Job search platforms for working in the UK
Finding work is often the first priority after a move, and knowing where to look saves weeks. These UK job platforms let you search live vacancies, upload your CV and set alerts so the right roles come to you. Compare the main options and choose the ones that fit your field.
Browse providers
Job search platforms for the UK
The main UK job boards and professional platforms, reviewed by our editorial team.
3 platforms listed
One of the UK’s largest independent job boards, with vacancies across every sector. Upload your CV so recruiters can find you, set up job alerts, and apply directly to live roles — a practical first stop for a UK job search.
The world’s largest professional network, and a core tool for any UK job search. Build a profile recruiters can find, apply to roles, signal that you are open to work, and use your connections to surface openings that are never advertised.
A long-established UK platform with thousands of live vacancies across every sector. Search and filter roles, upload your CV, set tailored alerts and apply directly — one of the most recognised names in the UK job market.
No providers match your current filters.
Clear filters to see every provider, or
suggest a provider →
Some links in this section are affiliate links — we may earn a commission if you make a purchase or sign up, at no extra cost to you. Every platform is editorially reviewed and independently chosen; in some cases a listed provider may have chosen to pay a listing fee, but that never determines who appears or how we describe them.
How to search for jobs in the UK
For most people arriving in the UK, the job search runs across two or three platforms at once rather than one. The large job boards carry the broadest range of live vacancies and let you apply directly, while professional networks work differently — surfacing roles through connections and letting recruiters approach you. Using both, rather than choosing between them, tends to produce the fastest results, because a meaningful share of roles are filled through referrals that never reach a public job board.
The practical first steps are the same wherever you look: build one strong CV tailored to the UK format, create profiles on the main platforms, upload your CV so recruiters can find you, and set up alerts for your target roles so new vacancies come to you. Spending an hour getting your profile and alerts right saves far more time than scrolling listings each day.
Job boards versus professional networks
Job boards such as CV-Library and Reed are built around searching and applying: thousands of live vacancies, filters by sector, location and salary, and a CV database that recruiters search. Professional networks like LinkedIn are built around relationships and visibility — your profile, your connections, and signalling that you are open to work. For most job seekers the two are complementary, and serious searches use both.
Searching as a new arrival
If you have recently moved, a few things help. Make sure your CV uses the UK format and explains any overseas qualifications in UK terms. Be clear about your right to work, as many UK employers ask early. And use job alerts to track your sector while you settle in, so you build a picture of typical salaries and requirements before you start applying in earnest.
No platform finds a job for you; that comes from a clear CV, consistent applications and following up on the connections you make. What the main UK platforms do is put the widest range of opportunities — advertised and hidden — within reach. Set up your profiles and alerts properly, use a job board and a professional network together, and let the roles you actually want guide where you spend your time.
Reading for your UK job search
More services for life in the UK
View all categories →Job Search — FAQs
The UK job search usually runs across a few platforms rather than one. Large job boards such as CV-Library and Reed carry the widest range of live vacancies across every sector and let you apply directly, while LinkedIn is the main professional network for surfacing roles through connections and being found by recruiters. Most effective searches use a job board and a professional network together rather than relying on a single site.
Start by building a CV in the UK format and creating profiles on the main job platforms. Upload your CV so recruiters can find you, set up alerts for your target roles, and apply directly to live vacancies. Be ready to confirm your right to work, as UK employers often ask early. Using job alerts also helps you learn typical salaries and requirements in your field before you apply in earnest.
Yes, for job seekers the main UK job boards and professional networks are free to search, upload a CV and apply. Some platforms offer paid premium tiers — for example enhanced visibility or additional messaging — but these are optional, and you can run a full job search without paying. Always check what a free account includes before considering an upgrade.
It is worth doing. Uploading your CV to a job board adds you to the database recruiters search, which means opportunities can come to you rather than relying only on your own applications. On professional networks, a complete profile serves a similar purpose. Keep your CV current and tailored to the UK format, and update it whenever your circumstances change.
Job alerts let you save a search — by role, sector, location or salary — and receive new matching vacancies by email or notification. They are well worth setting up, as they save you scrolling listings daily and ensure you see relevant roles quickly, which matters in a competitive market. Set alerts on more than one platform to widen your coverage.
Yes. The major UK job platforms can be searched from anywhere, so you can research roles, salaries and requirements before relocating, and some employers recruit internationally. Be clear about your visa status and right to work, as this affects which roles you can take. Setting up alerts early helps you understand your sector and time your applications around your move.
A job board such as CV-Library or Reed is built around searching and applying to advertised vacancies, with filters and a CV database recruiters use. LinkedIn is a professional network built around your profile, your connections and recruiter outreach, where many roles surface through relationships rather than open adverts. They do different jobs, and serious searches use both together.
Very important for many roles, particularly professional and office-based ones. UK recruiters routinely search LinkedIn, and a complete, up-to-date profile with the “open to work” signal can attract approaches directly. It is also where a significant share of roles surface through connections rather than public adverts. For some sectors a job board matters more, so use LinkedIn alongside one rather than instead of it.
Quality usually beats volume. A smaller number of well-targeted applications, each with a CV and covering note tailored to the role, tends to outperform mass applications. That said, the UK market can be competitive, so a steady, consistent flow of focused applications — supported by alerts and networking — is the most reliable approach. Track what you apply for so you can follow up.
It varies widely by sector, seniority, your right to work and how transferable your experience is. Some people find work within weeks; others take several months, particularly in competitive fields or where qualifications need recognising. Using multiple platforms, keeping your CV and profiles current, networking, and setting alerts all shorten the process. Treat the search itself as consistent, ongoing work rather than a one-off task.
List your job platform
Our directory connects thousands of expats and new arrivals with UK work every month. Job boards, recruitment platforms and professional networks are all welcome.
Apply for a listingThis page was last updated on 30 May 2026.