💡 When phoning a company first state who you are and why: Dzwonię w sprawie ogłoszenia o pracę; the phrase Proszę poczekać, już łączę means you are being put through.
💡 A Polish application usually includes a CV and a list motywacyjny (cover letter); to the CV you add a zgoda na przetwarzanie danych (consent to data processing). You send a PDF by email.
💡 You come to an interview on time, a few minutes early; if they phone, ask for the address in writing so that nothing gets mixed up.
💡 At an interview you shake hands, make eye contact and state your full name; the forms Pan/Pani and państwo are standard.
💡 Useful words: doświadczenie (experience), mocne strony (strengths), praca zespołowa (teamwork), szkolenie (training), referencje (references).
💡 Salary in Poland is stated brutto (before tax) and netto (take-home); the question Jakie ma pan/pani oczekiwania finansowe? is standard.
💡 Umowa o pracę is an employment contract (full social protection), umowa zlecenie a civil-law contract, umowa o dzieło a contract for a specific work; the difference is in rights and contributions.
💡 Urlop wypoczynkowy is annual leave (twenty or twenty-six days), okres wypowiedzenia the notice period; its length depends on length of service.
💡 To register an employee you need: PESEL, numer konta (account for payment), dowód tożsamości, badania lekarskie (medical check) and a completed PIT-2 to reduce tax.
💡 During the probation period (okres próbny, up to three months) the notice period is shorter than usual; read whatever was agreed in the contract.
💡 Under a umowa zlecenie (contract of mandate) the employer usually pays contributions to ZUS, depending on the situation; you can see the confirmation in your Profil Zaufany on the ZUS site.
💡 On the first day colleagues are introduced, you are shown your place and given a pass or keys; it is usual to shake hands and say your name.
💡 In many Polish companies colleagues address each other na ty (informally), especially the younger ones; usually the older person or manager offers: Może przejdźmy na ty?
💡 Asking to repeat is fine and colleagues value honesty: Czy można prosić o powtórzenie? or Proszę to napisać; do not pretend you understood.
💡 You must notify the employer about illness as early as possible; the doctor issues an e-ZLA (electronic sick note, L4) and sends it to ZUS and the employer automatically.
💡 Leave (urlop) is agreed with the manager in advance; the request is written on a form or sent electronically: wniosek urlopowy.
💡 The doctor sends the electronic sick note e-ZLA to ZUS and you only tell your employer about the illness; after you recover you usually do not need to bring any paper.
💡 Brutto is before tax, netto take-home, składki contributions (to ZUS), podatek tax; the slip has wynagrodzenie zasadnicze (basic pay).
💡 The payment (wypłata) arrives in the account usually by the tenth of the following month; the exact day is in the contract.
💡 Nadgodziny are overtime hours; they are paid (dodatek, a supplement) or compensated with a day off, as set out in the contract or the company rules.