Sunday, February 2, 2025

USA-China Tensions Transform Global Market

After the U.S. elections, relations between the...

IT Job Market in Poland: Increased Competition Among Specialists and Fewer Opportunities for Beginners

CAREERSIT Job Market in Poland: Increased Competition Among Specialists and Fewer Opportunities for Beginners

The average number of applications per job offer in the IT sector in 2024 was 10% higher than in 2023, according to new data from No Fluff Jobs. Among mid-level professionals, this increase reached an impressive 37%. Frontend remains the most sought-after category; however, the number of job postings in this category decreased by 20% year-on-year. On the other hand, job opportunities in non-programming categories, such as Security, increased significantly—by as much as 39%.

The IT industry is still grappling with the effects of a crisis that first became apparent on the Polish market two years ago. While there are signs of stabilization, the latest report, “IT Job Market 2024/2025”, from No Fluff Jobs, shows that the number of IT job postings in 2024 was, on average, 3% lower each month than the previous year. Factors contributing to this situation include a decline in orders from software houses, HR agencies, and companies offering employee outsourcing.


A 10% Increase in Applications Per Job Offer

The most significant declines in job postings occurred in Game Dev (down 58%), Embedded systems (down 33%), Agile/Scrum Master roles (down 31%), and Frontend (down 20%). In contrast, job availability continued to grow in non-programming categories such as Security (+39%), Data & BI (+34%), Product Management (+33%), and AI (+22%).

At the same time, the average number of applications per job posting increased by 10% year-on-year. The most notable surge in competition was seen in mid-level job postings, where the average number of CVs submitted per offer rose by 37% compared to 2023. For senior-level positions, this increase was 23%.

Frontend remains the most competitive category, with an average of 149 candidates per job posting. Other highly competitive fields include UX/UI/Design (96 applicants per posting) and Project Management (86 applicants per posting). A particularly sharp increase in interest was noted in the Embedded category, where the average number of CVs per job offer nearly doubled, from 13 in 2023 to 25 in 2024.


Shifting Priorities in IT Specializations

“In the past, we often advised anyone considering a career in IT to focus on learning programming. However, two years of crisis in the tech sector have challenged this approach. Today, non-programming specializations such as data analytics, cybersecurity, AI, or machine learning appear to offer more secure career paths,” commented Tomasz Bujok, CEO of No Fluff Jobs.

While IT salaries remain attractive compared to many other industries, the pace of wage growth has slowed. Meanwhile, competition in the job market has intensified. For instance, the average number of applications for mid-level roles in Frontend reached 186, while Backend roles received 51 and Fullstack roles 39 applications on average. Junior positions are even more competitive, with numbers often exceeding 100 applications per job.

“Despite the challenges in the IT job market, No Fluff Jobs remains committed to promoting transparency in employment. We are optimistic about the changes that may arise from the proposed legislation on pay transparency in Poland and the EU’s directive on pay equity,” added Bujok.


Fewer Opportunities for Beginners

The situation remains particularly difficult for individuals just starting their careers in IT. The percentage of job postings targeting beginners dropped from 8% in 2023 to 6% in 2024. Frontend continues to dominate as the most popular category among junior candidates, with an average of 370 CVs per job posting. In total, eight categories received over 100 applications per junior-level job posting, including Project Management, UX/UI/Design, AI, Backend, Fullstack, Data & BI, and Testing.

As competition grows, entry-level candidates face increasing challenges, while the focus on specialized and non-programming roles continues to reshape the IT landscape.


Source: Manager Plus

Check out our other content
Related Articles
The Latest Articles