System results explained.

When I search for 'all jobs' why can I only see 250 vacancies?

The Jobcentre Plus vacancy database receives substantial user traffic.  To ensure the continued availability and integrity of the service, there needs to be a limit on the number of jobs that can be returned for each job search performed.  For an all job search, the current limit on the number of jobs that can be displayed is 250.  However, if you specify a particular job title (or SOC) then the service may return up to 200 jobs.  The service allows a customer to search for up to 3 job titles (or SOCs) in any one search.  Therefore a search could potentially return up to 600 jobs.

Why do I see jobs which don't meet my search criteria?

The default order in which jobs are shown is 'Best match' which means that the jobs are ordered according to how well they match your search criteria.  The jobs at the top of the list should be very close matches to what you are looking for.  As you move down the list, youll see jobs which are less relevant but still may be of some interest to you.  However, if there are no jobs which exactly match your search criteria, you may find jobs at the top of your list which meet some, but not all, of your search criteria.  For example, if you run a search using the options '1-16 hours', 'Perm', 'Weekends', you may find that the first jobs in your list meet all of those criteria.  As you move down the list, the jobs should are likely to meet some of your criteria but not all e.g. jobs may be 1-16 hours and at weekends but are not permanent.  Even further down the list you will see jobs which are less relevant but still meet some aspect of your search criteria.

Why do you show me vacancies that are outside my search area?

When you carry out a job search you may see some jobs listed which are outside the area of your search.  This is because these vacancies are classed as regional or national vacancies.  These types of vacancies may involve travelling over wide areas or home working and are therefore not limited to a specific location.  They are therefore shown in your list because they may still be of some interest to you.  Regional and national vacancies should be shown lower down the job list than any local jobs which match your search criteria.  However, you may see more regional and national vacancies if you are searching in a location which does not return many local results.

Can I extend my job search radius?

Yes.  If you are looking for a particular type of job you can use the 'Distance' drop down menu to set your search radius to one of many options from '1 mile' to '75 miles+'.  However, if you are looking for 'all jobs' your search radius is limited to 15 miles.

I'm searching for any job.  How can I see jobs outside of the 15 miles radius?

If you are looking for 'all jobs' the maximum radius for your search is 15 miles.  If you want to look for jobs outside this search radius, you should start a new search in an alternative nearby location.

How can I see all the vacancies in my city?

The maximum number of vacancies that can be returned for an 'all jobs' search in a location is 250.  If you live in a large town/city, there are likely to be well over 250 vacancies available in your search area.  Therefore, you should consider using the various search options to return jobs which more closely meet your personal preferences.  Alternatively, try searching for specific areas within your town/city or by specific postcodes.  For example, if you live in Sheffield consider searching for individual post codes relating to the areas you are willing to travel to.  Please note that we are currently exploring ways to increase the number of vacancies returned for each job search.

I have skills that I could use in different jobs but can only search for 3 job types at a time - why?

The Jobcentre Plus database of jobs is extremely large and has an enormous number of users.  Therefore, to ensure the continued availability and integrity of the service, there needs to be a limit on how many jobs are returned.  This is done in two ways: firstly, by limiting the maximum number of jobs that can be returned; and secondly, by restricting the number of job titles that can be chosen for a search.