, it is worth taking a special look at several important aspects. One of them is notice periods.

“The basis for taking up any paid job is a meticulous study of the terms and conditions of employment. However, in the case of short-term trips abroad, we should pay special attention to the provisions regarding the costs and conditions of accommodation. If the form of employment is a temporary employment contract, remember that there are rigid notice periods. This means that the employee will not be able to resign from work overnight – explains Anna Kotasińska, Head of the Recruitment Team at LeasingTeam Group.

When analyzing offers, it also does not hurt to consult friends who have experience in seasonal work. It is also worth checking the reviews about the employer on the Internet, but keep in mind that not all of them are always fully reliable.

Directly or through an agency?

The need to be independent or develop organizational skills means that young people often look for work abroad on their own. This has its advantages, but also disadvantages. On the one hand, it allows for greater flexibility and the ability to explore different sources of employment, including local classifieds. On the other hand, organizing a trip on your own always carries a certain amount of risk, requires perseverance and a lot of time. This will certainly save us from working with a temporary employment agency. However, the most important advantage of such a solution is the care of a dedicated coordinator who will take care of formal issues and ensure that legal liability is secured for both the candidate and the employer.

– A temporary employment agency has a really wide range of offers, easily matching them to the candidate’s needs. We take care of all formalities and handle matters remotely to save as much of the employee’s time as possible. He also gets constant access to a coordinator who directly contacts the employer and deals with all necessary matters related to employment. We also provide fully equipped accommodation and in many cases also transport. Importantly, we do not take the costs of housing from the employee’s salary – says Victoria Wochnik, HR Coordinator at LeasingTeam Group.

Seasonal work is not only a chance to earn extra money. For many young people, it is a great opportunity to increase motivation, get to know people, develop interpersonal skills and gain new perspectives. They will come back with a baggage of valuable experience and skills that will certainly bear fruit in their future professional work.

Seasonal work for everyone: Where to look for offers without experience requirements?

At this point, you need to ask yourself two specific questions. How do I find a holiday job? And, how can I find a job without the required work experience?

First of all, it is worth checking local advertising portals. It is on them that entrepreneurs very often place job advertisements. At this point, we must warn people who are looking for seasonal work abroad. First of all, pay attention to whether the advertisement includes the name of the company, place of work or the resulting responsibilities.

Many advertisements on social networks can be an attempt at fraud. If you are not sure about the advertisement you are browsing, look for information about the employer on the Internet. You may be able to find an opinion about it, which will make it easier to decide whether to send your CV.

Are you looking for a job, but don’t know what to choose? We have a simple solution for this. Contact the nearest temporary employment agency, e.g. LeasingTeam. With the help of experienced people, your job search will be easier, safer and probably faster than looking for employment on your own. If there is no LeasingTeam agency in your area, you can go to the District Employment Office, for example.

The most popular industries during the holidays are agriculture, tourism, hospitality, retail, gastronomy and construction. Very often, the PUP has job offers that you can take up immediately.

You must be at least 18 years old to do holiday work. In many cases, employers decide not to hire a person under 18 years of age, because it is associated with many formal requirements. The most popular group are pupils and students, who are then bound by a contract of mandate.

How to write a CV for a seasonal job without experience?

You have to remember that holiday work in a sense is like temporary work. Of course, taking up such a job will help you gain professional experience, but in most cases it will simply be physical work. Popular activities include helping with fruit picking, distributing leaflets, kitchen help, or helping on the construction site. Each of these jobs requires a lot of willingness and stamina.

Such jobs are characterized by low requirements, so writing a decent CV should not be a problem at all. In this case, a cover letter, for example, may be a better solution. You need to know that during a holiday job, the most important thing is the willingness itself. During the job interview, emphasize your motivation to act. It is possible that the employer will not require your CV from you. Nevertheless, it is worth having them with you.

You can include previous jobs on your resume. If you have no experience, focus on describing your education and skills. Perhaps you have completed a student internship? If so, put them on your resume. You can also describe your career goals. Explain why you want to get a job in a holiday job and how it relates to your plans for the future. Don’t forget about your interests and hobbies. Soft skills and specialist skills are also important.

Advantages of seasonal work: What benefits can you get?

We have reached the point where you already know how to search for job offers and how to write a resume without any previous experience. Do you still have doubts about working during the holidays? Let us dispel them.

