How to apply for jobs in the UK

The National Careers Service describes a CV built from contact details, a short introduction, education, work history and references, and advises leaving out your age, date of birth, marital status and nationality. Keep the personal statement to a few lines that say who you are, what you are good at and what you want next, then let each job entry show results rather than duties. Our UK CV format guide covers length, layout and what else to drop.

The covering letter matters more in the UK than in many markets. It is usually three to five paragraphs: introduce yourself and say how you found the role, show the skills and experience that match what the employer wants, and close by thanking them and saying how to reach you. You can also use it to explain a gap in employment. The cover letter builder drafts one from your CV for the specific advert.^[2][3]

The Civil Service recruits using Success Profiles, which combine five elements: behaviours, strengths, ability, experience and technical skills. The job advert says which ones will be assessed, and you may be asked for written examples of the behaviours it lists. The published guidance recommends structuring those examples with the STAR method.

Many private employers and the NHS use the same logic, even when they do not use the name. Before you write a single line, list the essential and desirable criteria from the person specification and match each one to a concrete example from your work.^[5][6]

A brief thank-you email after the interview is polite but optional. If you have heard nothing by the date they gave you, one short follow-up is fine; agencies will usually chase for you. Keep a log of where you applied and when, and the job tracker will remind you which applications are waiting for a reply.

If the advert shows a salary or a band, treat it as your anchor. If not, have a researched annual figure ready, quote it as a gross amount and remember that pension contributions, holiday above the minimum and flexible working can all be part of the discussion. Acas guidance notes that a job offer can carry conditions the candidate must meet before starting, such as suitable references, and that the employer may withdraw the offer if they are not met, so line up referees early.^[8]

Section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 says an employer must not ask about an applicant's health before offering work, or before putting them in a pool of candidates for future offers. Narrow exceptions cover things like arranging adjustments for an assessment, checking a function intrinsic to the job and diversity monitoring.

Every employer must check that you are allowed to work in the UK before employing you. If you are not a British or Irish citizen, you can usually prove it online with a share code, or with an eligible immigration document. People coming from abroad often need a visa: the Skilled Worker route requires a confirmed job offer from an employer approved by the Home Office and a certificate of sponsorship for the role, so the job comes first, then the visa application.^{[9][10][11][12]}