Applying for a job online

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.

Jobs 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
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 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

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.

Applying online

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.