Finding a job through an ad means choosing an offer that names a specific company, type of work, city and method of pay, and verifying it before you send money or personal documents anywhere. In Slovakia, most offers are posted in job ads on portals, in social media groups and on classified marketplaces like EX & GO, where you filter by city and category.
Most people looking for work in Bratislava, Košice, Prešov, Žilina or Nitra go through dozens of ads a week and reply to five. The problem is rarely a lack of offers, but that many of them have no company, no salary and no job description. This guide shows you how to make sense of listings, how to spot a scam ad and what to prepare before an interview. We focus on practical steps you can do from your phone during a break, not on labour market theory.
- Only take an offer seriously if it includes the company name, city, type of work and method of pay.
- If someone asks for a fee, a deposit or a copy of your ID before an interview, that's a warning sign.
- Filter by city and district, not by all of Slovakia, you'll save hours.
- Before you start, ask for an employment contract or agreement in writing.
Where to find work: job portals, ads and direct applications
Where to find work depends on the type of role you're after. Large portals cover corporate and administrative positions, while classified marketplaces carry seasonal and trade offers from smaller employers. A direct application works best where a company doesn't advertise at all.
On job portals you'll find structured listings with filters for city, sector and hours. The advantage is that the ad is often managed by HR and you'll get a reply within a few days. The downside is that hundreds of people apply for one role, and smaller companies often don't advertise there at all.
Classified marketplaces like EX & GO publish offers from both individuals and companies. Each ad shows the city, price or salary, the seller's history and ratings from previous contacts. That matters when job hunting, because you can check whether the same person keeps posting the same offers under different names.
A direct application means approaching a company even if it isn't advertising. You write a short email, attach your CV and state which role you're applying for. In trades and hospitality this often works faster than waiting for a reply from a portal.
| Method | Where to look | Advantage | What to watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job portals | National and sector-specific sites | Filters by city and sector, many offers | Strong competition, slower replies |
| Classified marketplaces | Jobs and services category | Advertiser history, ratings, local contact | You need to verify the company and terms |
| Direct application | Company website, in person | Less competition, quick response | Without an ad you don't know the salary in advance |
How to filter job ads by city and sector
Filtering is the fastest way to cut the list down to a manageable size. Instead of browsing everything posted in a day, set your city, or district, and category. In Bratislava and Košice there are so many offers that without a filter you'll drown in dozens of ads.
Start with the distance you can commute. If you live in Nitra and are looking for work nearby, set the city and surrounding area, not the whole country. For Žilina and Prešov it's worth checking districts served by buses and trains too, because transport is often the deciding factor at lower wages.
What to sort offers by
Sector is the second filter. Trades, warehousing, transport and hospitality have different seasonality than administration and IT. If you're looking for full-time work, rule out part-time jobs and student work agreements, otherwise your list will grow unnecessarily.
For each offer, notice three things: whether a specific business or at least a workplace address is given, whether the salary or at least a range is stated, and whether it's clear who to contact. If even one of these is missing, the offer belongs at the bottom of your list.
What the price in an ad means
In job ads, the price is shown as the salary or its range. If an hourly rate is given, convert it to a monthly figure based on the number of hours stated in the ad. For part-time work, the amount is often per shift rather than per hour, and that's the most common mistake when comparing offers.
Some ads only state the salary after negotiation. That's not automatically a scam, but it means you have to ask about the amount in your first message. If no one answers a direct question about pay, there's no point wasting time on another call.
Scam ads: how to spot them before you send money
The most reliable way to spot a scam ad is by what it asks of you before an interview. If a placement fee, a deposit for work equipment, a registration fee or a copy of your ID up front appears, walk away. A legitimate employer doesn't take money for hiring you.
The second sign is anonymity. An ad with no company name, no address and no contact person can't be verified. If the text contains only a phone number and a call for a quick reply, you'll have nowhere to complain when something goes wrong.
The third sign is time pressure. Phrases like last spot or start today are meant to stop you from checking the offer calmly. A real role will still be there in two days.
Before you send money or documents anywhere, search the company name in the commercial register and check that the registered address actually exists. If the company isn't in the register or the address doesn't match the ad, rule out the offer no matter how good it looks.
If you suspect unfair practices, you can turn to the Slovak Trade Inspection, which oversees compliance with regulations in the sale of goods and services, Slovak Trade Inspection. For fraud involving documents and money, report it to the police, i.e. the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic, Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic.
