Applying for a job online

Most recruitment companies advertise job vacancies online. To make sure you keep up to date with the latest vacancies, you will need to find ways of having access to the internet, have your own email address and know how to find vacancies and fill in applications online.

Finding internet access

If you have access to the internet at home, then it's easy. If not, here are a few suggestions:

your nearest Careers Resource Centre has free public internet access facilities (Belfast, Londonderry and Dungannon)
your local library may have computers that are connected to the internet
you may have friends or relatives who are happy to let you use their home computer to go online
check with your local Jobs & Benefits Office / JobCentre to see what's available in your area
Find your local Jobs & Benefits Office / JobCentre (contacts section)

Getting an email address

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.

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.

Using the internet to find job boards

Once you've found your internet access, your next step is to find the type 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 jobs board 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.

Online application forms

If the form is online it may be a good idea to save it offline first, for example, in a word processing package like Word. This way you'll be able to run a spell check before you copy the info into the online system. It also means you'll have a back-up if there's a problem with the form.

Many sites allow you to store your application online which will let you review or edit your application if required. If you need a username or password to access the site it will be very important to record these in a safe place for future reference.

You may be allowed to use one form for multiple job applications. If this is the case you should update relevant parts of the application form to highlight your skills / experience to each specific post.

Online forms can be longer and more complicated than paper forms – follow the instructions carefully and check how many screens you have to fill in before you can submit your application. If necessary, copy all the questions into an offline document – that way there’s no danger of submitting an incomplete application.

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.

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.