Seasonal work allows you to gain professional experience. Therefore, it is recommended for young people who want to gain practice. Seasonal work allows you to learn about various fields, but also develops manual skills to a large extent.

Seasonal work is an excellent opportunity to develop soft skills, including communication, through working with clients, teamwork, which occurs in many seasonal jobs, but also managing your own time, combining private life with work for the first time.

For many young people, summer work is primarily a step towards financial independence. The first entry into the labor market is motivated by earning money for their own expenses. Very often, the first money earned is spent on financing education, developing hobbies, savings and travel.

If you want to find your dream job – bet on building a network of contacts. Working for holidays is a chance to get recommendations and the so-called networking, i.e. meeting people who can help you find future employment or internship.

Seasonal work teaches responsibility for duties, flexibility, coping with various situations and work culture (rules prevailing in a specific workplace).

The holiday period is a time when you can earn money, but also become a more independent and confident person. Make the most of this period!

Which industries most often hire seasonal workers with no experience?

There are a few professions in which experience is not required and these are not necessarily strictly seasonal jobs. Many students decide to work in a call center, as a copywriter, babysitter, receptionist, or tutor.

Popular jobs without the required experience are farm work, i.e. helping with harvesting, digging and harvesting fruit. We can also add gardening work, construction activities and positions in the tourism, catering and recreational industries to this list. Especially in tourist destinations and large holiday resorts.

The highest-paid holiday jobs are:

In similar industries , employees from the east are recruited. In their case, however, a work permit is important, which is issued by the authorities designated by the state. To employ such employees, you also need all the necessary documents that enable you to function on the Polish labor market. Employees from abroad most often work in agricultural crops and animal husbandry and breeding, as well as accommodation and catering services.

A candidate who receives an invitation to a recruitment meeting may have reasons to be satisfied. His CV was noticed among many others and became a pass to the next stage of recruitment. From now on, the key to success will be a job interview. The rules that can help you get your dream job are explained by a LeasingTeam expert.

Looking for a job, especially for professionally active people, can be an activity that consumes most of their free time. No wonder that many people compare the search for a new job to working overtime. Adapting your CV to specific advertisements and sending them is very time-consuming. However, in most cases, it is thanks to the CV responding to the advertisement that the candidate is invited to a job interview.

Presenting your knowledge and experience in the best possible way usually requires good preparation from the participant of the recruitment process, not only in terms of industry knowledge, but also universal rules applicable during the meeting. Following them does not guarantee getting your dream job, but it can help convince the recruiter to consider the candidate’s candidacy. Here are a few rules that, according to the LeasingTeam expert, can have a positive impact on the outcome of the process when permanent recruitment is carried out.

How to prepare for a job interview?

Remember that the first impression is very important! If you want to get a job in your dream position, you need to know how to prepare for a job interview. It is in the interview that the recruiter learns the most about the applicant. It is also good to know the types of recruitment.

Before the interview, you need to tick off some important points, which we will discuss later in the article. Remember to prepare for the interview by doing research about the company you are applying for a job for at the moment. Also, prepare the questions you will ask during the interview. You can ask about the details of the position, requirements and challenges that may await you.

That’s not all. If you know who the so-called head-hunter will be, do detailed research about him. Maybe you have mutual friends, maybe he publishes content on the Internet that you will be able to refer to in a conversation? This way you can impress your future employer with your knowledge and motivation.

Prepare questions that the recruiter can ask. In particular, the most common questions that concern weaknesses, strengths, interests, hobbies, failures and successes. The first good impression and good preparation for the interview will allow you to “catch the eye” of the recruiter.

The most common mistakes in a job interview and how to avoid them – how to make a good impression on a recruiter?

Since we have already listed the most important aspects that you need to work through before a job interview, now we need to talk about the most common mistakes that make the interview process doomed to failure in advance.

