The principal reason I studied Polish was because most of my Polish-speaking clientel spoke no English whatsoever.
In other words, you learned it because it was useful to you, especially in a significant economic and social context that justified the significant investment of time and effort. That's why by far most people learn a foreign language to the point of fluency. A few do it for fun or out of intellectual curiosity, or because they are forced to in school, but these pale in comparison to those with more utilitarian motivations, and few of them become fluent.
Grzegorz, yeah, I know about this kind of jobs. Given the choice I would rather avoid them, but who knows what my situation will turn out to be. Thanks anyway.
DominicB, there is some reason in what you are saying. Thanks to you too.
Yep, networking is very important. This is something that you build over time though. It's hard to leverage it when you are just a beginner (e.g. not a valuable contact yourself) and your time is limited.
Yes, it is better to have conversations directly with decision makers or with people working on the same kind of job you are aiming for. You are also right about CV and first impression.
I don't agree with snail-mail point though. I live in another country. I don't really know how much time the delivery would take, I ain't willing to trust post service on this. There are other reasons too, but I think this one is already sufficient.
Concerning you advice: job is not only about money, but yeah, you can't afford to miss that part.
Hi ! I am also looking for a job in Warsaw . I am romanian , I don't speak polish language ,I speak french , spanish , english and of course my native language , romanian. I've worked 2 years and a half in logistics in Romania and now I need a job here in Warsaw . Any ideas , someone ? My mail : pop.livia14@yahoo . Thanks !
Yes. Outsourcing companies in Warsaw frequently look for people with logistics experience even if they don't speak Polish. Speaking English + other European languages (German, French, Spanish, Italian & Russian are usually the most wanted) is what they usually look for. Having a degree or formal qualification is also important.
Try companies that have supply lines to Romania - quite a lot of retailers e.g. Auchan, CCC, Reserved, Kaufland but also manufacturing companies, car companies etc. These are the two biggest growing markets and its really difficult to find any logistics people. Smarten up your CV and get on the phone - might take you a few months but I'm sure you will find something interesting.
Exactly, learn Polish or find another place. Polish people are getting tired of having to speak foreign language just to be able to communicate with a foreigner in Poland. Time for foreigners to learn Polish!
Polish people are getting tired of having to speak foreign language just to be able to communicate with a foreigner in Poland.
When you finally do come to Poland you'll find that a lot of people like to speak to foreigners in English. This is particularly true when you get out into smaller towns in more remote areas where people really like the chance to practice the language they spent so long learning at school. I've now learned that when I'm speaking to somebody who I'm less than sure actually does understand the English that they are trying to speak that it's best to say what I want to say in both English and Polish.
They do enjoy practicing their English. I too appreciate it, so long as they realize it's a two-way street; we practice our Polish and they practice their English:-) Ktoś is right too. Many do not like to speak a foreign language.
you'll find that a lot of people like to speak to foreigners in English
Short term visitors for a few minutes here and there? Sure, why not?
Longterm visitors who don't want to expend the effort to learn Polish?....erm not so much. Co-workers who need someone to translate everything that happens? Also not.
No one in Poland expects new arrivals or tourists to know Polish, but if someone wants to live here long term then they need to learn. All the excuses for not doing so amount to some combination of laziness, entitlement and stupidity. None of those are attractive features in a longterm resident.
Hello I'm Maria Aziz I'm living in warsaw i really need a job and I'm speaking in english and i can speak polish but not fluently and I'm speaking in persian language.
if someone can find me a job then I'll be thankful and also i have karta pobytu. Best regard Maria Aziz.
What did you expect coming to Poland? Not only you should learn Polish, you should also educate yourself too or learn a trade and better be good at it and only then you may have a chance and that is how it should be. You seem to think that everyone should give you a job when Polish people - some having done two degrees- can not find a job and you think you can? Without even knowledge of Polish language??? To me you are either not the smartest of people or you are very delusional.
In my experience if you intend to live or work in Poland you really do need to learn Polish, where I am in a provincial town in Silesia, not many people speak English, and if they do they don't always come forward with it (Especially in government offices). I have found many times that people who I have been speaking to in Polish knew English all the time. My polish is quite good but I get stuck on some technical and modern youngster speak (I am an old pole-brit).
