Whatever you’re looking for, our Gumtree job hunting guide aims to simplify the process by showing you how to narrow your search, set up alerts for new jobs that fit your specifications and stay safe through the whole process.
Choosing the right time for job hunting
Gumtree’s job data shows hiring and job hunting take a familiar pattern across most industries. The highest number of vacancies are listed at the start of the year, and January through February is when job hunting levels peak too. But the autumn offers a ‘September Surge’. This trend sees a sharp uptick in the number of jobs posted by employers and replies to the adverts on our platform increase 16% between July and October. So if you are looking for a new challenge, the early winter and autumn months offer great opportunities.
How to zoom in on the right job for you
Whether you’re experienced in your particular field of work and want to build even more expertise, you’re looking for a new direction, or your main priority is flexibility around family life, you’re the best judge of your own requirements. Knowing how to search for jobs can start simply with knowing what you want and the appropriate steps to finding it.
Finding the right category
From care work to construction, delivery driver to HGV Class 1, and from jobs with no experience to those needing professional qualifications, there are literally hundreds of roles for you to browse through in our job listings. Simply find the category you’re interested in, and when you see a job that might fit the bill, click on it for the full details. Many postings make it easy by taking you straight through to their own website. Here you can read reviews, find out more about the company and complete your application.
Set your location
If your perfect job is in Carlisle and you live in Plymouth, that’s not going to be much help to you. That’s why you’ll see, on the left hand side of the screen, a box for you to enter your location. You can type in your town or county or just the first three digits of your postcode. After that, you can choose the distance from where you live, from 1 through to 100 miles or even nationwide. Then you’ll only see job vacancies within your chosen limits.
Set your other preferences
Our system invites you apply other filters to narrow down your search. You can specify:
- Contract type, for example freelance, permanent, voluntary.
- Recruiter type, such as agency or direct employer.
- Your preferred hours, e.g. morning, evening, part-time, term time, or weekends.
- Job level, for example apprenticeship, experienced, management.
- Languages spoken.
- Salary range.
Besides these filters, there are other options for you to specify if you want to see urgent ads, feature ads, or ads with pictures.
Set up alerts and never miss a deadline
It can take the wind out of your sails a bit when you find the job you’ve been looking for, in the right location, with convenient hours and a company that looks good to work for, only to discover the deadline for applications was yesterday. With our Gumtree job search alerts, that doesn’t need to happen ever again. All you need do is sign in to your account, set your preferences and filters, click on the ‘Set search alert’ button on any search results page. We’ll then send you an email when a new opportunity comes up. If any of your priorities or requirements change, simply delete an alert and set up a new one.
Have your CV at the ready
Naturally, having your CV ready to attach to an application is part of your job search routine. If you’re feeling unsure about what format your CV should take, or how much detail to put in, there’s plenty of help you can find online. A good place to start is a CV writing service to help you get your ideas into shape. Once you’re happy with it, you can upload your finished CV to your Gumtree profile. When you apply for a job, it will automatically be attached to your application. If you want to edit or update your latest CV, just upload a new version. It replaces the previous one, so your CV stays fresh and ready to go.
Not ready for job hunting right now?
The second-worst thing after missing a deadline could be seeing the job you’d love but are too busy to apply for right now. We’ve had a go at solving that problem for you, too. You can simply save a job for later on Gumtree. Just click on the heart to add a job to your ‘favourites’ list. As long as you’re logged into your account, your favourites will be immediately synced on all your devices. This allows you to apply when you have space and time. When you want to take another look at your saved jobs, just go into your account profile and click on the ‘favourites’ button.
Staying safe when you apply for a job through Gumtree
We’re doing everything we can to make your job search simple and successful. But your safety comes first. Knowing there are occasional fraudsters out there, it’s always worth being alert to signals that things are not what they seem. Some signs that may alert you to problems include:
- If you research the company online and there’s a lack of information, it’s best to exercise caution.
- If the employer wants you to phone them rather than the other way around, watch out for premium phone numbers.
- If you’re asked to pay for any kind of personal vetting, or pay up front for a uniform.
- If you’re asked to meet for an interview anywhere other than an office during normal business hours or a well-used public space.
Having said that, you can be confident that the vast majority of potential employers on Gumtree are legitimate companies that are keen to find the right staff. You can take comfort from the fact that employers pay for their listings because they get value for money. (You don’t pay because you’re what they’re looking for.)
If you’re new to the world of work, take a look at our top tips for finding your first job for useful advice.
We wish you all the best with your job hunting. While you’re browsing all those opportunities, why not take a look at smart jackets for women or a men’s suit fit for an interview. Because why not look the part too?