  1. Don’t let the recruiter notice your lack of preparation. You need to know the basics about the company and the position you are trying to apply for. You need to approach the interview with a positive attitude and knowledge of the company that may hire you.
  2. An inappropriate approach to the interlocutor can cross you out at the start. Remember, it’s your dream job at stake. Talk respectfully, as it’s up to the interviewer to decide whether or not you move on to the next stage. A great resume may not be enough if you alienate the recruiter. Also, don’t avoid eye contact. Self-confidence is very important.
  3. Don’t start the conversation by asking about your earnings. You need to be quite intuitive in this matter. It all depends on how the whole conversation goes and whether the question about finances will be appropriate.
  4. Ask additional questions and answer according to the question asked. Do not deviate from the topic. In particular, don’t answer briefly. Yes, no – this is not an answer that will satisfy the recruiter. Communication skills are one of the key requirements when working with people. Pay attention to how you answer and whether you answer according to the question asked. Don’t memorize ready-made answers. Be yourself!
  5. During the meeting, do not speak negatively about your previous employer. Of course, you may be asked about changing your workplace, but try to get out of it so that you don’t criticize your previous boss.
  6. How to dress for a job interview? Dress neatly. It doesn’t matter if it’s about recruiting IT staff or working in the administrative department. Aesthetic clothing is a “must have”. Remember how important the first impression is. A crumpled and washed t-shirt will not present you from the best side.

How to effectively present your skills and experience?

Authenticity is the most important thing. If you are passionate about what you do, presenting your skills and experience will not be much of a problem. However, talking openly about yourself is half the battle. You can talk about what you have achieved and what results you have achieved with previous employers. The most important thing is to be able to prove it. Show the effects of your work, which will certainly make you a more convincing candidate. As for telling stories about yourself, be concise and don’t tell complex stories. Be specific.

How to answer questions about weaknesses?

The first stage of recruitment is designed to extract as much information as possible from the candidates. Hence, recruiters very often ask uncomfortable questions about weaknesses. What is the reason for this? In this way, your honesty, self-awareness and willingness to develop are tested.

When talking about your flaws, avoid words sometimes or occasionally. Don’t underestimate your weaknesses, you need to be authentic and honest in what you say.

What to base your answers on? It is best to focus on the position you are applying for. Lack of knowledge of software, system or lack of certain skills does not have to cross you out. Very often, the employer trains new employees. Are you a perfectionist? Mention it. In theory, this is not a disadvantage, but for people who face perfectionism, it can be a hard nut to crack. Especially when they are too self-critical of themselves.

Gather the most important information about the employer

A candidate who wants to be perceived by the recruiter as an inquisitive and motivated person should learn as much as possible about the company they are going to the meeting. The time of the company’s existence on the market, the scope of activity, the products offered or the services provided are just some of the issues that the person conducting the meeting can ask the candidate about. Questions checking knowledge about the company are most often aimed at verifying the actual motivation of the participant of the recruitment process to work in a given company.

Candidates invited for interviews very often send up to several dozen CVs a week. As a result, there are people who come to the meeting unprepared, not even knowing what the company does. In this way, they very often cross out their chances of receiving a job offer – comments Jakub Dysarz, Junior Project Manager at LeasingTeam.

The effort put into gathering information about a given employer will certainly pay off. The candidate will not only present himself to the recruiter as a person who is really interested in working for a given company and further developing his career within its structures, but will also consciously make a choice of future employer.

Take care of your appearance

A job interview is a formal meeting during which, according to the principle “How they see you, that’s how they write you”, the candidate should take care of their appearance, including, above all, the appropriate outfit. The choice of clothing appropriate for the occasion can be influenced by m.in. the level of the position you are applying for. If it is a managerial position, it is worth wearing a more elegant outfit. Men can appear at the interview in a classic suit, while women in a suit, business costume or dress.

In the case of specialist positions, e.g. engineering, such formalized clothing is no longer required. Often simple fabric pants, a shirt or a sweater are enough. The whole outfit should be clean, fitted, neat. Ladies should avoid too large necklines and short skirts or dresses, and their makeup should be delicate and natural. You should also keep your jewelry in moderation. Before entering the interview, it is also worth checking the cleanliness of the shoes.

Be punctual

Being late for an interview can have a negative impact on the outcome of the recruitment process for the candidate. First of all, it may be perceived by the recruiter as a sign of disrespect. Secondly, being late for the meeting can shorten the duration of the interview, which works to the detriment of the candidate himself. Recruiters very often schedule even several recruitment meetings a day, so they are not able to devote more time to late people. As a result, candidates who arrive later have less time to convince the recruiter that they are the best candidates for the position than punctual candidates. To avoid being late, the person taking part in the recruitment process should check how long it will take them to get to the employer’s headquarters and allow additional time for unexpected situations such as traffic jams.

If, for reasons beyond their control, the candidate cannot arrive at the meeting on time, they should contact the recruiter as soon as possible and inform them of the expected time of delay. Similarly, if a candidate knows much earlier that they will not be able to participate in the interview or simply changed their mind and is no longer interested in the offer, they should inform the person they were supposed to meet. Perhaps his candidacy will be interesting enough for the recruiter to propose a different date for the meeting.

