Prague has always been a very popular destination for expats, and contrary to what might be expected, career opportunities for expats in the Czech Republic are improving. 

Could you give us a general overview of the expat recruitment market in the Czech Republic?
In the post-financial-crisis period there are more opportunities for expats working in Prague. Large international companies are now looking for candidates with international experience, whether they be Czech or foreign, to add a different perspective to their business rather than assuming traditional, outdated Czech business practices, and to meet the new challenges post-crisis. The shared service centre market is still hot, with opportunities for many language speakers in both Prague and Brno. Large international companies are looking for professionals: the days of short-term opportunities for backpackers are over. 

Which, if any, sectors, is the numbers of expats recruited still strong? Why is this so?
Language teaching jobs, IT, creative and senior executive roles are available for the expat. 

Could you describe average salaries for your placements?
Executive:  CZK 150,000+/month 
IT:               CZK 80,000/month 
Finance:     CZK 70,000/month 
Sales:         CZK 60,000/month 
Language:  CZK 30,000/month 

What level of Czech is required for most placements?
IT and language jobs require very little Czech; finance and sales generally require it. International firms with English as the business language would not require staff to speak Czech unless they are in a client facing role. 

How long do placements generally last?
Hopefully longer than our guarantee period! Most placements last for three years, which is the international standard for the duration of an international secondment, and the situation is not very much different in the Czech Republic. 

How does the recruitment process in the Czech Republic compare to that, say, of Germany or the UK?
It is definitely longer. Jobhunters will encounter passive recruitment companies that have to be chased or that lack the ability to open an opportunity on behalf of applicants. Recruitment in the Czech Republic is seen as “HR” rather than the necessary sales activity that will improve applicants’ chances of getting a job. Internal recruitment divisions within companies are notoriously slow, and HR staff do not have the necessary skills or negotiation powers to persuade internal business partners that a jobhunter can do a job for them. Recruitment is seen as the first step into HR, which is a very dangerous presumption as on-boarding is the most important part of the employee life-cycle! I suggest that jobhunters carefully select an international company with a pro-active consultant that he or she can work with. 

Are there any significant differences that people should be aware of? For example, as a rule the Czech CV is much shorter than the Anglo-Saxon CV.
No, the CV should be written as a sales tool, to promote your skills and experiences wherever you are in the world.   

Prague always attracts a certain number expats who come to find work “on spec”. What opportunities do they have apart from teaching English or editing English translations?
IT, language and freelance work. 

What areas of growth are you seeing in Prague? What are the reasons behind this?
IT is still strong, and the number of shared service centres, is increasing, so language teaching is an area. Companies are now looking for more creative marketeers, PR professionals and designers. The renewable energy and utilities sector is growing. Prague is still seen as a key hub and gateway to the east. We are receiving more vacancies week by week at the moment, and increasingly our clients expect to hire an expat over a local to meet this demand. 

How has the economic downturn affected expat recruitment in the Czech Republic?
Initially, the downturn was very damaging, and not just for expats, but companies are now looking for international expertise to pull their organisations out of the post-crisis lull. 

Can you identify any significant trends developing in expat recruitment, and the key factors behind such trends?
Nothing has really changed to be honest 

How do you see expat recruitment developing in the future?
IT, IT, IT