To post a job ad fast and risk-free, describe the duties, schedule, location and salary range in the text, say how the candidate should get in touch, and avoid requirements about age, gender, marital status or origin. After posting, screen every reply before you give out an address or personal documents.
A free ad on a classified site is the shortest path to people in a specific neighborhood. In Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas, small businesses look for a driver, salesperson, waiter or construction worker over the phone, not through a long procedure. The difference between an ad that brings calls the same day and one that hangs for two weeks is in six lines of text. Below we go through the content of the ad, forbidden requirements, fast candidate screening, scams and the documents that come with hiring in Bulgaria.
- A clear ad includes duties, schedule, location, salary range and a real way to get in touch.
- Requirements about gender, age, marital status or origin are not written.
- Screen the candidate before you give out an address, documents or access to the premises.
- The employment contract and NRA registration are the employer's responsibility, not the candidate's.
What a job ad should contain
A good ad answers five questions before the candidate picks up the phone: what will I do, when, where, how much will I earn, and how do I contact you. Everything else is decoration.
Duties and schedule
List between five and eight specific tasks. Not "teamwork", but "serving customers at the till, stocking shelves, month-end inventory". That's how you filter out people who haven't even read the ad.
Write the schedule with hours and days: "Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00" or "12-hour shifts, two days on, two off". If there's Saturday work, say so in the ad, not at the interview. Most quits after the first working day come from a hidden schedule.
Location and salary
Give a neighborhood or address, not just a city. For someone from Lyulin, an ad in central Sofia without transport is a different conversation. If the workplace changes, write the area of the sites.
A salary range saves time for both sides. "1500 to 1800 BGN gross, plus a bonus for monthly targets" is enough. An ad without a number collects dozens of calls where the first question is about money, and the conversation ends there.
Contact and what the candidate should send
Give a phone number and one more channel, for example a message on the site. Ask for two sentences about experience and a convenient time to talk. That cuts down on calls at 11 p.m.
What not to write in the ad
Requirements tied to personal characteristics don't just sound bad, they can create problems for you. The Labour Code prohibits discrimination in job vacancy ads, and enforcement is in the hands of the Labour Inspectorate. Check the current text of the Labour Code before you post.
Don't write "looking for a man", "up to 35 years old", "no small children", "Bulgarians only" or "work for a pensioner". If the physical work really requires strength, describe the activity: "lifting crates up to 20 kg". The requirement stays with the task, not the person.
Read your ad through the eyes of someone who knows nothing about the company. If after the first three lines they still don't know what they'll be doing and when, the ad will only collect random calls.
How to screen candidates in one day
Screening is a phone conversation, not reading CVs. Usually three questions and one practical task are enough.
Three questions on the phone
Ask when they can start, how they got to their previous job, and why they left. The answers show whether the person is real and whether their schedule fits. Don't conduct a salary interview on the phone if the number is already in the ad.
A short practical check
For a salesperson, give a sample situation with an unhappy customer. For a driver, ask to see the license and category. For a waiter, one shift with a mentor says more than three interviews.
Document check
Ask for an education document only if the law requires it for the position. For most roles in retail, warehousing and services, it's enough to check identity and sign a contract. Don't keep original ID cards.
How to recognize a scammer posing as a candidate
Fake candidate schemes start with overly quick willingness and end with a request for money or data. Several signs show up in the first messages.
First: the candidate asks for money upfront for training, uniform, medical exam or a "document fee". The employer pays, the candidate doesn't. Second: they ask for a copy of your ID or bank card details "for the contract" before they've even set foot on site. Third: they refuse to talk on the phone and insist on chat only.
If the candidate claims to be from a company offering you services, check the registration. The Commercial Register and company data can be checked freely, and for fraud reports the competent authority is the Ministry of Interior.
When you post a job ad on EX & GO, you see the profile history and ratings from previous transactions, and the posting rules are described in the site rules. That's not a guarantee, but it's context that's missing when you get a call from an unknown number.
