As Amusnet celebrates its tenth anniversary, Boyana Petkova, Talent Acquisition Manager at Amusnet, reflects on the company's growth, the career opportunities it has created, and the environment that helps talent turn potential into a successful career. She shares an inside perspective on the first decade of an international business that started in Bulgaria.
This year, Amusnet celebrates its tenth anniversary. What does the company look like today from a people perspective?
Amusnet has come a long way over the past decade. We started in Bulgaria with a bold vision and ambitious goals, and today we're celebrating ten years in business with a team of more than 1,300 professionals, a strong international presence, and an increasingly diverse portfolio of products developed in-house.
In the last four years alone, our team has grown by more than 40%. But growth isn't just about headcount. It's also reflected in the variety of roles we offer, the responsibilities our teams take on, and the opportunities people have to develop their careers within the organisation.
Some of our colleagues have been with us almost from the beginning, while others have joined only recently. This combination is incredibly valuable. Our long-standing team members bring experience and a deep understanding of how the company works, while newer colleagues contribute fresh ideas, different perspectives, and questions that sometimes challenge us to rethink the way we do things.
If I had to sum up these ten years from a people perspective, I'd say that we've grown as a company, but more importantly, many of our colleagues have grown alongside us.
How does Amusnet create development opportunities for people at the beginning of their careers?
I believe sustainable growth starts with recognising that a company needs to do more than attract talented professionals. It also needs to invest in helping them reach their full potential. People should be able to see a future for themselves, whether they're just starting out or already have years of professional experience behind them.
That's why we're actively involved in developing the next generation of tech professionals. We run paid internship programmes and academies in areas such as Java, JavaScript, QA, and DevOps. We also collaborate with the Technical University of Sofia and ARC Academy, while our colleagues regularly contribute as speakers and mentors to both internal and external initiatives, sharing their practical knowledge and experience.
I don't believe someone's potential can always be measured by the number of years they've worked. Curiosity, motivation, and a willingness to learn are just as important. When we recognise these qualities, our responsibility is to create an environment where they can develop into real skills and professional achievements.
One of your more unconventional initiatives is the Amusnet Hackathon. What's the idea behind it?
We wanted to create something that feels much closer to the real experience of developing a product than a traditional recruitment process.
The Hackathon is a 36-hour competition where participants work in teams to develop their own game from scratch. They divide responsibilities, make decisions, tackle challenges, and ultimately present a working product. It gives us a chance to see not only what people know, but also how they think, collaborate, and respond when their first solution doesn't work.
The first edition in 2025 brought together more than 30 participants across eight teams. What made it particularly rewarding for us was that some of those participants later became our colleagues.
This year, we're organising the second edition from 27 to 29 November. For the first time, the event will be international, with teams competing in Sofia and Malta. Registration is currently open online.
For participants, it's an opportunity to meet our experts, gain hands-on experience, and demonstrate their potential in a real-world setting rather than simply describing it on a CV. I believe this year's Hackathon will introduce us to another group of inspiring young talents, and I hope some of them will eventually join our team, just as they did last year.
What makes Amusnet an attractive employer for experienced professionals?
I think it's the combination of stability, a technology-driven environment, and international scale.
We're talking about a company with a ten-year track record, a substantial team of specialists, and products reaching dozens of markets worldwide. At the same time, our business continues to evolve, creating an interesting dynamic.
For an experienced professional, this means joining an established organisation without feeling that everything has already been built or that there's no room for new ideas.
The work offers technical complexity, an international perspective, exposure to new markets, and the opportunity to collaborate with highly skilled professionals while directly influencing products and processes.
Of course, different people look for different things when considering their next career move. But I believe it's precisely this combination of established expertise and room for change that makes Amusnet an attractive place for both experienced professionals and those just starting their careers.
Beyond professional experience and technical skills, what makes you see a candidate as a potential future colleague at Amusnet?
Experience and technical skills certainly matter, but they don't always tell the whole story.
For me, curiosity, the way someone thinks, and their approach to challenges can reveal just as much.
We operate in a fast-moving technology environment where new challenges and opportunities constantly arise. That's why we look for people who don't just have the right knowledge, but are also eager to build on it, share ideas, and take ownership. This applies equally to experienced professionals and those taking their first steps in their careers.
Perhaps most importantly, we're looking for a genuine sense of alignment between the person and the opportunity.
For us, recruitment isn't simply about filling a vacancy. It's about connecting the right professional with an opportunity where they can realise their potential and contribute to the team's success.
Ultimately, a great hire isn't just the successful conclusion of a recruitment process. It's the beginning of a long-term journey of professional growth.
