Dynamic recruitment processes and increasing salaries - the path to success in the shared services industry

In the SSC / BPO industry, there is invariably greater demand than the supply of candidates. The dynamics of salary growth in shared services centers is growing - the last year brought an increase of 22% thanks to the average monthly salary of PLN 9,834 gross. At the same time, the expectations of employees themselves in connection with economic changes are increasing. 

The SSC / BPO sector is one of the most dynamically developing branches of the economy in Poland. Shared service centers offer a multitude of different job offers. The diversity that can be found in this sector shows how much development opportunities these structures offer to employees. How does this industry attract candidates and how to start your career? 

The first steps in the shared services industry 

Graduates of the studies are in an ideal situation because they are available for full-time work, therefore they are entitled to a contract of employment and all kinds of benefits from the first day they start working in SSC / BPO. 

When thinking about starting a professional career, it is worth considering your skills as well as your strengths and weaknesses. If you are a person who likes working with numbers, has an analytical mind, it is worth investing time in additional courses and training, e.g. with 

• Excel, 
• SQL - a domain language used to create, modify relational databases and to place and retrieve data from these databases 
• or VBA - a programming language based on Visual Basic (VB), which is used with Microsoft Office applications and in several other programs (eg AutoCAD). 

It will definitely be a big plus in a CV, especially when working in such areas as: data analysis, accounting or finance. However, if you are a person who likes working with people and talking on the phone is not a problem, it is worth investing in: 

• learning an additional foreign language, 
• customer contact courses 
• recruitment training. 

Such skills will be very useful when working in such departments as: customer service, HR, recruitment, logistics, etc. 

Salaries are growing and there are no volunteers 

According to the Antal Salary Report 2022, the last year brought the SSC / BPO industry a 22% increase in salaries thanks to the average monthly salary of PLN 9,834 gross. In the SSC / BPO industry, there is invariably greater demand than the supply of candidates. 

There is a noticeable decrease in the number of CVs received when it comes to specialists who know foreign languages. Previously, a recruiter would get around 50 CV for one role. However, now it is a maximum of 10. Candidates are contacted directly by headhunters and receive several offers per month. When they really want to change jobs, they take part in 5-6 recruitment projects at the same time and no longer have to apply for advertisements on their own. 

However, when it comes to leadership / managerial positions, the interest among candidates is still high. CVek for these positions appears even several dozen a week - this is due to the fact that there are much less managerial offers available on the market than specialist ones. In the current market, the effectiveness of recruitment processes is related to the pace of their conduct. More and more employers with whom Antal cooperates decide to have one job interview longer than for many stages. 

Languages worth their weight in gold - even without experience 

The most sought-after candidates in the shared services industry today are: 

• Junior Accountant / Accounting Specialist, 
• Junior Analyst, 
• Customer Service Specialist with a foreign language. 

We are looking for people who are fluent in English (due to internal communication in this language), additionally have a good command of a second language (positions in accounting from B1 / B2 level, while a minimum B2 / C1 level is required for customer service). For a long time, the most desirable employee profile is a Junior Accountant with German or French and a Junior / Customer Service Specialist also with these languages. He can count on a salary in the range of PLN 5,200-6,500 gross. It is often a salary for people seeking first experience, starting their careers, while for experienced accountants or business analysts the rates are correspondingly higher. 

An experienced senior in the area of accounting can count on a gross remuneration of PLN 8,000-10,000. If he additionally speaks one of the above-mentioned languages, he can even count on a remuneration of PLN 12,000 gross. Enterprises try to modify their offers in response to market reactions, try to change assumptions, strategies and reach potential employees through various channels. The result of their actions is greater flexibility in terms of remote work. 

Currently, language competences are at a premium, knowledge of German or French is the most important. In addition to the above-mentioned languages, the competency desired by employers is the knowledge of: Dutch, Czech, Spanish, Swedish or Finnish. There is also a shortage of specialists on the market with several years of experience in the SSC industry, specialized in a specific area. 

Natalia Białka, Managing Consultant Antal, SSC/BPO