Finding work on the internet

Introduction

  • The internet gives you access to a wide range of job-related information.
  • Not all companies recruit online or have a website, so don’t just rely on the internet for all your job searching.
  • On job sites, you can filter suitable vacancies to suit your requirements.
  • Be aware that information on the internet may be inaccurate or out of date.

How you can use the internet to find work:

  • Search engines are useful for retrieving specific information (such as the web address of an organisation) or general information (such as areas of work, business trends, pension schemes, etc). Most search engines have an advanced search facility, allowing you to narrow down your search.
  • Many companies advertise jobs online. You can often either complete an online application form or email your form/CV and cover letter.
  • Most major employment agencies have a website with a database of current vacancies. You can register with an agency, search through their vacancies and receive information or email alerts when suitable vacancies arise. Some employment agencies specialise in a particular industry.
  • Online job boards pool together vacancies. Some are general job boards while others specialise in particular careers. You can often search job boards using criteria such as type of job, location, salary, etc.
  • A lot of national newspapers, specialist magazines and journals advertise vacancies both in print and online. Many local newspapers also post vacancies online.
  • Online forums allow like-minded people to share information, views and ideas on all sorts of topics, such as jobs and work. This may provide an opportunity to ‘network’ online.

The benefits of online job searching

Internet job searching gives you access to a very wide range of job and work-related information, whether you want to search vacancies, pick up interview techniques or find out about visas for working in another country.

Employment agencies and job sites match people to specific vacancies based on criteria. They may be able to send you automatic email alerts when new, suitable vacancies come in –which saves you having to keep checking and worrying you might be missing out on something.

If you have applied for a job online, you may be able to ‘log on’ and track what stage the application process is at.