2024 IT Job Market Summary: Stabilization & New Opportunities

Summing up the state of the IT job market in Poland in 2024, the term most frequently used was “stabilization.” Data shows that after a challenging 2023, the industry began regaining balance, and hopes for improvement became more tangible. The number of job postings decreased by only 2.6% compared to the previous year, while salaries no longer experienced spectacular growth, although competition for individual positions slightly increased.

Economic forecasts predicting a revival were already reflected in the last quarter of the year, when the number of IT job offers rose by 22% compared to the same period in 2023. What did the entire year look like? Let’s take a closer look.

Fewer Programming Jobs, Rising Demand for Other Specializations

Backend remains the most in-demand IT area in Poland, with one in five job ads targeting this specialization. Adding Fullstack and Frontend to the mix, programming roles accounted for 36.6% of the IT job market. This confirms the ongoing trend where coding no longer dominates job opportunities, a sharp contrast to just two years ago.

In contrast, more job postings focused on data analysis, system administration, and cybersecurity. Security-related job offers grew by 39%, while Data & BI roles increased by 34%. Product Management and AI also experienced significant growth, highlighting the rising importance of these fields.

Salaries: Stabilization Instead of Rapid Increases

When it comes to salaries, 2024 marked a shift from previous years. While wages generally continued to rise or remained steady, minor declines were observed – primarily in B2B contracts for both junior and senior roles at the higher end of salary ranges. In 2023, salary decreases affected four specializations, whereas in 2024, reductions impacted seven areas, including Project Management, DevOps, Mobile, and Frontend.

Where salaries did rise, the increases were moderate – typically single-digit percentages. The highest gains were seen in AI, Security, and historically lower-paying sectors such as Game Dev, Support, and Design. The conclusion is clear: the market has shifted into a phase of wage stability, moving away from the dramatic raises seen in previous years.

More Candidates per Job

Did the number of IT job seekers grow in 2024? The data suggests a slight increase. On average, 44 candidates applied for each job posting (compared to 40 in 2023). The sharpest rise in competition was among more experienced professionals: mid/regular candidates saw a 37% increase in applications per job, while senior-level competition grew by 23%.

Frontend remains the most competitive specialization. The number of Frontend job offers dropped by 20%, while the rise of low-code, no-code, and AI technologies continues to saturate the market. The average number of applicants per role reached an astonishing 149.

Conclusion

The year 2024 brought stability to Poland’s IT job market. While salary increases and job growth were modest, there is cautious optimism for the future – especially in light of the rapid development of emerging technologies and the growing demand for specialists outside traditional programming roles. [Source: No Fluff Jobs: bit.ly/4jfklhF]

“2024 has indeed brought stability to the IT job market, which, after the dynamic changes of recent years, is a positive signal. Companies are focusing on skills that address current technological challenges. One of the key trends is the growing demand for experts in the areas of Security, AI, and advanced data analysis, which reflects global shifts in business and technological priorities. This is an important signal for candidates – developing expertise in these areas can significantly enhance their attractiveness in the job market.”

Justyna Werecka-Panter, Recruitment Director at ITDS.