We get questions about the work of a photovoltaic installer almost every day. And since partnership is the basis of our recruitment interviews, our candidates boldly ask important questions, and we are happy to answer them. In this post, we have collected 23 top questions from candidates along with our answers on organizational, recruitment, formal (contract, insurance, remuneration), travel and accommodation abroad. All this so that you too can learn as much as possible about working with us and before you send your CV!
Questions about the job of a photovoltaic installer – organizational issues
Can I start working as a photovoltaic installer even though I have no experience?
Your possible experience in photovoltaics is of course an advantage when you apply to us, but it does not determine whether we will accept you at all. This is because people and their attitude to work are important to us. In addition, thanks to our helpful foremen and site managers, you will find yourself in your new job in just a few days, on your first trip.
Is the job for a photovoltaic installer permanent?
Yes. If you are ready and open to cooperate, we are able to provide you with continuous, regular trips to work in Europe.
Do I have to communicate in German or English?
You don’t need to know foreign languages, because you work in a Polish team. Abroad, the person responsible for contact with a foreign customer will be your manager or another person designated for this purpose.
How many hours will I work? What are the working days?
You will work 8 – 10 hours a day, Monday to Saturday.
I’m interested in working right now. When will I know the date of departure?
If we have the opportunity, we present you with the date of the first trip on the day of recruitment, especially when you are one of the last places for the next trip. However, if you do not know the date of the first departure during the recruitment process, you will receive an offer from us no later than one week before the next trip we are planning.
What will be the exact location of my workplace?
It is important to us that you are ready to go anywhere in Europe. A few weeks in advance, we are only able to tell you the country you will be going to. You will find out the exact place about 1 – 2 weeks before departure.
Can I go to work together with my brother/colleague?
Of course, as long as you both successfully pass our recruitment process.
What should I take with me on the trip?
The mandatory set of workwear for every photovoltaic installer includes:
- work boots (minimum class S3),
- working wellingtons (minimum class S3),
- work trousers,
- White safety helmet.
We understand that a mandatory set of protective clothing is an investment for you, which is why we refund up to PLN 350 gross to each interested employee for such purchases. In addition, before the first trip, we will ask you to provide your standard size of jacket and pants. Thanks to this, on the day of departure, you will receive from us free of charge:
- insulated, high-visibility work jacket,
- rainsuit (trousers and coat).
Here’s a list of useful things our installers advise you to bring:
- an additional bag for work clothes,
- A backpack, e.g. for food and drinks that you will take to work,
- a coffee/tea thermos, the contents of which will warm you up on a cold day,
- comfortable and light thermoactive underwear, breathable snood and sports socks,
- sunscreen to protect you from the sun in the summer,
- cash/funds on the card for current grocery shopping until you receive your first paycheck (you do not pay for accommodation and commuting to and from work, because we provide them to you free of charge),
- A mobile phone that will keep you in touch with your loved ones and your company.
We wrote more about what is best to take with you to work abroad in this post. 
Questions about the job of a photovoltaic installer – recruitment path
What does my recruitment path look like?
1. Apply to us via the website in the “Careers” tab. Fill out a short form, attach your CV and send your application. 2. Expect our first call. During this interview, we will determine together whether the target recruitment interview will also take place over the phone, at an online meeting or in person at our company’s headquarters in Warsaw. 3. Learn about the decision to hire during the interview/recruitment meeting. We give up “Thank you, we’ll get back to you” and give you clear information about whether we accept you. If you say yes, we will immediately arrange the date of the first trip with you. 4. Fill in the personal e-form, the link to which we will send you by e-mail. Based on the data from the form, we will prepare the documents necessary to employ you. 5. Sign the documents prepared by us via a secure platform – Autenti, without leaving your home. Accept our contract by confirming it with an SMS code. 6. Become our employee! We will report you as an employee to HR and accounting. We will also send you a referral for appropriate medical tests, which you will perform before your first trip. 7. Receive a phone confirmation of your departure date and a helpful shopping list for your first trip to work. 8. Get ready for your first job! 3 days before departure, we will finally confirm the pick-up place and date and send you the current covid regulations. 9. Show up at the agreed place and time on the day of departure, pick up your company jacket, pants and reflective vest and start your journey to work with us!
Questions about the job of a photovoltaic installer – contract, insurance, salary
Agreement
I am from outside the Mazowieckie Voivodeship – how will I sign the contract?
We cordially invite you to visit our headquarters in Warsaw. Such a visit is a good opportunity for you to get to know us personally and directly get answers to important questions. However, if you live far from the capital, you can complete the key formalities online. We will then ask you to fill in the personal e-form, the link to which will be sent to you by e-mail. Based on the data from the form, we will prepare the documents necessary to employ you. Later, you will sign the prepared documents via the secure Autenti platform without leaving your home.
