Business English - Using Job Websites (Beginner Level)

Activity 1: Let's Get Started! (Warm-up)

Think about this: Have you ever looked for a job online? What are some websites people use to find jobs? What can be tricky about applying for jobs on the internet?

Activity 2: New Words (Vocabulary)

Here are some new English words. These words will help us talk about finding jobs on the internet.

Job Website (Job Board): A website that lists many jobs from different companies.

Example: I look for jobs on a popular Job Website every day.

Search Box: A box on a job website where you type the job you want to find.

Example: Type 'office helper' in the Search Box to see those jobs.

Job Filter: A tool on a website to help you see only certain jobs, like jobs near your home or full-time jobs.

Example: Use a Job Filter to find jobs only in your city.

Apply Online: To send your job form and information to a company using the internet.

Example: You can often apply online for many jobs today, which is very fast.

My Account: Your own personal page on a job website where your information is saved, often with a username and password.

Example: Create My Account on the job website to save jobs you like and apply faster.

Check Status: To see if a company has looked at your job form or to find out what is happening with your application.

Example: After you apply, some websites let you check status of your application online.

Activity 3 (Reading)

Let's read about Maria. She is using the internet to find a job as a shop assistant.

Maria is looking for a new job as a shop assistant. She decides to use the internet to help her search. First, she goes to a popular Job Website. She sees a Search Box at the top of the page. Maria types "shop assistant" into the box and clicks search. Wow! Many jobs appear on the screen. To see only the jobs near her home, Maria uses a Job Filter. This makes the list of jobs smaller and much easier for her to look at. She finds a few interesting jobs and clicks on them to read more details about what the company wants.

For one job she really likes, the website says she can apply online. This is great for Maria because she has already created My Account on this Job Website. This means her name and email address are already saved, so it’s quicker. She carefully fills in the online form with her information and attaches her resume. After she sends her application, she hopes she can check status online soon to see if the company will call her for an interview. Maria feels that using the Job Website is a very helpful way to find many job openings quickly and easily from her home.

Think about the story:

What did Maria type into the Search Box on the Job Website?
How did using a Job Filter help Maria in her job search?
Why was it helpful for Maria to have "My Account" when she wanted to apply online?

Activity 4: Role Play

Read this dialogue with a partner. One person is David (who is new to online job searching), and the other is Lisa (his friend who has more experience).

David: Lisa, I want to find a job using the internet. There are so many sites! Where do I even start?

Lisa: Hi David! You should definitely try a good Job Website. They list lots of jobs from different companies all in one place.

David: Okay, a Job Website sounds good. What’s the first thing I do when I get to the website?

Lisa: Look for the Search Box. That’s where you can type the kind of job you are looking for, like 'cook' or 'driver'.

David: What if I get hundreds of jobs in the list? That would be too many to look through!

Lisa: That can happen! If you do, you can use a Job Filter. This helps you choose to see only jobs in your city, or only full-time jobs, for example.

David: Oh, a Job Filter sounds very helpful! And if I find a job I really like, what do I do then?

Lisa: Many jobs will let you apply online. You might need to create My Account on the website first, with your email and a password.

David: After I apply, can I see what happens? Like if they read my application?

Lisa: Sometimes, yes. Some websites are very good and let you check status of your application. It’s a handy feature!

After reading, discuss: What do you think is one good thing about using a Job Website to find different kinds of jobs?

Activity 5: Let's Practice

Objective: Practice using the new vocabulary about finding jobs on the internet.

Scenario: Omar (the learner) is telling his cousin, Fatima, about how he is looking for jobs online.

Fatima: Hi Omar! Any luck finding a job yet? How is your search going?

Omar: I'm trying my best! I've been looking on a big all morning to find new openings.

Fatima: Are you finding anything that looks good? How do you look for the specific roles you are interested in on the site?

Omar: Well, I type the job title I want, like 'driver' or 'shop helper,' into the at the top of the page.

Fatima: Do you sometimes get a lot of results that are for jobs too far away from your home?

Omar: Yes, that happens a lot! But then I use the to show only the jobs that are in our town, which is better.

Fatima: That's smart. Is it easy to send your information and your resume for the jobs you like?

Omar: Mostly, yes. For many of the jobs, I can directly through the website, which saves time.

Fatima: That’s convenient! Do you have to type your name and address every single time you apply for a job?

Omar: No, luckily I made on the site with my email and password, so it saves some of my basic details.

Fatima: Oh, that is useful! And after you send your application, can you see if the company has looked at it yet?

Omar: For some of the jobs, the website lets me online, which is nice to know.

Try to fill in the blanks with appropriate words or phrases from this lesson!