How to Find a Job

Use more than one route

No single route to finding a job works for everyone, so it is worth using several at the same time. Relying on just one job site, for example, can mean missing local or informal opportunities that never get posted there.

Different routes tend to work better for different types of job. Online sites are good for a wide range of roles, while asking in person often works particularly well for local shops, cafes and other small businesses.

Spreading your effort across a few routes each week also keeps you from feeling stuck if one method goes quiet for a while.

Online job sites

General job sites list a wide range of everyday jobs, including retail, care, warehouse, hospitality and cleaning roles, and let you search by location and job type.

Set up alerts for the kind of roles and area you are looking in, so new adverts come to you rather than needing to search fresh every day.

Read each advert properly before applying, rather than applying to everything without checking the details, since a slightly more targeted, smaller number of applications is usually more effective than a very large, unfocused one.

The government's Find a Job service

Find a Job is the UK government's free job search service, and it lists vacancies from a wide range of employers, including many everyday, local roles.

It is worth checking alongside other job sites, since some employers advertise there and nowhere else, particularly for public sector or local council roles.

You can search it directly online without needing to sign up to anything else first, which makes it a simple, low-effort addition to your weekly routine.

Jobcentre Plus and benefits support

If you are claiming Universal Credit or another relevant benefit, Jobcentre Plus can offer support with your job search, including help with your CV and information on local vacancies and schemes.

Your work coach at Jobcentre Plus may also know about local opportunities that are not widely advertised elsewhere, so it is worth discussing your situation with them directly.

If you are claiming a relevant benefit, check what job search activity you are expected to record, since this can affect your claim; your work coach or the relevant government guidance can confirm exactly what is required for your situation.

Recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies, particularly those focused on retail, warehouse, hospitality or care work, can put you forward for roles you might not find yourself, sometimes including short-term or temporary work that leads to something permanent.

Registering with an agency usually involves a short form and sometimes a brief interview or chat, after which they will contact you when a suitable role comes up.

It can be worth registering with more than one agency if they specialise in different types of work, since each one will usually only have visibility of its own client employers.

Asking in person

For local shops, cafes, warehouses and similar everyday employers, asking in person, or dropping off a printed CV, can work just as well as applying online, particularly for smaller businesses.

Dress reasonably tidily when doing this, and ask politely whether they are currently hiring or taking CVs for future vacancies, even if there is no advertised vacancy at that moment.

Following up a few weeks later with a business you are particularly interested in is a reasonable, low-pressure way to stay on their radar without being pushy.

A simple weekly routine

A steady, repeatable routine tends to work better than applying in occasional bursts. For example: check job sites and set up alerts early in the week, spend some time each day applying to a small number of well-matched roles, and set aside one day for following up or asking in person locally.

Keep a simple record of where you have applied and when, even just a basic list, so you know which applications are still waiting for a reply and which ones to follow up on.

If you use Ceev, having a CV ready as a saved PDF makes it much quicker to apply the moment you see a role, rather than needing to put one together each time.

• Check job sites and Find a Job, and set up alerts
• Apply to a small number of well-matched roles each day
• Register with one or two relevant agencies
• Set aside time each week to ask in person locally
• Keep a simple record of where you've applied

Staying motivated

Job hunting can feel slow, and it is normal not to hear back from every application, or to hear back after a longer wait than you expected. This is rarely a reflection of you personally.

Focus on the parts you can control, such as the quality of your CV and cover letter, and how consistently you apply each week, rather than the timing of replies, which is largely outside your control.

A steady, sustainable routine, even a modest one, tends to produce better results over time than short bursts of intense effort followed by long gaps.