Recruiters understand that candidates sometimes change their minds, so the information about resignation from the recruitment process will certainly be received better by them than absence from the meeting,” believes Jakub Dysarzfrom LeasingTeam.

Turn off your phone

There’s nothing more distracting than the sudden, unexpected ring of your phone during an interview. A phone ringing can interrupt the candidate’s answer to one of the key questions in the recruitment process and negatively affect their concentration. Therefore, to avoid additional stress, the candidate should turn off the sound and vibration on the phone before the meeting.

Nervously looking for a phone in a purse and trying to silence it, or worse, answering the phone during a job interview, are situations that sometimes happen to candidates. Unfortunately, this type of behavior can leave a negative impression and affect the recruiter’s final decision to choose a candidate for a given position. It is worth bearing this in mind – says the LeasingTeam expert.

Be of good cheer

A smile, a firm handshake and tone of voice, calmness and composure can help the candidate present themselves better during the interview and win over the recruiter. With a positive attitude, you can also overcome the stress that usually accompanies interviewers.

The recruiter knows perfectly well what emotions accompany most candidates during a job interview. If, due to nervousness, a person taking part in the recruitment process gets lost in time and asks for the opportunity to answer again, they should not be afraid that it will negatively affect the recruiter’s opinion about them. Everyone can make a mistake – says Jakub Dysarz.

Don’t be afraid to answer difficult questions

The purpose of the interview is not only to verify the information contained in the CV, but also m.in. checking the candidate’s motivation, his fit to the company and to the expectations of his direct supervisor. Recruiters ask questions about the reasons for leaving the job, coping with stress, or the candidate’s positive or negative qualities. For some people, they may prove troublesome. Therefore, you should think carefully about your answers to avoid, for example, speaking negatively about your current employer.

When recruiting people with little experience, recruiters often ask about their interests. However, it turns out that due to stress, some candidates may find it difficult to even answer questions about a recently read book or a movie they have watched. Therefore, it is worth for the candidate to think about what questions about interests may be asked and how they should answer them.

Prepare a list of questions for the recruiter

A job interview is sometimes the only opportunity for a candidate to learn more about working for a company. Therefore, it is worth thinking carefully about what information he would like to obtain from the recruiter. Career path, the possibility of remote work, additional benefits, exact responsibilities in a given position are just some of the issues worth clarifying.

Asking questions is a sign of interest in the company and shows that the candidate has also prepared for the meeting. The information obtained, in the event of receiving an offer, will allow the participant of the recruitment process to make an informed decision and avoid disappointment with the responsibilities of the new position. Thus, the risk of his resignation from work, e.g. after the trial period, will also be reduced, thanks to which the employer will not have to bear the costs of another recruitment – comments Jakub Dysarz.

Following the above rules does not guarantee that you will receive a job offer, but it can certainly help you present yourself professionally during a recruitment interview. It is possible that the good impression that the candidate will make will pay off in the future and the next recruitment process to which he or she will be invited by the recruiter will end with winning the dream job.

Every employer makes sure to have qualified employees in their team. When looking for suitable candidates, however, they pay attention not only to experience and competence, but also to character traits. They are the ones who can ultimately decide about employment.

Positive qualities can already be mentioned in your CV, but it is worth finding out in advance which ones are currently most desired by employers and what they actually mean, because already during the recruitment meeting, the employer or recruiter may try to verify their authenticity.

So what features should you emphasize in your documents when applying for a job? The following list of characteristics of an ideal employee will help you with this.

What distinguishes an ideal employee?

These are primarily:

Commitment and Positive Attitude

Every employer values an employee who is fully committed to what they do. When going to a job interview, show that you are a committed person by creating a professional CV and preparing for the interview (the article on the most frequently asked questions at a job interview: 5 questions that are likely to be asked during a job interview will help you with this)

Good organization of working time

It became particularly important – crucial not only for employers, but also for employees – when multitasking, which is required so often, appeared on the labor market. People who can prioritize and plan tasks so that their completion does not cause them problems and does not take too much time are the most desirable candidates.

Willingness to learn

In order to be able to follow new technologies and increasingly different work models, continuous development has become a necessity these days, which is why the willingness to learn is a dominant feature in the current job market. Once you’ve mastered a skill, don’t rest on your laurels – take the next steps to get better at what you do.

