Looking for work in the UK

Finding a job usually takes a few steps, and there is free help with each one.

Work out what suits you

The National Careers Service runs a skills assessment on its website. It asks about your interests and shows some careers that might suit you. Its job profiles describe what hundreds of different roles involve.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own careers service. The National Careers Service site links to all three.

Find a vacancy

The government runs a job search service called Find a job. People use it to find and apply for full or part-time jobs in England, Scotland and Wales. Jobs in Northern Ireland are on a separate service, and the Find a job page on GOV.UK links to it.

Check the advert is real

Report Fraud is the police reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime. It says job scams most often start with an advert or a message out of the blue. The people behind them often ask for money up front, for equipment, training or security checks.

Before you share personal details, Report Fraud suggests a few checks:

JobsAware gives free help and advice to workers who come across a scam or unfair treatment.

Write your CV and cover letter

The National Careers Service suggests writing your CV for each job you apply for. Look at the advert and show the skills it asks for. A CV usually has your contact details, a short introduction, your education, your work history and references. Leave out your age, your date of birth, whether you are married and your nationality.

The careers team at the University of Chester, quoted by Prospects, recommends keeping a CV to two sides of A4. Prospects also suggests real examples of your skills, in place of stock phrases like "team player".

A cover letter usually goes with a CV. It is a short letter, usually 3 to 5 paragraphs long. The National Careers Service suggests writing a new one for every job, addressed to a named person where you can find one.

Prepare for the interview

Read the job description again and think about what the interviewer might ask. Prepare a few examples from your past experience. The National Careers Service suggests the STAR method for answers: the situation, the task, the action you took and the result. Write down some questions of your own to ask at the end.

Scope, the disability equality charity, explains how to ask for changes to an interview or test. It suggests asking as early as you can, and putting what you need in an email so there is a record.

Your rights before you start

These rules apply in England, Scotland and Wales. Recruitment agencies cannot charge you a fee for finding you work. They can charge for some extra services, such as CV writing, but only after giving you the details in writing.

Your new employer will ask you to prove your right to work in the UK before you start. A British or Irish citizen can use a British passport, or an Irish passport or passport card, and others can use a share code or their immigration documents.

A job offer may depend on conditions, such as good references. GOV.UK advises waiting for an unconditional offer before you hand in your notice.

On your first day, your employer must give you a written statement of your main terms, including your pay, your hours and your holiday. Acas gives free, impartial advice on rights at work.

Useful links