
<p>If you’re looking for a job in the UK, you’ll probably have heard the term ‘national insurance number.’ It’s important to understand what this is and how to get one (if you don’t already have one). It’s an important part of working life in the UK.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>What is a national insurance number?</h2>



<p>A national insurance number is a unique number made up of 9 characters (6 letters and 3 numbers). It’s used to make sure you pay the correct amount of tax and national insurance contributions when you start working. Whether you’re an employee or <strong><a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/is-being-self-employed-a-good-idea/?id=936">self-employed</a></strong>, you’ll need to pay national insurance contributions. You keep one national insurance number for your entire life. But you should note that a national insurance number isn’t a form of ID.</p>



<h2>Who can apply for a national insurance number?</h2>



<p>To apply for a national insurance number, you’ll need to be at least 16 years old or over. You also need to live in the UK and have the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/prove-right-to-work" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>right to work</strong></a> in the UK. If you’re unemployed, you can still apply for an NI number.&nbsp;</p>



<h2>Do you need an NI number to get a job?</h2>



<p>No, you can still get a job without a national insurance number. But once you get a job, you’ll need to apply for an NI number. In the meantime, your employer will give you a temporary NI number until your permanent one comes through.</p>



<h2>How to apply for a national insurance number</h2>



<h3>UK residents</h3>



<p>If you’re a UK resident, you’ll automatically receive a national insurance number when you turn 16.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>New to the UK</h3>



<p>Although it’s not a legal requirement to have a national insurance number, life sure will be easier with one. You can apply via the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/apply-national-insurance-number/how-to-apply" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>government website</strong></a>. Applications are usually processed within 8 weeks. To apply, you’ll need one of the following:</p>



<ul><li>A passport</li><li>A biometric residence permit (BRP)</li><li>A national identity card from an EU country or from Norway, Liechtenstein or Switzerland</li></ul>



<h2>Should you take your NI number to an interview?</h2>



<p>It’s not a legal requirement for you to have an NI number. But if you do have one, it’s a good idea to take it to your interview. If your employer wants to offer you the job on the spot, having your NI number handy can speed up the process.</p>



<h2>Should you write your NI number on your CV?</h2>



<p>It’s not common practice to include your NI number on <a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/how-to-write-a-cv-uk/?id=438"><strong>your CV</strong></a>. Your employer will usually ask you for your NI number once you’re hired.</p>



<h2>Get organised</h2>



<p>As we mentioned before, it’s not a legal requirement to have a national insurance number. But the majority of the UK does have an NI number. It makes life much simpler. But don’t worry &#8211; if you don’t have an NI number yet, you can still apply for jobs!</p>



<p><em>Ready to find a new job? Browse over half a million jobs today on the </em><a href="http://www.sonicjobs.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>SonicJobs</em></strong></a><em> app.</em></p>



<p><strong>Check out our other blogs:</strong></p>



<p><strong><a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/what-is-a-p45/?id=940">What is a p45</a>?</strong></p>



<p><strong><a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/how-to-write-a-resignation-letter/?id=1129">How to write a resignation letter</a></strong></p>


What is a national insurance number?


<p>In today’s world, businesses have to innovate. If they don’t, they’ll fall behind the competition. That’s why employers value creative skills. Even if you’re not applying for a creative job, creative skills are always valuable.</p>



<p>Maybe you’re thinking to yourself, ‘But I don’t have any creative skills…’.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Well, we think you do!&nbsp;</p>



<p>Check out our list of creative <strong><a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/what-are-skills-on-a-cv-sonicjobs/?id=534">CV skills</a></strong> that you didn’t even know you had!</p>



<h2>How to include creative skills in your CV</h2>



<p>It’s not enough to just write a list of <strong><a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/what-are-hard-and-soft-skills/?id=1148">hard and soft skills</a></strong> in your CV. Anyone can do that. And it won’t impress the recruiter.</p>