What an honest job ad should contain
An honest ad answers the basic questions before you call. It doesn't have to be long, but it must contain what you need to make a decision. If an item is missing, you'll fill it in with a question in your first message.
Essential details
Company or business name, city and workplace address, type of work and working hours, method of pay and contact for a specific person. For roles involving money or children, information about what documents you'll need is also expected.
Useful extras
Start date, length of probation period, possibility of overtime and whether the company provides meals or transport. For work in Žilina or Prešov, information about shift transport is often more important than the salary itself.
To compare prices and terms between offers, use the jobs and services category in the classifieds job listings. Before posting your own ad, for example if you're looking for someone to help out, read the rules on the advertising rules page.
How to reply to an ad and what to ask before an interview
Your reply to an ad should be short and specific. Say which role you're responding to, where you're based and when you can start. If you have experience in the field, mention it in one sentence. Only add a phone number if the ad explicitly asks for one.
Before the interview, prepare five questions. What is the salary and when is it paid. What are the working hours and how are shifts divided. Who is your supervisor and who do you report to if there's a problem. What documents to bring on your first day. What the probation period looks like and what is assessed at its end.
If the job is away from where you live, also ask about accommodation and its cost. For offers in Bratislava and Košice it's worth checking whether the company reimburses travel, because at a lower salary transport can eat up the difference between two offers. Write the answers down, when comparing two offers you won't remember them.
The same questions come up on the market again and again, so we recommend looking at how communication with an advertiser works directly on the job listings in Bratislava page.
What paperwork you need when starting a job in Slovakia
The basis is a written employment contract or agreement. Before signing, read the type of work, place of work, salary, working hours and length of probation period. A verbal agreement won't help you in a dispute, so insist on paper or an electronic copy you save.
The employer will ask for ID, your bank account number and, for some roles, a medical fitness certificate or a criminal record extract. If you work with children or in healthcare, stricter conditions apply. Check the details directly with the employer, not based on what the ads say.
For part-time and seasonal work, a student work agreement or a work performance agreement is often used. They differ in hours and contributions, so ask in advance what type of agreement you're signing and what it means for your pay.
Frequently asked questions about finding work
Where is the best place to look for work in Slovakia?
It depends on your field. Corporate and administrative roles are posted on job portals, while seasonal and trade jobs tend to appear on classified marketplaces and city-based groups. The biggest selection is in Bratislava and Košice; for Žilina, Prešov and Nitra it pays to filter by district too. Try two sources at once, not just one.
How do I know a job ad is a scam?
Most often by the demand for money up front. A placement fee, a deposit for tools or a copy of your ID before an interview are clear warning signs. An ad with no company name and no address is equally suspicious. If you cannot verify who is behind the offer, you have nowhere to complain when something goes wrong.
What should I ask at an interview besides the salary?
Ask about working hours and the shift schedule, who your supervisor will be, what documents to bring on your first day, and the terms of the probation period. For work away from home, add questions about accommodation and travel reimbursement. Write the answers down so you can compare two offers without relying on memory.
Can an employer ask for money to hire me?
No. You only pay an authorised placement agency for finding you work, never an employer for hiring you. If a company asks for a deposit for equipment, training or registration before you start, treat it as a warning sign and check the offer thoroughly, or contact the inspection authority.
What documents do I need when starting a job?
ID, your bank account number and a signed employment contract or agreement. For some roles the employer also requires a medical fitness certificate or a criminal record extract. Always ask the specific employer for the exact list, as it varies by field and type of employment.
Is it worth replying to older ads?
Sometimes yes. If an ad has been up for a while and the company is still hiring, it may mean previous candidates left or the role was not filled. Send a short message asking whether the offer is still valid. If you get no reply within a week, move your energy to other offers and don't go back to that one.
Summary: finding work means verifying, not believing
You can find work fastest when you set a filter for city and sector and spend the rest of your time verifying. Every offer that states the company, salary and a specific contact is worth a reply. Skip the rest without guilt.
Five steps you can do today: set your city and district, rule out ads with no company, prepare five interview questions, ask for a contract or agreement in writing, and compare at least two offers before deciding. For each offer, pay attention to the advertiser's history and ratings, because they'll tell you more than the ad text itself. If something seems off, it's better to lose one offer than to lose money or documents.