FAQs and useful links

Employers ask for ID to check that you have the right to live and work in the UK. It’s easiest to use photo ID like a passport or driving license, but don’t worry if you don’t have photo ID. Employers can also accept a combination of official documents such as birth certificates, utility bills and council tax statements.Find out more about the types of documents employers will accept.

There’s lots of information about this in our CV section above. At the very least, your CV should include up to date contact details (email and phone number), a summary of your skills and experience, details of any qualifications and details of your previous or most recent work history.

Don’t worry if you don’t have any work experience. Everyone has to start somewhere. Think about skills from your personal life (for example, school, college, caring responsibilities) and how they can be transferred to a job. Your hobbies and interests can also be a great source of transferable skills. If you’re looking for your first job, employers want to see that you have potential, so a good awareness of your skills is essential.

Most jobs will ask for one or two referees to vouch for you and your skills. Referees are most commonly previous employers, but they don’t have to be. If you don’t have a former employer, or you’re not in contact with them anymore, you might want to consider:

• Former Teacher
• Youth Worker
• A professional who has known you for a long time
• Someone who has known you for a long time can provide a character reference
• Volunteering
• Teacher from a recent training course
• In most cases, family members CAN NOT be references

No, you don’t need to tell an employer about your disability or health condition. However, if your disability means that you need some adjustments to be able to do your job, it might be a good idea to talk to your employer about your requirements and any adaptations. Remember, it is against the law for employers to discriminate against you because of your disability.

Get more advice on this from the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Depending on the severity of your criminal record, you may not be able to work in certain environments like schools or care homes. However, there are still jobs out there that you can do. You can get advice on how, when and what to disclose to an employer from Nacro and Unlock. People with convictions can also get help to find work from Clean Sheet.

You need to check your school leaving age as lots of what you can and can’t do depends on this. Once you’ve worked this out, you can visit the Citizens Advice website to find out what you can and can’t do,