Looking for work when digital tools are not your strong point

Why digital skills weigh so heavily in a job search

Today most vacancies are published online, applications are made through forms, and employers reply by email or message. Even for very manual trades, you may need to create an account, attach a document or confirm an appointment electronically.

For someone who did not grow up with these tools, the difficulty is not an inability: it comes from learning late, fear of making mistakes, technical jargon or lack of equipment. Many older workers master their trade perfectly well yet feel helpless in front of a screen.

The realistic aim is not to master everything, but to acquire the few skills that unblock the situation, and then to lean on a trusted person for the rest.

The five skills that really matter when applying

Rather than following a general course, it is more effective to practise tasks that are useful for a job search:

1. opening your inbox, reading a message and replying to it;
2. attaching a CV or a letter to an email;
3. saving an advert or a page so you can find it again later;
4. logging in to your personal area on a job site, with a username and password;
5. finding a saved document on your device, in a clearly named folder.

A personal notebook of procedures, written by hand, helps you repeat the steps without stress. Each line describes one action, for example 'to send my CV: open email, click new message, add the attachment'. This notebook stays a personal tool and grows as you learn.

Practising on a real application

Learning works best when it answers a concrete need. Instead of piling up abstract exercises, it is better to choose a real advert and go through it with a patient helper: read the offer, prepare the CV, write a few lines, send the application, then follow the reply.

If possible, practise on your own device, whether computer, tablet or phone, so that you can repeat the same steps at home afterwards. You can ask the helper to slow down, repeat or explain every unfamiliar word. Taking notes or photographing important screens can help you remember.

With two or three applications handled this way, many people gain enough independence for what follows, provided they keep practising regularly.

Where to find help close to home

Several places welcome people who struggle with digital tools. In France, the France services centres bring together several public bodies and offer human support with online procedures, as well as computer equipment for creating an email address, printing or scanning documents. They can also point you towards help on employment or retirement.

Digital inclusion charities, libraries, community centres and town halls run workshops or drop-in sessions. The Les Bons Clics platform, for instance, offers a map of local organisations, exercises for learning the basics and diagnostic tools that help you place your level. What is available varies greatly from one area to another, and a phone call beforehand tells you whether you need an appointment.

Workshops are often free, but the access conditions should be checked with each organisation.

Getting equipped and online without breaking the bank

Without a computer, a smartphone or a subscription, job hunting becomes an obstacle course. Several charities offer solutions for people in insecure situations. Emmaüs Connect, for example, presents workshops to build online independence, refurbished equipment at reduced prices and connection offers at solidarity rates, depending on local branches and partners.

Before buying, decide on the main use: browsing offers, writing emails, drafting a CV. A simple device with a large screen often suits better than a very sophisticated model. It is worth asking a digital helper for advice and avoiding door-to-door or phone sales that promise equipment at attractive prices in return for long commitments.

Protecting your logins and avoiding scams

The more you use digital tools, the more you need to guard against fraud. A few simple rules protect you effectively:

• never give a password, a code received by message or a bank code to a recruiter or to anyone claiming to be an adviser;
• be wary of offers asking for payment up front, urgent messages and links received from unknown numbers;
• use different passwords for important services and write them in a notebook kept somewhere safe, never on a note stuck to the screen;
• check the site address before entering personal details;
• keep a copy of your identity documents, but send them only if the employer is identified and the request is justified.

A serious recruiter has no need of the access codes to your accounts. If in doubt, talk to a relative or a digital helper before replying.

Applying another way when the screen is a barrier

Digital tools are not always essential. Walking into a shop, a craft business or a temping agency, phoning a manager, handing in a paper CV, asking a former colleague: these methods still work in many sectors, especially crafts, catering, cleaning or local services.

It remains useful to ask the employer whether exchanges must go through a portal and, if so, to ask for help. Some accept an application handed in on the spot or a phone appointment. No general rule applies, as each organisation sets its own arrangements.

This approach does not excuse you from progressing, but it stops you giving up interesting posts because of a temporary technical obstacle.

Separating the needs of the job from the difficulty of applying

Two situations need to be kept apart. The first concerns access to the application: creating an account, sending a file, following your messages. The second concerns the use of digital tools in the job itself: an ordering terminal, till software, internal messaging, an online rota.

When an advert mentions a particular tool, you can ask which one, how often it is used and whether training is planned. Many employers train people on their software, especially when use is limited. The question also shows that you can picture yourself in the job.

Asking yourself this lets you target offers compatible with your present level, without ruling out growth later on.

An example of progress over one month

This example is given as an illustration. A 61-year-old former shop assistant wants to return to part-time reception work.

• Week 1: she books an appointment at a France services centre, brings her papers and has an email address created with an adviser's help.
• Week 2: she attends an introductory workshop, learns to attach a document and starts her notebook of procedures.
• Week 3: with a helper, she sends her first online application and learns to read the reply she receives.
• Week 4: she repeats the process alone for a second offer and notes what is still difficult.

Nothing guarantees an interview, but each step reduces dependence on other people.