Initiative and independence

By taking the initiative and showing independence in action, you show that you can think outside the box. This is a very important feature of a good employee.

Honesty

It is evidenced, among other things, by keeping one’s word, fulfilling one’s obligations, as well as not acting to the detriment of the employer.

Loyalty

Every employer expects loyalty from their employees. A loyal employee is the calling card of the entire organization. He speaks well of employees and management and represents the company with dignity to the outside.

Flexibility

Continuous progress, the new technologies and improvements mentioned above are accompanied by many changes, which is why employees who can adapt to them are valued.

Assertiveness

That is, the ability to express one’s own opinion without hurting the interlocutor’s feelings, which helps to build honest relationships with co-workers and makes it easier to resolve possible conflict situations.

Confidence

An employee should know their value and speak openly about their advantages and achievements. Of course, without going to extremes and bragging too much.

Before including the above character traits in your CV, think about whether you actually have them and how you can prove it at the interview.

Key characteristics of a good employee

What qualities of a good employee are of key importance in the context of the work performed? We must remember that everything depends on the job position, but a good employee should be characterized by responsibility for the duties entrusted to them, conscientiousness, flexibility, i.e. adaptation to changing conditions and requirements, communicativeness, diligence, taking the initiative, should have leadership skills or the ability to work in a team. Employers are looking for people who are empathetic, have good work organization, resistance to stress, honesty, or creativity in the broadest sense.

The above-mentioned personality traits are only a signpost. Very often, when choosing from among the characteristics of a good employee, we forget that there are negative character traits. What’s worse, the recruitment process can turn into a search for an impeccable or even perfect person. After all, this is not what it is about.

Characteristics of an ideal employee – what matters to the employer?

The most important characteristics of a good employee may vary depending on the specifics of industries or the company that conducts permanent recruitment. However, there are some universal features that are highly valued by employers. The most important characteristics of a good employee include:

  • Professionalism – every boss appreciates an employee who cares about details, keeps his commitments and behaves impeccable in the workplace.
  • Competence – the ability to work in a specific industry is necessary for the employee to be able to cope with the duties entrusted to him. The ability to teach is also important.
  • Problem-solving skills – analytical thinking enables you to solve complex problems and is of great importance. Especially at work, where the employee takes full responsibility.
  • Communication – without clear communication, it is impossible to cooperate between the employee and the boss or the employee and the employee. Teamwork skills also mean listening to others and expressing your opinions and ideas freely.
  • Teamwork – employers are looking for employees who are great at working with other people. Building relationships, supporting team members and a smooth flow of information is important for the development of the company.
  • Ability to cope with stress – nowadays, the qualities of a good employee are not enough. Employers care about people who can operate under high stress that does not affect productivity.
  • Time management – the ability to manage time is crucial in achieving goals.

Communication skills – why is it so important for employers?

Employers are increasingly paying attention to soft skills, including interpersonal skills such as communication skills. A good flow of information affects the efficiency of work in the company and builds good relationships within the team.

Good communication increases work efficiency, but also improves team cooperation, which is important in the context of project implementation and daily tasks. Broadly understood conversation is also important in the aspect of conflict management.

Daily conversation, but also appropriate coaching make employees work with full commitment. Importantly, a well-informed employee knows what goals the employer sets for him and what is most important for the company.

Communication skills are also an integral part of customer service. Better contact with the customer translates into better sales and building long-term relationships.

Efficient communication allows you to effectively give and receive feedback, manage changes within the company and build the company’s image. An employee who communicates well both inside and outside the company is a showcase for the organization in which he works on a daily basis.

Proactivity and initiative – how to gain recognition from the employer?

Modern work environments require proactivity and initiative. This is the easiest way to stand out as an employee and gain recognition in the eyes of your boss.

People who are self-reliant contribute to the development of the company. A proactive employee does not wait for orders or detailed instructions, but moves on to action, proposes changes and engages in additional projects.

How to gain recognition from the employer? It is important to understand the company’s goals and challenges. It is also good to propose specific solutions and boldly communicate your ideas. As an employee, you need to be open to learning, personal development, and acquiring skills that adapt to changing working conditions.

Also, remember to build positive and honest relationships with your colleagues. Don’t be afraid to offer help if you know how to solve a problem or improve your work faster.