<p>This is how you should include key skills in your CV:</p>



<ul><li>Create a section for your ‘Key Skills’</li><li>Put this section close to the top of <strong><a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/how-to-write-a-cv-uk/?id=438">your CV</a></strong></li><li>Use bullet points to list 3-5 key skills that are relevant to the job</li><li>With each skill, include an example of how you demonstrated this skills at work</li></ul>



<h2>18 creative skills to add to your CV with examples</h2>



<h3>Adobe photoshop</h3>



<p><em>“Using Adobe Photoshop to edit photos for marketing campaigns.”</em></p>



<h3>Canva</h3>



<p><em>“Designing social media posts and templates using canva for the company’s three social media profiles.”</em></p>



<h3>Final cut pro</h3>



<p><em>“Editing video footage using Final cut pro to create engaging marketing materials to showcase new products.”</em></p>



<h3>Web design</h3>



<p><em>“Designing and building websites using coding and website platforms like Shopify.”</em></p>



<h3>Email marketing campaigns</h3>



<p><em>“Writing engaging and creative sales funnel emails to drive subscribers to purchase.”</em></p>



<h3>Social media management</h3>



<p><em>“Responsible for growing and managing the company’s social media account including post creation, stories and reels.”</em></p>



<h3>Idea generation</h3>



<p><em>“Generating new ideas to make our workflow run more efficiently.”</em></p>



<h3>Product development</h3>



<p><em>“Shortlisting and testing new materials for upcoming products. It was my role to present shortlisted materials to the head of product design.”</em></p>



<h3>Critical thinking</h3>



<p><em>“Identified ways to digitise our admin process, reducing processing time by 15%.”</em></p>



<h3>Photography</h3>



<p><em>“Taking professional photos with models for various fashion items including shoes, womenswear and sunglasses.”</em></p>



<h3>Copywriting / content writing</h3>



<p><em>“Written blogs and website copy for previous employers and for the university paper.”</em></p>



<h3>Videography</h3>



<p><em>“Produced short adverts promoting company offers, editing stock videos on Final Cut Pro.”</em></p>



<h3>Graphic design</h3>



<p><em>“Created graphics to visually display employment statistics in a reader-friendly way for the employment newsletter.”</em></p>



<h3>Logo design</h3>



<p><em>“Designed logos for several eco-conscious brands ranging from skincare to clothing to candles.”</em></p>



<h3>Branding</h3>



<p><em>“Freelance branding design for multiple businesses including colour schemes, typography and logo design.”</em></p>



<h3>Copy editing</h3>



<p><em>“Editing email sequences and newsletter copy for my previous company to ensure all copy was concise, grammatically correct, well structured and engaging.”</em></p>



<h3>SEO</h3>



<p><em>“After carrying out keyword research, writing related blogs and strategically placing the keywords within. Also ensuring blogs were written in an SEO-friendly format”</em></p>



<h3>WordPress</h3>



<p><em>“Managing the company blog including scheduling, tags, categories and SEO-friendly formatting.”</em></p>



<h2>Get creative</h2>



<p>Creativity comes in different shapes and sizes. And it’s a quality that’s valued by all employers…even if you’re not working in a creative role. Being creative can always add value to a business. So be sure to include a few creative skills in your CV!</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><em>Looking for a new job? With </em><a href="http://www.sonicjobs.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>SonicJobs</em></strong></a><em>, you can apply for jobs with 1 tap from your phone! Start today.</em></p>


Top creative skills for your CV


<p>Every job has its stressors. Whether it’s dealing with deadlines or targets, there are lots of factors that can trigger stress. But some jobs definitely take stress to a new level. In fact,<a href="https://championhealth.co.uk/insights/stress-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> 33%</a> of employees reported moderate-to-high or high levels of stress in their job.&nbsp;</p>



<p>But which jobs are the main culprits? Let’s take a look at some of the most stressful jobs in the UK.</p>



