Should I attend an interview mainly to meet Jobseeker's Allowance requirements?

[user1471867483]

Should I go for a job interview even if I'm not fully interested in the role or its location, just to gain interview experience and comply with job seekers allowance requirements? I've been unemployed since November 2025 after being made redundant without a financial settlement due to departmental restructuring. I was on a zero hours contract. I am claiming job seekers allowance, which requires me to apply for various jobs. I have an interview next week for a full-time position in central London, while I prefer a 30-hour week. I used to work on the outskirts of London for 11 years 30 hours a week. Should I proceed with the interview to keep the job centre satisfied, despite my lack of enthusiasm for the role and location whilst also providing interview experience? I'm 55.

Definitely go to the interview. I was in a similar position last year and hadn’t had face-to-face interviews for many years, so the interviews gave me valuable experience.

I ended up getting a job I might not have chosen if I’d had other options, but it made me realise how much I was capable of and hugely rebuilt my confidence. Some time later I got a role that suits me much better - largely because of that renewed confidence and self-esteem.

Change your attitude. You can't afford to be choosy. Go for the the interview and take the job if offered it. You think people in full time jobs always love what they do. No but they have bills to pay.

it’s really tough out there. DH didn’t work for 15 months - and is now doing a minimum wage job despite being a professional working in industry for 30 years.

@user1471867483 in the same boat as you minus needing to care for a parent. It's a bloody tough jobs market and anyone who thinks it's easy to pick up any job hasn't a clue.
I'm going to the interview - the second one in the same time frame as you - and see how it goes. A job is better than none in the current market but I have been warned it could be a permanent step backwards if I take it (but that's by recruiters who don't have any jobs on their books!). If successful, could you negotiate part time hours to take into account caring responsibilities?

I was made redundant in September, same age as you and have had two interviews in that time despite applying for at least on3 job a day. It's really tough at the minute. Would go if I were you

Go for the interview, prepare for it properly, and give it your best shot.

The difference between 30 hours and full time isn’t huge, so if you’re offered the job you’ve got a reasonable shot at negotiating slightly reduced hours. Very few roles are advertised not full time but it’s not that unusual to accept someone taking the job at slightly less than full time.

From what you’ve said, nothing is going to feel right while you’re still mourning your old job - but a job will boost your income and financial stability which makes handing theother aspects of life more straightforward.

Good luck!

(and if it’s a long time since you’ve done interviews, worth asking job seekers if they can give you any coaching or practise)

Thank you so much everyone 🙏. I'll definitely go. If I can't get the hours I want perhaps I could do flexible hours instead i.e. 8-4 or something. I could ask at the interview. I've applied for 56 jobs since November, have had 7 interviews, but can't seal the deal! I keep being told I come second! 🤷 I wonder if it's because I'm 55 too? 🤷 There was one interview I went to last week and they said the role would involve front desking, which wasn't in the job description. I can't do reception work as I find it high stress and not my strength. I haven't heard back about it. I just nodded when I was told about front desking when at the interview.

Bless him. I tried to do cleaning, but it involves paying my own tax and NI. Too big a headache. I'll try to be positive. I have 39 years of a solid working history. This is the first time this has happened to me.

That’s a decent number of interviews you’ve had. You must be doing something right in your applications, so just keep going, and think of every interview as a step closer. Good luck with the next one!

So nice of you, thank you. My coach at the job centre said I'm doing well. She said so many can't even get one interview 🤷. I've been told over 100 people apply per job.

Given the job market is tough, you’ve been out of work for 6 months and you’re 55 I think it would be foolish to hold out for a part time office based role. They are rarely recruited for externally and those who hold them have typically managed to get them as part of a flexible working request as an existing employee.

I would be careful about asking for flexi hours at interview. By all means check the expected hours for the role but don’t give interviewers the impression inadvertently you’d be looking for special treatment - they may read as difficult and demanding particularly given age discrimination is sadly rife. You want them to think you as low maintenance as possible.

You've had quite a knock op so it's no wonder it affected your confidence especially if you took value from your work as many do.

To be honest, I'd say that being back working is probably the best solution here - to prove to yourself that you're an asset and didn't deserve the way you were treated at your last company. It's also easier to find work when you're in work so even if you look at it as taking on a new role to tide yourself over until you find something more suitable. It doesn't need to be a long term job right now.

The longer you're out of work with all these negative thoughts in your mind the harder it will be.

You should take the job. Refusing to work full time and taking money from taxpayers because you only want to work part time isn’t the agreement between you and the state. You need to support yourself and pay your own costs when you can… not rely on others to pay your way.

I actually think it's unfair to waste an employer's time (especially in a small business) if you're not going to take it.
Yes, I have goe to interviews when it's obvious they were going to employ an internal applicant, but interviewer or interviewee wasting someone else's time isn't ok.

Go for the interview practice. Yes the job market is really tough. It does show your job coach you are serious about job hunting. Not sure how far the interview is to you but in certain circumstances DWP will refund your travel expense for job interview check with your coach. You mentioned caring if this is taking up significant time then you might want to look into carers allowance.

How did you get on OP? I didn't get the one I went for

I didn't go in the end. I didn't feel it was right to. But do you know what? They've re-advertised the job already just from last Thursday! Anyway tell me your story.

You can be sanctioned for not attending job interviews. It sounds like you applied for a job you didn’t want talk about waste of time for the recruiter.

For someone that is unemployed and claiming benefits you are being awfully picky. Take a job, any job, then (whilst employed) you get to be picky and look for your next role. You don’t have the luxury of choice

Don’t worry you probably didn’t miss anything.

Horrible job seeking this past week - one vacancy applied for late Wednesday, because I didn’t respond immediately to the employers instant text message next afternoon, the very next morning the employer re texted saying job had gone, turns out because I didn’t respond to the instant message the story then changed they assumed that I wasn’t interested. And I’m old and sad enough to remember the time you’d post the employer your application and await their response equally by post 🙈

Anyway the indeed job was advertised for 48 hours and I’m sure it will make a re appearance sometime next week.

Prior to this my last job offer was subject to paying for my own dbs. How many unemployed people want this expense.

I’ve started to wonder how many jobs are made up.

This happens so frequently. I recently applied for a role where I met the essential and desirable criteria and had basically done a job v similar before but I was autorejected at application stage. I had also provided a cover letter drawing attention to the job that was particularly relevant. The interview last week made me realise a big skills gap but the job was more junior to what I have been doing so of it had been my team member she would have walked the interview. At my level, there is a skills gap so I could look into training. Right now though I just don't get many interviews so I go to all of them. What a shame yours didn't feel like a good fit in the end. Would you reapply?

So you’d rather not work because you don’t fancy the job/location - and expect the rest of us to support you?

There are lots of people who don’t like their jobs - but they still work because they’re not lazy or entitled

Nope. It would take me two hours to get there and two back. I can't believe they're re-advertising so soon. Anyway, I'm on the verge of starting something soon-ish - I just have to get my ID and other stuff cleared and 'on-boarded'.

Yes you have to otherwise you risk losing your JSA

That's nuts. There isn't much out there at all and as @needtosort says there seem to be a lot of fake jobs being posted by recruiters just to get candidates onto their books. I am also looking into becoming self employed. Might be an easier solution and seems to be encouraged by job centre given scarcity of real jobs.