All very strange, My wife who is English and only speaks a little polish finds it all very odd that after someone gets to know her a bit they start talking in English.
Mafketis... I am trying to speak Polish, I am English. What I have found on several occasions is, when I do try, some shop assistants 'take the ****' out of me. I can tell because I understand more Polish than I can speak. I have had occasions when I have asked for something and have omitted to use the correct ending for a word (ie masculine/feminine) and the shop assistant has pulled a face like I was speaking an alien language. As a result because I now feel a bit dejected, I will ask if they speak English, especially if they are young and they are usually more than willing to try. In fact our local vet says she enjoys speaking English with me because it helps improve hers. My husband speaks Polish well but has also had occasions when someone has behaved as if he couldnt understand what my husband is saying, even tho the guy standing next to him understands perfectly well what hubby is saying.
someone has behaved as if he couldnt understand what my husband is saying,
in fairness to the person, they probably couldnt understand him. They are not really used to hearing their language being mashed up. Imagine stressing all the wrong syllables in Trafalgar Square or, say, Bermondsey, and even a Londoner would be hard pushed to understand. I just mean that as an example.
Roz... sorry think in that instance it wasnt the case, as I said, the guy standing next to him understood perfectly well what my hubby was asking for. When Poles speak English with me I adapt for their mispronunciation and can usually inter-prate what they are trying to say.Also I dont take the pee, I appreciate that they are trying.
When Poles speak English with me I adapt for their mispronunciation and can usually inter-prate what they are trying to say.Also I dont take the pee, I appreciate that they are trying.
you have missed my point, we are used to hearing English being mangled, while Polish people are not used to that with their language. anyway how do you know that the guy understood him? do you think he was just 'pretending' to not understand to be annoying? Reminds me a bit of the English people who are all convinced that they once went into a shop in Wales and 'suddenly everyone started talking Welsh' .
ps.. another example was an occasion I tried to buy something and the only thing I omitted was the 'y' sound on the end. Came out empty handed again. I have now taken to writing down what I want and that seems to be working! :))
honestly, they simply don't understand you! I remember once I was working in Greece and went to one of those kiosks for envelopes. Well the Greek for 'envelopes' is 'fakellos', I must have said it twenty times, while the woman there offered me fags, tampax and goodness knows what else - finally she clicked, my fault for stressing the wrong syllable, had been saying FAKellos not fakeLLOS
Hahaha, like the tampax (along the lines of my experience!). Seriously tho, I dont think I could ever be fluent enough to work here so its a good thing I am semi-reitired. There are some words I have a complete mental block with, just cant get my tongue around them. Bravo to any 'foreigner' who has mastered Polish.
Poles were delighted to speak with me in Polish (even if some might have spoken good English), because they saw that it was my way as a foreign visitor of merely showing the commensurate respect......mistakes and all!!!
I've now learned that when I'm speaking to somebody who I'm less than sure actually does understand the English that they are trying to speak that it's best to say what I want to say in both English and Polish.
For English lessons we have schools for that in Poland which actually teach us proper English not the playground version delivered by the feeble spoken majority of foreigners usually from Anglo-Saxon countries (for example, the English people). This is a fact, most English language speakers from countries where English is the main operational language do not speak proper English, education in most of the West is really low and those westerners can not write or speak properly in their own language, I do not want Polish people to be learning wrong English. Also, in our country we would like to see foreigners make a real continuous effort to learn Polish instead of relying on Polish person's eagerness to capitalise on English language skills learned at school but not yet tested in practice.
Mafketis... I am trying to speak Polish, I am English.
You are just feeling sorry for yourself because you realised that In Poland people will not always bow to you just because you are a foreigner from the West. You expect everywhere for the people to be gentle, tolerant and understanding in regards to your broken Polish, well, in my country we criticise other Polish people for making a slightest mistake in Polish and you expect to be treated even better than Polish? Next time you come to live in a foreign country it would be good to learn a bit about that country's culture. Be happy that in shops ( and I bet it is not every shop Your Highness) they are pulling a face, because if a Polish person spoke like you there would be more than just face pulling. Learn better Polish Your Highness, keep at it and stop thinking that Poland owes you something, you have to make an effort to fit it and large part of it is learning the language and being more of man about it, adopt more mature approach, man up!
