Who is Joinrs?
Joinrs is the meeting point for students, junior profiles, and companies. Thanks to our AI model, we help job seekers discover the best job ads aligned with their ambitions. At the same time, over 150 client companies use our platform for employer branding and talent acquisition strategies, aiming to attract candidates who align with their company's values. If you are a company and would like to learn more, click here.
HR conversations with Joinrs 
At Joinrs, we go beyond just matching candidates with opportunities. In addition to facilitating connections, we conduct insightful interviews with professionals from diverse backgrounds and industries. Through these conversations, we provide valuable insights and perspectives to our users, enriching their knowledge and experience on our platform. Join us in exploring the depth and breadth of expertise across various fields to enhance your career journey. Today Paulina is sharing her journey and advice with us!
Paulina Pisarek
Senior HR & Talent Partner
1) How did you transition into the world of Human Resources after an initial experience in the tourism industry?
This happened in a very natural way - while doing my studies in Psychology with a specialization in social studies, I became particularly interested in subjects related to labor psychology.
I started by reviewing the opportunities offered by my university in Poland - a student exchange trip (to Italy). Locally, lectures in psychology were held exclusively in Italian, so more than a year before I left, I began to study the language intensively from scratch in a private school in Warsaw. In the meantime, I put away my savings by working in tourism, catching contacts and learning professional customer service.
I ended up spending the winter semester in 2019 under the Italian sky, exploring labour psychology at the Universita degli studi di Torino, traveling around Italy, France and Monaco.
On my return, I sought an internship at a global recruitment agency - Randstad. Then I was hired full-time as a Junior Recruiter. Entering the job market was the biggest challenge, so I remember my first year in HR as the hardest one. You have to strike a balance between your commitment and giving someone the opportunity to use your youthful enthusiasm and energy - it's a fine line.
Next years were filled with constant development in global companies like Assembly Global (e-commerce and digital marketing field) where I’ve met amazing people and did 4 workation trips to different countries and Coding Giants where I am right now.
To sum up, if you want to enter the job market smoothly, remember to:
#tip1: take advantage of the opportunities university gives you - plan your activities in advance. Try to find an internship, learn a new language, go on a student exchange.
#tip2: focus on writing a clear, short resume highlighting your advantages - the recruiter's time and attention are limited, believe me. Use modern, AI based tools. Do a research on Linkedin, job boards present globally and specifically in your country.
2) Which aspects of your psychology background do you find most useful in your current HR role?
I believe that of the skills I acquired during my studies, the most useful in business is the knowledge, awareness and understanding that we are different as people. We have different communication styles, different temperaments, and when there is a confrontation between different personality types, sometimes it can ‘'wrap up’'.
The key to staying calm and having the right attitude at work in business psychology is to remember that we may have different needs, and in addition to being employees of an organization, we are first and foremost human beings - with our experience, professional but also emotional. The knowledge I have gained in this area allows me to keep distance and not experience professional burnout (which can be very difficult to process nowadays).
I'm also happy to see that awareness of the importance of mental well-being in the workplace has grown tremendously in Poland over the past few years - so that more and more organizations are giving their employees access to free 1:1 psychological consultancies or platforms to increase their knowledge in the area of the human psyche, stress management or other issues that have become a very important part of employee daily life for us in recent years.
3) Today you are a Senior HR & Talent Partner at an international company like Coding Giants. What are the main challenges of your role?
It's a great adventure to work in an organization that scales globally. Of course, with the pace of growth we are experiencing, there are some challenges:
- Keeping up with employee needs, which can change rapidly. We've gone from small, local teams that are close to each other to global cells that operate in an exclusively remote space. People need support along the lines of HR and business, ongoing resolution of communication issues that arise, e.g. when building new teams and connecting human needs with the business goal and objectives of the project.
- Up-to-date and transparent communication in international environment - to give everyone the same access to company news, findings and developments. Helping in this area is holding monthly meetings (which, of course, need to be tailored to all the time zones employees are in), sending out a company Newsletter or creating an internal Intranet that is updated regularly.
- Being attentive to cultural differences - what will be important to employees from Poland may be very different from the needs of Italians, a team from Spain, Germans or Mexicans. Different holidays, celebrations or even the way we view the lunch break - which is tied to an important part of the dining culture.
4) You work across two different markets, Italy and Poland: what differences have you noticed in terms of company culture, candidate expectations, and recruitment approach?
Oh, there’s a lot of differences! And I'm very happy to experience all of them.
In Poland, there is a strong focus on structure, process efficiency, and task-oriented collaboration. Teams are generally pragmatic and value clear roles and well-defined goals. The work culture tends to be slightly more formal, with a higher emphasis on performance metrics and timelines. Besides, in Poland we tend to be workaholics. 8 hours a day is the absolute minimum we spend at work. Unfortunately, due to our geographical location, we don't have many opportunities to enjoy the sun even during our lunch break while at work.
In Italy, work culture seems to be more open and a little less formal. These teams value creativity and interpersonal connection, which fosters a more people-centric culture. Italians live through their traditions and naturally follow them on a daily basis. I was fortunate to experience italian hospitality during the integration of our team in region of Apulia, where, during an intensive day of work, we all sat down for a meal together and enjoyed specialities of an italian cuisine.
When it comes to recruitment processes - in Poland, people tend to prioritize professional development opportunities, transparent career paths, and upskilling programs.
Italian candidates on the other hand, place a higher value on job stability and a strong sense of community at work. A successful recruitment process often hinges more on the interpersonal connection. Candidates appreciate a conversational tone during interviews and often expect the process to include a personal touch.
What surprised me at first was that Gen Z in Italy shows a strong preference for remote work, despite the fact that Italian society as a whole tends to be more cautious about online life and often favors real-life interactions over digital alternatives.
In both markets, authenticity and purpose are highly valued, but how that message is communicated should be adapted to the cultural context.
5) What motivates you every day in your work in the HR field?
What drives me the most is the sense of being among people and having the opportunity to support their needs in meaningful ways.
As a recruiter, I often hear that I’ve had a real impact on someone’s life — because work is such a significant part of it, influencing many other areas beyond just a job itself.
It’s the best feeling to hear things like: 'You completely changed my life!', 'It all started with our conversation!', or 'Thank you for noticing my CV!'
Sometimes, working in HR means being alongside people during difficult moments — such as layoffs, conflicts, or emotionally charged situations when there are tears or frustration. These moments are never easy, but they’re the ones that give the role real meaning.
Additionally, working in HR is constantly evolving — it’s shaped by broader societal trends, which means continuously learning new tools and staying attentive to people’s changing needs. It’s never ending journey.