Proactivity and initiative are not only a chance for quick promotion. Through activity, you will contribute to the success of the company, emphasizing your own commitment and professionalism.

Problem-solving skills as a valuable employee trait

Why is problem-solving skills so important?

First of all, it affects efficiency and productivity. An employee who diagnoses problems well effectively moves from one problem to another, which means that projects do not get stuck.

Solving problems quickly minimizes costs and downtime that can result from delays or employee errors. That is why employers value people who can quickly diagnose and eliminate the problem.

The ability to solve problems can build trust and credibility among the team, but also among potential customers. Such an ability is often seen as being competent and professional.

Efficient troubleshooting is also useful when providing customer service. An employee who effectively and quickly responds to the customer’s problems and needs builds a bond with them that can bring measurable benefits in the future.

Problem solving is strictly related to analytical thinking. A person who can analyze problems well and find solutions often also demonstrates other valuable analytical skills, which are very useful in other aspects of work. Especially when it comes to recruiting IT staff.

Many branches of the economy are characterized by seasonality. Revenues and the ability to achieve them are distributed very unevenly throughout the year. It is enough to mention tourism, the renovation industry or agriculture. This state of affairs means that in some months of the year companies need workforce, while in others business is stagnant and maintaining jobs is unprofitable.

In such industries operating in such industries for years, seasonal workers have played a huge role, hired when they are necessary. On the Polish market, these are more and more often employees from abroad and hired with the help of agencies in accordance with what the Temporary Work Act says. What exactly is seasonal work? What are the benefits? Why is it profitable for companies to employ people from abroad?

Assumptions of seasonal work

Seasonal work is most often considered to be an employment relationship lasting no longer than 9 months. Seasonal workers appear primarily in industries where the demand for labor is variable on an annual basis. Such industries include, among others:

In addition, seasonal workers are sometimes hired as replacements when, for some reason, such as maternity leave, a full-time position remains temporarily vacant. Cooperation with seasonal workers can take place on various terms.

Often it is a fixed-term employment contract – until the position is needed or the person previously occupying it returns to work. Usually, a seasonal worker receives the same financial and other terms of employment as the person he replaces. The only difference is that the contract is signed for a fixed period.

Temporary work can also take place on the basis of civil law contracts. This is often the case with short employment relationships, for example in gastronomy operating in popular tourist destinations, where demand exists for about 3 months, or in agriculture during the harvest. Another solution is to use the services of a temporary employment agency, which is able to immediately provide employees with appropriate competences.

Seasonal workers – benefits

Seasonal work brings great benefits to companies. The company saves a lot of money because it does not have to maintain unnecessary jobs all year round. This gives you a higher level of financial flexibility. Seasonal workers usually do not expect stable employment – they care about fair earnings and are able to accept civil law contracts.

Another benefit lies in the flexibility of employment – not in all industries it is possible to predict the demand for temporary workers well in advance – it can depend, for example, on the weather. Fortunately,temporary workers can be recruited at an express pace.

Recruitment of employees from abroad for seasonal work

The Polish labour market has undergone huge changes in recent years. The relatively low level of unemployment makes it somewhat more difficult to find suitable seasonal workers at present. A significant number of Poles can boast of stable full-time employment, which is why temporary employment relationships are not particularly attractive to them, as well as salaries. However, the gap created on the market is perfectly filled by the recruitment of employees from abroad – primarily from the east – Ukraine, Belarus, Armenia or Georgia, but also from Asia.

Seasonal workers from abroad play their role well for several reasons. Very often, coming to Polish is strictly for them to earn money. After completing their duties, they plan to return to the country. In this way, they are highly motivated to work and willing to work overtime if necessary. Salaries offered in Poland are attractive to them compared to local ones. Importantly, this group does not lack people with different qualifications and professional profiles. You can easily find blue-collar workers, warehouse workers, but also specialists. The only barrier to hiring foreign workers for seasonal work is bureaucracy. While there aren’t many legal hurdles, the paperwork of hiring a foreign worker can take up to a month.

Seasonal workers with the support of temporary employment agencies

That is why many companies employing seasonal workers use the help of a temporary employment agency. This solution has great advantages, which include:

Seasonal workers are indispensable in many industries. Companies also use them when they are on the verge of larger projects with limited own processing capacity. Thanks to temporary employment agencies, the solution is very flexible and works perfectly.

What is seasonal work?