I have a medical examination/clothing from a previous company, can I use them?
By all means, you can use the current medical examination to start working for us. It is enough that the scope of activities included in your examination coincides with ours. You can also wear clothes from your previous company, as long as they do not have the logo and name of the company you worked for.
Why is the contract Polish if I work abroad?
That’s right, as a photovoltaic installer you work abroad, most often in Germany, Great Britain or the Netherlands. However, our company Ecotec Polska Sp. z o. o. is a Polish company, so you conclude the agreement on Polish terms.
Will I switch to an employment contract over time?
The specificity of the work of our industry and teams implementing projects abroad, unfortunately, does not allow us to hire outgoing workers under an employment contract. Therefore, if you decide to work with us, we will conclude a contract of mandate with you.
Insurance
Can I insure my wife and children?
Yes, we can cover your wife and children with insurance. All you have to do is indicate these people in the appropriate form that you will receive when we hire you.
Remuneration
Can I get paid in Euros?
We are a Polish company, so we pay the salary in PLN. There is no way we can pay your salary in Euros.
Can I collect advance payments?
There is no such possibility. You receive your salary once, by the 15th day of the following month, just like every employee of our company. TOP 23 questions and answers!
Questions about the job of a photovoltaic installer – travel from Polish to work abroad
How is the bus equipped with which I will go to work?
Our company buses are air-conditioned and can carry a maximum of 5-6 people. You will travel in one of these 4 bus models: Mercedes Sprinter, Peugeot Boxer, Citroen Jumper or Iveco Daily.
Will the departure bus pick me up from home?
We will not pick you up from home, but there are 3 other options that will allow you to join your trip team: Option I – Leave with us from our company’s headquarters Appear on the day of the first trip at our headquarters in Warsaw at ul. World. We cordially invite you to leave directly from our headquarters! Such a live meeting is a great opportunity for you to meet the coordinator in person, complete any formalities, but above all, get answers to questions that are important to you. Option II – Get on the bus at the Main Railway Station indicated by us If you live very far away and cannot show up for the meeting in Warsaw, we will pick you up from the station, in one of the two cities on the route.
Depending on the route that the bus will take, we can pick you up from Poznań (if the passage is via the A2 Motorway) or from Wrocław (if the car will be on the S8 route). Option III – Sit down at the petrol station or MOP indicated by us In really exceptional situations, you can join us on the route, at a pre-arranged place (gas station/MOP). Remember, however, that each of these 3 situations should first be discussed with your project coordinator at the stage of confirming the trip.
Can I drive my own car and get a refund for fuel?
There is no such possibility. Departure for the project takes place only in our company bus.
Questions about photovoltaic installer jobs – accommodation abroad
Are there any accommodation fees?
No, we take the cost of your accommodation on our own. We will find, book and pay for the premises in which you will live for the duration of your work on the project. We try to inspect the facility before sending the first group of employees to it. If the conditions found by the employees differ from those declared by the owner, we locate the group in another place.
Can I have a single room?
We cannot guarantee you this, but it is worth signaling such a need before leaving. If possible, we will try to comply with your request. However, we do not promise that you will get such a room. We understand that after a long day of work, you deserve to rest in a comfortable room. So we pay attention to the size of the rooms so that you have your own piece of private space, even if you share a room with one or two people.
Can I see photos of the accommodation?
Due to the dynamics of our work and the orders we undertake, we often book the facility a few days before the planned departure. Therefore, we are not able to provide you with the address of the place in advance or send you photos so that you know what the apartment/room looks like. A lot also depends on the availability of a given place – it is possible that we will place you with a group in a new facility, if the current one is occupied.
How are the accommodations equipped?
The kitchens available in the facility/apartment are equipped with the necessary household appliances, pots, pans, dishes and cutlery. In each kitchen you will find a fridge and a stove, so you can easily store and prepare meals for yourself. We also make sure that you can separate the sleep zone from the living zone. That is why in many facilities you will find a room where you can relax on the couch, watch something interesting on TV, or get to know your tenants better. The bedrooms, on the other hand, already have made beds and furniture for storing clothes.
How about it – will you join our team?
You have just learned the most common questions of our candidates and the answers to these key questions. We hope that now that everything is clear to you, you will be more willing to join us. We invite you to join our team of fitters, electricians, operators and engineers who share a great passion for renewable energy! Join our mission and apply for the position of fitter or electrician to provide the world with quiet energy straight from the Sun! Don’t hesitate – apply for a job where you know what awaits you!