Job Market 2025: Are Professionals Losing Confidence in Their Careers?
Have you noticed that fewer people around you are changing jobs or getting promoted?
It’s not your imagination – the latest data confirms it. The Polish job market is slowing, and professionals are becoming more cautious. But beneath that calm surface lies a crucial question: how do you keep your career momentum when opportunities shrink?
Although Randstad’s latest Labor Market Monitor focuses on Poland, its findings echo across Central and Eastern Europe, revealing declining job mobility, longer job searches, cautious optimism, and rising wage pressure. It’s a complex reality that executives and senior professionals across the region should approach with strategy, not instinct.
Job Mobility in Poland Hits Record Lows: What It Means for Professionals
The report confirms that despite low unemployment, job rotation and internal promotions have reached record lows:
- Only 16% of employees changed employers in the past six months.
- Just 17% moved into new roles within their organizations, the lowest result since 2010.
This pattern mirrors what we see across several European markets, where fewer professionals are changing jobs or advancing internally. For many companies, the slowdown means stability; for ambitious professionals, it means stagnation.
Talented individuals aren’t advancing, and companies that don’t create growth opportunities may soon face retention challenges once hiring picks up again.
For individuals, this stagnation means that waiting for opportunities to appear may no longer be effective. Career progress will increasingly depend on proactive planning and visibility – not just performance.
While overall mobility is low, differences between sectors are significant. Roles in logistics, construction, and finance remain relatively dynamic, while office-based and administrative positions see the slowest turnover. For executives, understanding which sectors are still hiring can guide more strategic positioning and network activation.
And for those trying to move, the slowdown has another effect: it’s taking longer than ever to find the right opportunity.
It’s Taking Longer Than Ever to Find a New Job
The most striking finding? The average job search now lasts 4.4 months – the longest in the history of the survey.
The data shows clear disparities:
- Women, professionals aged 50+, and those living in smaller towns experience the longest job searches.
- Professionals with higher education and strong networks find new positions faster.
- Certain groups (engineers, drivers, and logistics specialists) remain in demand but are also among those most actively exploring new jobs.
The takeaway? Market access is uneven. For many senior professionals, even strong credentials are no longer enough to guarantee visibility or interview invitations.
Another telling signal: only 11% of employees are actively looking for new opportunities, while nearly half (45%) say they are “keeping an eye on the market” without taking action. This aligns with what we observed in our Job Hunting Report 2024, where 38% of our clients decided not to change jobs – often despite having offers. It’s a clear sign of growing caution and selective career decisions among experienced professionals.
This passivity means that by the time many professionals start looking, the market is already saturated, a pattern we observe regularly in our work with executives.
These numbers also highlight the important role of the “hidden job market” – roles filled through networking, headhunters, and direct approaches rather than public postings. Executives who invest in network visibility and reputation before actively applying gain access to opportunities that others never see.
Professionals Feel Less Confident About Changing Jobs
While 83% of respondents believe they could find a job within six months, only 60% believe they could find one as good as or better than their current role – that’s the lowest confidence level since 2010.
The groups most affected include engineers, drivers, and service-sector employees, where available offers often fail to match existing skill levels or salary expectations.
Executives aren’t immune either: as companies hire less and rely more on internal promotions, traditional job applications lose effectiveness.
Interestingly, despite visible slowdowns in some sectors, only 9% of respondents feel a high risk of losing their job, suggesting that stability, not opportunity, currently defines the market mood.
The overall job satisfaction has slightly improved, reaching 72%, but this masks significant differences across sectors. Executives and professionals in office-based or financial roles report higher satisfaction than those in trade or service sectors, reflecting both job security and the perceived lack of alternatives.
For leaders managing teams, these findings also point to a looming generational challenge. Younger professionals – particularly those from Gen Z – are entering the job market during a slowdown and struggling to find entry-level opportunities. Companies that proactively develop internal career paths and mentoring programs may secure loyalty and talent for the future.
Salary Growth Is Slowing: Fewer Raises, Tougher Conversations Ahead
After two years of strong wage growth, the pace is slowing. In 2025, most raises were between 5-10%, and nearly one in three employees received less than 5%. Only 53% expect a raise in 2026, and more than 30% do not expect one at all.
Interestingly, 58% plan to initiate salary discussions themselves, citing inflation, expanded responsibilities, or higher performance as reasons. Those who don’t intend to ask mention company instability or fear of a negative response, both signals of lower negotiation confidence.
This creates a new leadership dilemma: while employees expect financial recognition, companies face budget pressure and slower revenue growth. Executives will need to communicate transparently about compensation and balance employee expectations with business realities to maintain engagement and trust.
The Market Rewards Proactive Professionals, Not Passive Excellence
For executives and managers, the Labor Market Monitor underscores an important truth: today’s market doesn’t reward passive excellence – it rewards strategic positioning.
At Career Angels, we see this reflected daily in our work with experienced professionals who:
- have impressive experience and results, yet receive few interview invitations,
- sense that their network no longer generates opportunities unless they activate it proactively,
- or struggle to communicate their value clearly to the market.
In a slower market, visibility, precision, and timing become decisive.
The report also highlights that 67% of employees are open to reskilling or upskilling to improve their employability. For senior professionals, this underlines the importance of strategic development, not as a reaction to change, but as preparation for opportunity.
How Executives Can Stay Competitive in a Slowing Job Market
Now is the time to act deliberately, not reactively. Based on the latest data, we recommend that executives:
- Reassess their positioning – ensure their career goals and application documents match market demand.
- Strengthen their transferable skills and update their narrative.
- Activate their professional network before they need it.
- Benchmark their compensation expectations realistically.
Our work with over 12,000 managers and executives shows that those who plan ahead consistently achieve better outcomes and shorter search times. Over 80% of our clients recommend us for our structured, data-driven approach to career strategy.
For executives operating across Central and Eastern Europe, similar dynamics are emerging: cautious hiring, selective promotions, and increased competition for senior roles. Understanding regional nuances can make the difference between being “visible” and being “approached.”
Looking Ahead to 2026: Why Now Is the Time to Reassess Your Career Strategy
The Polish job market is not collapsing, but it is recalibrating. For professionals who want to remain in control, this period is not one to wait out but one to use strategically.
The next 6-12 months will be decisive. Those who refine their strategy, visibility, and communication now will be best positioned when market activity rebounds.
If you’re a senior professional who wants to assess your positioning and market readiness, reach out to Career Angels at Contact@CareerAngels.eu for a free, fully confidential Career Consultation. Let’s turn today’s uncertainty into your next opportunity.
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