The permanent recruitment process has six stages: job profile, sourcing, screening, candidate presentation, interviews with a decision, and offer and start. The employee is hired directly by the client, and the agency runs the process up to the signing of the contract. Most time is usually lost between candidate presentation and the client's decision.

What the permanent recruitment process looks like step by step

  1. Job profile. Scope of duties, required and preferred requirements, realistic salary range, working conditions. This stage has the strongest influence on the outcome of the whole process.
  2. Candidate sourcing. Job ads, the agency's own database, direct outreach to people who are not actively searching.
  3. Initial screening. Verification of experience, availability and financial expectations.
  4. Presentation to the client. Usually several candidates with the agency's recommendation.
  5. Interviews at the client and a decision.
  6. Offer, formalities and the first day of work.

For candidates brought in from a country requiring a visa, the period from the hiring decision to the first day of work is, in market practice, approximately 3-5 months, mainly due to deadlines at the voivodeship office (urząd wojewódzki) and the consulate. A candidate already legally residing in Poland usually starts faster, depending on the basis of stay and access to the labor market. The timeline is laid out in the article on recruiting employees from abroad.

Which stage takes the longest

Rarely sourcing. The longest delays occur between presentation and the decision: an interview date pushed back by a week, no feedback, waiting for the opinion of someone who is on vacation.

A good candidate is available only briefly. A process stretched over several weeks usually ends not with a lack of candidates, but with the loss of the ones who were there. Someone who waits a week for a response after an interview often accepts another offer in the meantime.

Before starting, settle two things: the maximum time for feedback after presentation, and a decision maker with a backup. These two arrangements shorten recruitment more than additional job ads.

What to prepare before ordering recruitment

  • A realistic salary range, not a wishful one. Too low a range filters out candidates already at the screening stage.
  • A split of requirements into required and preferred.
  • A description of working conditions: shift system, commute, physical load. Candidates drop out more often over conditions they learned about too late than over competencies.
  • Interview dates given in advance.
  • A ready offer template with a specific start date.

How the fee works in permanent recruitment

The agency usually charges a one-off fee linked to the candidate's hiring. The amount and billing model are set by the contract. The cost is mainly affected by the difficulty of the recruitment and the number of positions to fill.

When to choose permanent recruitment and when temporary work

Permanent recruitment suits a stable, predictable position: the employee joins your payroll, and the agency's job ends after hiring. For variable demand, temporary work performs better, where the agency remains the employer.

If you have a permanent position to fill, let's start with the job profile.

Frequently asked questions

How long does permanent recruitment take?

It depends mainly on how fast the company decides and on whether the candidate comes from abroad. For candidates brought in from a country requiring a visa, the segment from the hiring decision to the first day of work alone takes, in practice, approximately 3-5 months. A candidate already living legally in Poland can start much sooner.

Who pays the agency for permanent recruitment?

The employer who orders the recruitment. An employment agency (agencja zatrudnienia) cannot charge the candidate for finding them a job.

Is the fee charged if no one is hired?

With a one-off fee linked to hiring, it is usually due only once the candidate is hired. The timing and conditions of payment are set by the contract.