Seasonal work is nothing more than a type of employment of temporary workers during specific seasons. Seasonal workers are employed for a short period of time, usually a few weeks or months. Their task is to provide assistance in the period of the greatest demand for work. In the case of seasonal work, the most common industries are:

Seasonal work and a contract – types of contracts and types of employment

Seasonal work can be performed on the basis of various contracts, and its choice depends mainly on the employer’s needs, the type of work performed and the provisions of the labor law. The vast majority of seasonal work takes place on the basis of fixed-term work, contracts of mandate, contracts for specific work, or temporary contracts.

So it all depends on the type of contract. However, it is good to know what each of these contracts is about. So it’s time to move on to their characteristics and answer the question: which employment contract is worth using?

Major industries offering seasonal work

Seasonal work is most popular in industries where the demand for additional hands to work increases at different times of the year. Therefore, finding seasonal work is not difficult, and very often industries hire a temporary employment agency to provide them with additional employees.

Which industries are looking for seasonal workers to perform work in a period of high demand? These include:

Seasonal work offers variety. Such work and seasonal contract is especially attractive for people looking for short-term work, i.e. young people, students and people who want to earn some extra money.

Seasonal work abroad – opportunities and requirements

Seasonal work abroad is mainly of interest to young people, students and people looking for additional income. Of course, this form of employment offers a higher salary than in Poland. In addition, it is a chance to gain work experience, the opportunity to learn about other cultures and learn the language during everyday conversations.

The most popular countries are : Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Great Britain, Spain and Italy. The cross-section of the work performed is really large. From fruit harvesting, caring for the elderly, to work in horticulture, fishing, tourism, entertainment and agriculture.

However, hiring an employee from abroad is associated with a list of requirements that the employee must meet. These include legal employment, which involves having a passport, ID card, and in some countries – a work visa.

Before starting work, the employer should also provide a written contract. The contract will specify the period of employment, terms of employment, working hours and other important information.

It is also important to have health insurance. People travelling to EU countries can use the European Health Insurance Card. However, in some cases, it is advisable to purchase additional insurance in case of illness or accident.

We cannot fail to mention the knowledge of the language, which is really important. In many cases, it will be knowledge of the local language at a basic level.

Take Your Time

A cover letter cannot be a copy of your CV. The purpose of this document is to present your strengths, experience and competences in the context of a given job offer. Preparing a good cover letter requires taking the time to think about what is really behind the requirements in the advertisement, how your professional profile fits into these expectations and how you can convince the employer to choose you. Show that you are the one they are looking for by choosing the most relevant examples from their professional life. Make the recipient of the letter feel that your message is well-thought-out and individualized.

Give a logical structure to your speech

A cover letter should have a logical structure and consist of three parts: introduction, development and conclusion. In the introduction, write what position you are applying for and how you know about the offer. In the extension, which is the most important part of the cover letter, briefly justify why you are the right person for the position. At the end of the letter, you can tell the employer what actions you will take for the company once you get the job. Declare your readiness for a recruitment meeting and supplementing the information.

Justify why you’re a great candidate

Present the most important advantages of your candidacy from the point of view of a potential employer to convince the recruiter that you are the right candidate for the position. Choose arguments based on the requirements from the advertisement. Don’t forget to add information about your achievements and motivation to work. Put yourself in the shoes of a potential employer, think about the benefits of choosing you and present them in a letter, using appropriate argumentation. Using the language of benefits will definitely make your application stand out.

Show what you have in common

In your cover letter, you can refer to the company’s mission, value system, and business goals. If you show that the company’s profile and goals are consistent with yours, you will give a strong argument to the employer to consider your candidacy. Companies are looking for engaged employees, so showing that you consciously choose the organization you want to work for can significantly boost your ratings.

Take care of linguistic correctness

A cover letter is a formal document, so when writing it, do not use colloquial language or overly sophisticated terms. Don’t let spelling, stylistic or punctuation mistakes get in it. Remember that on its basis, the potential employer will assess your attention to detail and diligence. If someone makes mistakes in their application, you might think that they will also make them in important company documents.

Make it a formal document

Like any formal letter, the cover letter should include the sender’s, the addressee’s data, as well as the date and name of the city. In the upper left corner, enter your personal data, i.e. name, surname, address of residence, contact phone number and e-mail address. In the top right, enter a date and location. Include the details of the company you are applying to below. If the advertisement does not contain information about who is conducting the recruitment process, address the document using the phrase “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To the Recruitment Department”.