Job Search For IT Specialists In Belarus

The situation in the IT labour market has been difficult in recent months.

Big companies have stopped hiring in Belarus, and many IT specialists have moved abroad. Dev.by tells about those who stayed, but can't find a job because they don't want to move.

Since February, the number of IT vacancies in Belarus has been rapidly declining and, apparently, reached its maximum drop point by the beginning of summer. The number of vacancies in the labour market has decreased by 40% in comparison with pre-war January. In June, the decline stopped and there was even a slight increase.

Some large companies (mostly outsourced) have stopped hiring in Belarus. EPAM announced this officially. Other companies with large offices in the cities of Belarus have also completely or partially suspended hiring (although they prefer not to talk about it officially): for example, Itransition and iTechArt.

Junior specialists were especially affected by the reduction of vacancies. Back in April, middle and senior specialists said that there were enough vacancies in the Belarusian market, at least for developers.

Is it possible to find a job without relocation?

Several readers said they couldn't find a job in Belarus because some IT companies are pushing for relocation.

"The HTP-resident company has stopped hiring in Belarus and Russia, although it says it “shares the digital nomad lifestyle that allows you to work from anywhere in the world”. For a long time, even before all the events, I paid great attention to the vacancies in the company. I talked to the recruiter, he said: “everything is ok, come to us, but you have to work anywhere, but not in Belarus and Russia”. I can’t leave everything and move for family reasons," the reader says.

Another reader, on the contrary, is ready to move, but only at the end of autumn. It's too late for the companies.

"I am looking for a job for the position of Support Engineer. Two large outsourcing companies have already refused, because I can only leave Belarus closer to late autumn. If I don’t find a job in the autumn, I will move on my own, without the help of a company."

Another reader, a Python developer, could not find a job in Belarus for a long time, but found a job in Poland "quite easily".

"I have been looking for a job for several months. The situation in Belarus is difficult. Only 60+ job postings. Only one company called me, the rest denied me a job." As a result, he found a job with a relocation to Poland.

It seems that HRs are less inclined to deal with each candidate because of a large number of offers on the local market. They are discarded on formal grounds, due to a lack of specific experience, due to a mismatch with some specific technologies. That's probably justified.

Companies with the possibility of relocation deal with candidates in more detail, they can select work for the candidate, the likelihood of matching requirements from both sides becomes higher.

In my case, there was a positive result, I received an excellent offer. Good knowledge of English contributed," the developer says.

Apparently, the situation with vacancies in game development is difficult (and this is not only related to relocation).

"I had been working in advertising for 8 years and worked my way up to a Creative Director position. Burned out and started the gamedev. Later worked as a game designer for a year. Then I was devastated. I can’t find a permanent job, I received about 300 refusals (well, a couple of strange stories with some companies). Actually, I'm making some money by freelancing. Reasons for failures are rarely known. For some companies, my experience is too little, for others too much. "I got a Lithuanian visa, but I can't even find a job through relocation. Only refusals," the designer complains.

It is especially difficult for the juniors:

"I have graduated from the Software Testing course with honours. I really want to find a job as soon as possible and do what I like! But all companies refuse because of the political situation. Companies have no vacancies or are on hold. I have never been invited for an interview. There are no relocation offers. I heard an opinion that only middles and above are relocated. If it is impossible to work in our country, I am ready to work in another.