THE start of a new year is often a time to look for a new job.

Sara Farrar, of York, Selby and Ryedale Jobcentres, has shared nine top tips for making a career change in 2017.

1 Make sure you are looking in the right place – including online, in newspapers, recruitment agencies and Jobcentre Plus centres across the country.

2 LinkedIn has a big recruitment section. It is free, and a great way to demonstrate who you are and your experience.

3 You do not have to be receiving state benefits to use Universal Jobmatch, the Government-run jobs website — you just need to create an account. There are up to one million live adverts at any one time, and an average of 4.5 million job searches every day.

4 When writing your CV, think about what you have learnt from previous jobs or in school or college.

5 If you’re worried about your age, do not include it on your CV. There is no requirement to do so.

6 Even if you are short of experience in the workplace, there are key skills that employers look for that anyone can demonstrate — including being able to communicate well with other people, evidence of team work and IT skills — which you can have built up through hobbies or at home.

7 Some companies will ask for a covering letter. You should use this as a way to sell yourself and explain why you are right for the job. Also, it is worth getting someone to check it for spelling and grammar mistakes — it is not enough to rely on a computer spellcheck. Check out the National Careers Service website for advice on templates and what to include.

8 Make sure you research the organisation, to see what work they are currently doing and to find out their latest news. Showing you have an understanding of the industry will also set you apart from other interviewees.

9 Dressing smartly, being on time and asking least on question about the role you have applied for are also good ways to impress the interviewers.

For more information, visit jobsearch.direct.gov.uk .