The Problems of the Polish Tech Industry

Opel driving Polish software engineers has been a running joke for many years. The concept has its origins in the now infamous Facebook group called “Problemy Polskiej Branzy IT,” which literally translates to the problems of the Polish tech industry.

Today the group has over 84,000 members and a very busy discussion page. It’s almost like a digital megaphone for tech workers venting their frustration online.

To give you an idea of the type of content prevalent in the group one anonymous user wrote about how he believes that HR specialists are purposefully prolonging interview processes. Another user complained about how IT specialists’ careers often depend on HR people who have no idea about technology. He adds how these HR people are a hindrance to the economy. More of a hindrance than Polish bureaucracy. Aneta from HR is a name that has been used to define these people. Men who work in HR are referred to as Oscars.

The infamous @HRejterzy team created a meme to explain the Aneta phenomenon. It is less than flattering. ‘Anetkas’ from HR is now circulating the web as a meme used to describe those HR people who annoy or frustrate tech workers. The post itself shows a recruiter sipping their coffee while checking a CV. The post implies that HR people do not show the correct care and attention. One user commented on the post stating how some recruiters respond within a minute of receiving a CV, inferring they can’t possibly have read all the CV before calling.

From Opels to Anetkas

Polish tech workers like to see themselves as humble. They drive Opels. They dream about Scala Johansson. Most importantly, they have also been a massive part of Poland’s success over the last few decades. Many of them grew up with a higher level of education at school level than can be seen in other Western democracies. One tech worker shared how one can observe an educational trend referred to as the “Russian Math School.”

The explanation is straightforward. In former Soviet Bloc nations, children begin learning algebra as early as first grade. They pick up basic arithmetic operations – addition, subtraction, and multiplication – along the way. By eighth grade these students have a considerably advanced mathematical skill set. By the time they’re in high school, they tackle complex mathematical concepts.

It’s the education and entrepreneurism that sets Polish tech workers above many of their counterparts. Have HR people in Poland gained this reputation for themselves?

For Verita HR, a leader in Polish recruitment since 2010, the rise of “Problemy Polskiej Branży IT” is both a challenge and an opportunity. “The ‘Anetka’ stereotype may be exaggerated, but it reflects real frustrations,” says Milena Gorka, a senior recruiter at Verita HR. “Tech candidates feel misunderstood, and we need to bridge that gap.”

Applying to Join the Problems of the Polish Tech Industry Facebook Group

To help those new to Polish tech and sarcasm, we came up with a potential list of questions to anybody wanting to join the Facebook group. Answer wisely, Anetka and Oscar are watching.

1. How do you feel when a Recruiter checks your profile on LinkedIn?

• Excited
• Indifferent
• Apprehensive
• Scared

2. What’s your reaction when Anetka from HR asks for ‘5 years of experience’ in a tech that’s only existed for 2 years?

• Laugh and send her a Wikipedia link
• Cry into my keyboard
• Update my CV to include ‘Time Traveller’
• Block her and move to a different country

3. How many buzzwords does it take in a job description before you start questioning Anetka’s sanity?

• 3 (e.g., ‘rockstar,’ ‘ninja,’ ‘guru’)
• 5 (add ‘disruptor’ and ‘synergy’)
• 10 (I’m fluent in corporate nonsense now)
• I stopped counting after ‘we’re a family’

4. What’s your go-to response when Oscar from HR asks you to do a 10-hour unpaid ‘test project’ for a junior role?

• ‘Sure, I’ll do it – right after you code a full-stack app for free’
• ‘I’d rather debug Internet Explorer on Windows 98’
• ‘Does this come with a free coffee? Because I’ll need it’
• Ghost him like he’s about to ghost me

5. How do you feel about HR’s favourite phrase: ‘We’ll get back to you soon’?

• As likely as me buying a new Opel this year
• I’ve heard more believable promises from my code’s error logs
• I’m still waiting for ‘soon’ from my 2022 application
• It’s the corporate equivalent of ‘I’ll call you’

6. What’s your survival strategy when Anetka schedules a ‘quick chat’ that turns into a 3-hour interrogation about your ‘cultural fit’?

• Fake a sudden internet outage
• Start asking her to explain what ‘cultural fit’ means
• Pretend I’m fluent in Scala Johansson, not Scala the language
• Smile and nod while mentally rewriting her job ad in plain Polish

7. How many times have you been ghosted by HR after an interview?

• Once or twice – I am an optimist
• Enough to start a support group
• I’ve lost count, but I’m naming my next pet Anetka
• Never – I ghost them first now

If you want to add any more questions, we’d happily update this story. We also hope that the admins of the Facebook group consider some of our questions for new applicants to the group in the future.

#PolishTech #HRFrustrations #ProblemyPolskiejBranzyIT #AnetkaFromHR #TechRecruitment #VeritaHR #PolishIT

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