What it costs to post a job ad
The cost depends on the channel. Classified sites are usually free for individuals and small companies, while specialized job boards and agencies charge a fee. Before you pay, compare what exactly you get.
| Channel | Cost | Response speed | When it's suitable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classified ad | Usually free | Hours to days | Neighborhood positions: salesperson, driver, waiter, assistant |
| Job board | Ad fee or subscription | Days | Office positions and specialists with nationwide demand |
| Recruitment agency | Percentage of salary or fixed fee | Weeks | Management and rare specialties |
For a shop in Plovdiv, a free ad on a classified site is often enough. For a night-shift logistics position, it's better to pay if you're looking for someone outside the city. Compare the prices of similar ads before you decide: post an ad.
If you're also looking for a technician for the site, technician ads follow the same rules and you can browse them in one place: job ads.
What documents are needed when hiring in Bulgaria
The employer signs an employment contract in writing and registers it with the NRA. That's their task, not the new employee's. The contract is signed before the first working day.
Also needed: a template declaration, an ID document for verification, a medical certificate for work if the position requires it, and a bank account document for salary payment. For minors there's a separate procedure and parental consent.
For short-term agricultural work there's a simplified regime with NRA registration within a certain deadline. Check the exact deadline and form in the current text of the law before you start, because conditions change.
Checklist before posting
Go through these points once and the ad is ready. It takes less than ten minutes.
The position is clear and in the title. Duties are listed. The schedule has hours and days. The location has a neighborhood or address. There's a salary range. There are no requirements about gender, age, origin or marital status. There's a phone number and a second contact channel. It says what the candidate should send. The text has been read aloud and contains no unclear abbreviations. The photo, if there is one, shows the actual site.
After posting, reply within the working day. The first twenty-four hours bring the most responses, and a slow reply sends the candidate back to another employer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I post a job ad for free?
Yes. Classified sites usually don't charge individuals and small companies for an ad in the jobs category. Paid channels make sense for rare specialties or when you're searching outside your town. Check the specific platform's terms before you pay, and compare what the fee includes.
What must a job ad include?
Job title, description of duties, schedule, work location, salary range and a way to get in touch. If the position requires a document or license, state it. Clear text reduces calls where the first question is about pay and saves time for both sides.
Can a job ad require a specific gender or age?
No. The Labour Code prohibits discrimination in job vacancy ads. If the work requires physical effort, describe the activity, for example lifting crates up to 20 kg, instead of setting a gender or age requirement. Check the current text of the law before you post.
How do I screen a candidate before inviting them?
Have a short phone call with three questions: when can you start, how did you get to your previous job, and why did you leave. Then give a short practical test. Ask for ID when signing the contract, not earlier, and don't keep originals.
What documents are needed to hire an employee?
A written employment contract registered with the NRA, a template declaration, an ID document and a bank account for the salary. Some positions require a medical certificate. The contract is signed before the first working day, and registration is the employer's responsibility.
How do I spot a scammer posing as a candidate?
They ask for money upfront for training, uniform or documents. They ask for bank card details or a copy of your ID before they've set foot on site. They refuse to talk on the phone and insist on chat only. If in doubt, check the company's registration and report to the police.
How long does it take to post a job ad?
Usually between five and fifteen minutes if you have the text and a photo ready. Moderation on a classified site may take additional time. Prepare the description in advance so you don't fill in the form twice, and reply to responses within the working day.
The end of the first day
Posting a job ad isn't a complicated procedure. Gather the five elements into one text, remove any requirement that describes the person instead of the work, and set aside an hour for phone calls. If you post a job ad with a clear schedule and an honest number, responses come faster and fewer people drop out after the first shift.
Screen the candidate before you give out an address. Sign a contract before they start work. Keep the correspondence if a dispute arises. These three habits do more than any recruitment tactic. For everything else, call the person who wrote to you and ask the three questions.