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Work in Poland for a person who moved to America as a kid, and who speaks great Polish


Mario203  1 | 1  
18 Sep 2018 /  #1
I was originally born in Poland and moved to America when I was 6. I speak very good Polish with no accent and can read and write fairly well. I am halfway through college and have been playing with the idea of possibly searching for a job in Poland. I will graduate with a degree in manufacturing management. I just want some insight on whether it would be worth coming back to Poland or what my chances of even finding a job are. The plan is to get at least 3 years of experience In America before searching for a job in Poland. Any insight is highly appreciated. Thanks!
mafketis  38 | 11084  
18 Sep 2018 /  #2
. I just want some insight on whether it would be worth coming back to Poland or what my chances of even finding a job are.

Only you can answer that... finding a job shouldn't be a problem (unless there's a major downturn or something) but how happy you'll be depends on lots of stuff that you didn't include - the Poland you left is dead and there's a new one in its place that may or may not be to your liking. How often have you been back?

Also "read and write fairly well" won't cut it You'll need to be able to do your job in Polish too so you'll need to increase your skills in reading and writing (and probably speaking which probably has lots of gaps if you're anything like other people in your position I've known). Start off by keeping up with your field in Polish (should be stuff online).
terri  1 | 1661  
18 Sep 2018 /  #3
Finding work will be a lot easier if you possess a Polish passport. If you only have an American one there may be complications with getting a work visa etc.

I would get some experience behind me, but just out of interest search on the internet if there are jobs in your field.
OP Mario203  1 | 1  
19 Sep 2018 /  #4
I was in Europe for a couple weeks over the summer but didn't stop in Poland. I absolutely loved the countries i visited so I can only imagine Poland is fairly similar. I plan on going to Poland next summer which will definitely help me decide if this is something I want to go through with. I have been checking job listings and there seem to be plenty of opportunities available. But I definitely need to start brushing up on my reading and writing.
Atch  24 | 4333  
19 Sep 2018 /  #5
I can only imagine Poland is fairly similar.

It depends on which European countries you were in. The culture, mindset and people vary quite a lot from country to country. Also, it's been said many times on this forum but holidays are a very different matter to living somewhere especially when you have to navigate bureaucracy and find how differently things are done from what you're accustomed to.

One of the things I find difficult about Polish people is that they are somewhat reserved but if they decide they want to be friends with you, they tend to smother you a bit. For me as an Irish person (so also European) I am accustomed to the casual friendliness and outgoing manner of my counytrymen which makes it easy to interact on a day to day basis, but I find the 'be my best friend forever' vibe of Polish people a bit overwhelming. They're very nice, but it's just too much.

Also they don't read signals, you have to be very direct and blunt with them or they don't get the message. I'm not comfortable with that, as such interactions can seem rude/confrontational to me. It's a different communication style.

Another thing is that people in an 'official' position get very defensive and quite angry if you ask for information and they don't have it or if you press them for details. My husband, who is Polish, and myself were once doing some business with a Notary's office and I asked the secretary a few polite questions about the process in the same way I would in Ireland and she replied to my husband 'will you tell your wife that if she keeps asking questions Iike this I will have to ask you to leave' !!!

Recently we had to go to a government office on some business and when my husband asked a question about something not very complex or controversial Pani Kommandant snapped 'What are you asking me for? I'm not a lawyer'. Another time, he was talking to a goverment department and they told him he had to call another internal office. When he asked for the number, the girl actually laughed and said 'look it up'. My husband calls it boorishness and it's found at every level in Polish society. On that occasion my husband 'lifted her out of it' as we'd say in Ireland :)) In other words, he told her in no uncertain terms what he thought of her. That's one of the weird things about Poland, how easy it is to end up having a row with a complete stranger when you're not an aggressive person at all by nature.

They probably seem like trivial things to you but when you have to deal with that every day it can get very wearing.

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