<h2>What are the most stressful jobs in the UK?</h2>



<h3>Customer service &#8211; £19,500 average annual salary</h3>



<p>Some customer service jobs come with a whole lotta stress. That’s because there can be lots of pressure to quickly deal with high numbers of calls. Workers also have the added stress of dealing with unhappy customers. Industries like telecommunications and energy providers are renowned for having unhappy customers.</p>



<h3>Chef &#8211; £27,000 average annual salary</h3>



<p>Being a chef isn’t all pretty plates and yummy food. Restaurant kitchens are actually high pressure places. When the restaurant gets busy, the heat falls straight onto the chef. And that’s why chefs have a rep for being hot-headed. They have to focus, keep standards high AND manage a team of people. It’s not easy!</p>



<h3>Teacher &#8211; £37,500 average annual salary</h3>



<p>Being a teacher is no walk in the park. Teachers have to manage large classes of students. They also have to keep high grades in their classes. Teachers also have a heavy workload that often eats into their free time.</p>



<h3>Events manager &#8211; £33,781 ​​average annual salary</h3>



<p>Event planners have to spin many plates at the same time. It’s their job to organise lavish events with lots of moving parts. And guess what? A lot <em>can</em> and <em>will</em> go wrong in the process. Event planning is <em>not</em> a breeze. It can be a living nightmare!</p>



<h3>Recruitment consultant &#8211; £27,000 average annual salary</h3>



<p>Recruitment is one of the most stressful industries in the UK. It’s a sales job that also has lots of moving parts. Recruiters have high targets they need to hit. And it’s very rarely smooth sailing. But at the same time, the commission you earn could make it all worthwhile!</p>



<h3>PR manager &#8211; £42,500 average annual salary</h3>



<p>PR consultants are responsible for the image of companies and public figures. But sometimes, bad press is unavoidable. It’s during these times that PR consultants need to work twice as hard to correct any bad images.</p>



<h3>Healthcare worker &#8211; £24,449 average annual salary for a carer</h3>



<p>Healthcare workers in the UK are under a lot of pressure. They deal with vulnerable people in life-threatening situations. And they’re also understaffed. This makes it hard for them to do their job properly.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>Lawyer &#8211; £52,875 average annual salary</h3>



<p>It takes a strong stomach to be a lawyer. Not only do they work round the clock for their clients, but other people’s lives are in their hands. Lawyers often report being burnt out in their careers &#8211; and it’s no wonder why!</p>



<h3>Air traffic controller &#8211; £52,400 average annual salary</h3>



<p>Air traffic controllers work under a high level of intensity. They’re responsible for making sure planes land safely. Their job demands a high level of concentration. Their job is so intense that they typically have to take breaks every 2 hours.</p>



<h3>Surgeon &#8211; £77,647 average annual salary</h3>



<p>It doesn’t take a genius to work out that operating on people might not be the easiest job in the world. Every time a surgeon operates, they do so knowing this person’s life is in their hands. And unfortunately, surgeons can’t always win every battle. It’s no wonder these heroes earn <strong><a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/what-are-the-highest-paying-careers-sonicjobs/?id=577">high salaries</a></strong>!</p>



<h3>Firefighter &#8211; £27,409 average annual salary</h3>



<p>Firefighters enter life-threatening situations everyday. The public depends on them for their safety. Firefighters are literally facing life or death while they’re at work. We think that qualifies as one of the most stressful jobs in the UK!</p>



<h3>Military &#8211; £34,620 average annual salary for a lieutenant</h3>



<p>Working in the military is a stressful experience. Personnel have to visit warzones, witness death and torture, and fight for their lives. Many ex-military personnel endure long-term suffering from the trauma they experienced at war.</p>



