The UK job search guide

Practical, no-nonsense steps to find work in Norwich and across the UK.

1. Prove your right to work

Every UK employer must check you can legally work here before you start.
British and Irish citizens: a passport or birth certificate plus National Insurance number.
Everyone else: get a share code from GOV.UK ('Prove your right to work') and give it to the employer.
You'll need a National Insurance number for tax — apply on GOV.UK if you don't have one.

Keep it to two pages. Don't include a photo, date of birth or marital status.
Start with a short personal profile (3–4 lines) tailored to the job.
List experience newest first, with bullet points showing results: 'cut waiting times by 20%'.
Add relevant skills, qualifications and licences (e.g. driving licence, CSCS card, DBS).
Save as PDF and name it clearly: Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf.

Write a short letter for each role: why this company, why you, and what you'll bring.
Use keywords from the job advert — many employers screen applications automatically.
For public sector and NHS roles, answer each 'person specification' point with an example.

Recruitment agencies — free for job seekers. See our Recruiters page for Norwich agencies by sector.
Job boards — Indeed, Reed, Totaljobs, GOV.UK Find a Job, NHS Jobs, Jobs24 (Norfolk).
LinkedIn — keep your profile updated and set 'Open to work' for recruiters.
Direct to employers — check careers pages of Aviva, UEA, Norwich Research Park and the NNUH.
Networking — many Norwich jobs are filled through contacts. Attend local events and job fairs.

Research the company: read their website, recent news and the job description again. Prepare two or three questions to ask them — it shows genuine interest.
Most UK interviews use 'competency-based' questions: 'Tell me about a time when...' or 'Give an example of...'. Answer these with the STAR technique.
S — Situation: set the scene briefly. Where were you working and what was happening?
T — Task: what was your specific responsibility or the problem you had to solve?
A — Action: what did YOU actually do? Use 'I', not 'we'. This should be the longest part of your answer.
R — Result: what happened? Use numbers if you can: 'complaints dropped by 30%' or 'we hit the deadline two days early'.
Example — 'Tell me about a time you dealt with a difficult customer': Situation: 'I worked weekends in a busy Norwich café.' Task: 'A customer was angry about a 20-minute wait for food.' Action: 'I apologised, checked the kitchen, gave them a realistic time and offered a free drink while they waited.' Result: 'They calmed down, left a good review and became a regular.'
Prepare five or six STAR stories before the interview covering common themes: teamwork, a problem you solved, a mistake you fixed, working under pressure, and dealing with a difficult person.
Arrive 10 minutes early, or test your camera and connection for video interviews.
Send a short thank-you email the same day.

Everyone is entitled to at least the National Minimum Wage — check current rates on GOV.UK.
You should receive a written statement of employment on or before your first day.
Full-time workers get at least 28 days' paid holiday a year (including bank holidays).
Temporary agency workers gain equal pay rights after 12 weeks in the same role.
Agencies must never charge you a fee for finding you work.

Jobcentre Plus (Norwich) — job search help and benefits if you're out of work.
National Careers Service — free careers advice by phone or online.
City College Norwich & Norfolk Adult Learning — free and low-cost courses to retrain.
Acas — free advice on workplace rights.