Page 5 | To withdraw my job applications when employers want me to do an unpaid trial shift?

Eyelinerofthetigers · 2025-08-07T10:26:05+00:00

Because I think it’s a fucking piss take? I thought there was a law being introduced saying employers have to pay applicants for trial shifts but it seems not as so many employers seem to think it’s acceptable to want applicants to do this. A friend has recently done an unpaid trial WEEK for a sales job. At the end of the trial the manager of the company said he’d probably got the job but that he just needed to confirm things with the company owner and then he’d be in touch. They’ve since totally ghosted my friend and it’s been 3 weeks!

daisychain01 · 08/08/2025 16:36

Don't do it. Nobody should do anything for free. That's massively taking advantage, and the disgraceful thing is people are desperate for the work so they very often agree to it.

know your worth.

FlipFlopShopInHawaii · 08/08/2025 17:01

Verv · 08/08/2025 13:02

I did a month unpaid trial for my current job, which is admittedly niche.
I've been there for just shy of 8 years now and it was the best gamble i ever made and has been life changing.
I suppose it depends on the job though.

Edited

How does working unpaid for a month fit with minimum wage rules?

Newnameshoos · 08/08/2025 17:12

PrincessAnne5Eva · 07/08/2025 11:46

Meanwhile, every teacher is expected to plan and teach an unpaid "trial lesson" as standard or you can't get a job as a teacher in this country. Planning it in your own time around your own workload, providing resources yourself as well as the time wasted waiting around while all the other candidates do their unpaid trial lesson. Given any random class with no knowledge of their abilities, individual learning needs or behaviour. Expected to learn the behaviour policy of the school in advance and follow it. They managed fine without this nonsense during Covid but have gone straight back to it again. And they wonder why they can't get teachers.

I'd love to see the NHS try this. Could you imagine? We're hiring a surgeon, just show us you can actually do a surgery before we make you a job offer, and stand around outside theatre doing nothing while all the other candidates do the same surgery on different patients. Some of the patients will be rowdy or obnoxious and we'll just blame it on you and if we don't really want you to work here we'll purposely give you someone who you can't operate on then demand to know why you didn't perform the surgery.

I'd abolish these sort of work trials completely. If we don't need to see a surgeon do their job before hiring them (which we don't), or to check if a pilot can land a plane to our satisfaction (also doesn't happen), no one needs to see if someone can scan a barcode with a barcode scanner then ask a customer to pay for the item.

Edited

Are they still doing this? I'm old enough to have been appointed to teaching roles when an interview was still sufficient, but was working in schools when it all started. Used to cause havoc with half your class being taken out etc.
I had a colleague who was applying for jobs and one prospective boss was visiting all the candidates to see them teaching their own class. Which was fine, only my colleague didn't have their own class as we worked in a peri service!
Surely references tell you that a teacher is up to the job? It's a lot of hassle and doesn't necessarily give you any real sense of how a teacher will actually be in your setting with their own class.

Verv · 08/08/2025 18:03

FlipFlopShopInHawaii · 08/08/2025 17:01

How does working unpaid for a month fit with minimum wage rules?

Show quote history

No idea, but if asked i would consider it to be voluntary work.

dayswithaY · 08/08/2025 18:23

Asda used to do this, no idea if they still do. Many years ago when I needed a part time job I had a group interview with them. I was probably there all morning doing stupid role play exercises, doing a tour of the store.

As soon as I got home they offered me an unpaid trial shift lasting 4 hours on fruit and veg. I felt quite insulted that a multi national corporation (I think they were owned by Walmart at the time) would pull a stunt like this.

I wonder if they just did the rounds of everyone who was at the interview that day, hoping to find someone to say yes.

Valeriekat · 09/08/2025 06:09

Alliolly · 07/08/2025 14:16

I can't believe the outrage in these responses.
I work in hospitality and after nearly 20 years in the industry, I'm yet to interview for a position that didn't include an unpaid 3-4h trial shift.
I'm not saying I support it, but it is a standard practice in some industries

Just because it is standard practice doesn't make it right.

ZenNudist · 09/08/2025 06:14

PrincessAnne5Eva · 07/08/2025 11:46

Meanwhile, every teacher is expected to plan and teach an unpaid "trial lesson" as standard or you can't get a job as a teacher in this country. Planning it in your own time around your own workload, providing resources yourself as well as the time wasted waiting around while all the other candidates do their unpaid trial lesson. Given any random class with no knowledge of their abilities, individual learning needs or behaviour. Expected to learn the behaviour policy of the school in advance and follow it. They managed fine without this nonsense during Covid but have gone straight back to it again. And they wonder why they can't get teachers.

I'd love to see the NHS try this. Could you imagine? We're hiring a surgeon, just show us you can actually do a surgery before we make you a job offer, and stand around outside theatre doing nothing while all the other candidates do the same surgery on different patients. Some of the patients will be rowdy or obnoxious and we'll just blame it on you and if we don't really want you to work here we'll purposely give you someone who you can't operate on then demand to know why you didn't perform the surgery.

I'd abolish these sort of work trials completely. If we don't need to see a surgeon do their job before hiring them (which we don't), or to check if a pilot can land a plane to our satisfaction (also doesn't happen), no one needs to see if someone can scan a barcode with a barcode scanner then ask a customer to pay for the item.

Edited

A lot of professional jobs require A LOT of work to get through interviews. I've just been through an internal promotion process that has taken a YEAR of training and events and strategists and preparing presentations and profiles in my spare time.

That's totally different than doing a shift in a care home or waiting tables or picking and packing for free.

Hollybobs1 · 09/08/2025 18:35

I'd withdraw my application, fook that 😂

XenoBitch · 09/08/2025 18:42

Christ, that sounds shit tbh. How do they get away with it?
How does this work with applicants who are brand new to the type of role it is. Does no one actually train new employees anymore?

I remember a thread by someone who did a trial shift in a hotel as a cleaner. Job description said no experience needed as training was provided. She failed the trial shift because she didn't know what she was doing. Apparently folded the sheets on the beds all wrong.

Chocolatebunny61 · 09/08/2025 18:47

My son is a chef and he’s done a trial shift for every job he’s been for. It is the standard practice for roles like that. 99% of the employers have got back to him though.

dottydoooda · 10/08/2025 02:56

FlipFlopShopInHawaii · 08/08/2025 17:01

How does working unpaid for a month fit with minimum wage rules?

Show quote history

Anything more than a day is risky for an employer - anyone on trial could be deemed a “worker” under the National Minimum Wage Act, entitling them to at least the minimum wage, and employers may face enforcement action from HMRC. In practice though, I’m sure many employers would get away with it.

janj52301 · 09/09/2025 21:35

Local British Heart Foundation shop did this. My daughter did a whole day and never heard back from them. They no longer get donations from us, I'm sure they miss the £100 per annum!!!!