<h2>Aaaand breathe</h2>



<p>We know. You need to <a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/a-complete-guide-to-sabbatical-leave-in-the-uk/?id=1268"><strong>take a sabbatical</strong> </a>after reading this blog, right?! But despite the stress, these professionals do their jobs for a reason. And that’s because it gives them a high level of <strong><a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/careers-with-the-highest-job-satisfaction-in-the-uk/?id=1197">job satisfaction</a></strong>. Stress comes with every job. But when you love what you do, you’d do it 100 times over.</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center">If you’re looking for a long-term career, apply for jobs with 1 tap on the <a href="http://www.sonicjobs.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong>SonicJobs</strong></a> app</p>


10 of the most stressful jobs in the UK (and their salaries)


<p>In an interview, you’re always going to be asked about yourself. It’s one of the <strong><a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/most-common-interview-questions-and-answers/?id=400">most common interview questions</a></strong>. It’s an opportunity for you to highlight all your best points and why you’re right for the role. Of all the interview questions, this is the one you should look forward to most.</p>



<p>But don’t walk in blind. Don’t try to wing it. Plan your answer carefully during your <strong><a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/top-interview-tips/?id=388">interview preparation</a>.</strong></p>



<h2>How to answer ‘tell me about yourself’ in an interview</h2>



<h3>Keep it relevant to the role</h3>



<p>This question isn’t an invitation to talk about your childhood, friends and family. Everything in your answer should be connected to the role. Talk about your past work experience, key skills and ambitions.</p>



<h3>Summarise your most important experience</h3>



<p>In your answer, you should give an overview of your career experience. But remember to keep it relevant. If you’re interviewing for an IT role, you don’t need to tell them about your bartender role back in college. Here are a few things to highlight in this part of your answer:</p>



<ul><li>How many years’ experience you have</li><li>What relevant job roles you’ve had</li><li>What industries you’ve worked in</li><li>What you love most about your role</li></ul>



<p>Talk about most recent relevant role</p>



<h3>Include relevant hobbies</h3>



<p>You can talk about your <strong><a href="https://blog.sonicjobs.net/the-best-hobbies-and-interests-to-put-on-your-cv/?id=1265">hobbies and interests</a></strong> in your answer… so long as they’re relevant to the role. So if you’re interviewing for a car sales role, it’s totally relevant to tell the interviewer you’ve been obsessed with cars since you were a kid. Although it’s a hobby, having that passion will make you a much better car salesperson.</p>



<h3>Talk about your biggest achievements</h3>



<p>As we said, this question is a chance to brag about yourself. So use this moment to talk about your greatest achievements. Where have you excelled? What are you really proud of? The best answers will include some facts and figures to bring your experience to life.&nbsp;</p>



<h3>Explain why you’re interested in the role</h3>



<p>You want the hiring manager to know you’re passionate about the role. So it’s worth telling them what caught your eye about it. Many candidates will fail to show their enthusiasm. To them, it will be just another job interview. So make sure you make the interviewer feel special.</p>



<h2>Example answer to ‘Tell us about yourself’ for a job as a carer</h2>



<p><em>“I’ve always been a maternal person. I grew up with 2 younger siblings so I’ve always had that natural inclination to care for others. I’ve always known my work would be helping others in some way. I started my career as a carer in 2020 and I’ve been with the same company, Amber Care, ever since. I’ve worked with a variety of vulnerable people from elderly to terminally ill to hospital discharges. I really enjoy making their lives easier and forming connections with them. Although I’ve really enjoyed my time working for Amber Care, I’d like to work for a company that can offer more training and development. And I know your company has a great reputation for providing ongoing development for its carers.”</em></p>



<h2>Your time to shine</h2>



<p>In interviews, it’s important you seize any opportunities to shine. Don’t be shy. The interviewers want to hear how great you are. They want to hear what you have to offer. And it would be a shame for you to lose out on a job because you didn’t show enough passion. So really go for it! Don’t leave any doubt in their mind that you’re the best person for the job!</p>



<p class="has-text-align-center"><em>Ready to find a new job fast? Browse the </em><a href="http://www.sonicjobs.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><strong><em>SonicJobs</em></strong></a><em> app to apply for jobs with 1 tap</em></p>


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What is a national insurance number?