Know if you have a job before you leave Poland? - question for Polish people working abroad

Question for Poles working abroad. When you go to work abroad (in the UK, Germany, Italy, etc.) -- do you actually know you have the job yet before you leave Poland or you just go on spec and hope to find a job while you're abroad?

Most are optimists and try to find a job while they are on the spot (I think).

I'm not Polish but I can tell you what my Polish friends did here in the UK.

All of them came over with a little bit of money to live for about a month or so, got a house or shared with people that were already over here and then went to employment agencies and found work that way. The trouble with that is at this time of year the employment agencies are very slow because it's just after christmas. In about a couple of weeks the agencies will start to get a lot busier and so there will be a far better chance of finding a job quickly.

I hope that helps you a little bit :)

But it seems a little silly - imo they should first do research and contact the potential employers from Poland. That would be easier both for them and their potential employers.

It would work like that if they were getting a professional appointment, but in most instances they are looking for work through the temp agencies, hoping to go permanent - that's the experience my friends are having anyways.

It is, but when you don't know the language well it's hard to have an easy conversation with a potential employer. When you are on the spot and the employer can "examine" you, it's sometimes easier to get a job (for blue collar workers at least).