Applying for a job online :Cross Stitch – Employment

Many companies advertise jobs on the internet through their own websites, recruitment websites or online job boards owned by newspapers. New jobs are being filled as quickly as they appear so it’s important you look regularly to make sure you don’t miss an opportunity.

Most recruitment companies advertise job vacancies online. There are currently around 1000 online job boards in the UK. To make sure you keep up with the latest vacancies, you will need to:

  • find ways of having access to the internet
  • have your own email address
  • know how to find vacancies and fill in applications online

Employers will often tell you whether or not you have been successful applying for a job by email. In some cases, this is now the only way that some employers fill their vacancies. For example:

  • most recruitment companies advertise job vacancies online
  • there are currently around 1000 online job boards in the UK

To set up a personal email address, try the search engines (for example Google or Yahoo) as many offer a free email account. Or, put ‘free email address’ into a search engine and look through the results. Follow the instructions to set up a free email address.

Once you’ve found your internet access, your next step is to find the types of jobs you’re looking for. Jobs are usually advertised on ‘job boards’ which are like electronic newspapers. Generally, there are three types of job boards:

  • ‘niche’ job boards dedicated to particular professions or industries
  • general job boards advertising all types of vacancies
  • local job boards advertising all types of jobs in the area they cover

You can search for the right job boards by using a search engine (for example Google or Yahoo). Try putting in ‘job boards’ or ‘jobs in retail’ and so on, until you find the job boards that are most suitable for you. If you are using your own computer, you can save the job boards as favourites.

There are two main ways to apply for jobs online.

Filling in an application form online

Fill in the details in the same way as you would with a normal application form. Before you send the form to the employer, check that you have given all the information asked for and that the information is correct.

Emailing your CV

Some employers will ask you to send your CV by email. You will need to have saved your CV so you can attach it to the email. You may also want to include a covering letter. You can find information on how to write a covering letter by using the following link.

Employers may choose to reply to your application by email, so make sure you check your email regularly.

If you do not have internet access or just want to improve your IT skills, UK online centres will be able to help. Find your nearest centre by following the link below or call UK online centres on 0800 77 1234.

Provided by Jobcentre Plus