Trial Shifts and Working Interviews in the UK: What to Expect and Your Rights
Many hospitality, retail, care, trade and beauty employers ask candidates to do a trial shift or working interview. It is a way to see you in action. But candidates often worry: is it legal to work for free, and how should I behave?
What is a trial shift?
A trial shift or working interview is a short period of real work, usually a few hours, where the employer watches how you perform. It might happen on its own or after a normal interview.
Should it be paid?
In the UK, if you are doing real work and the employer benefits from it, you may be classed as a worker and be entitled to at least the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage. Short, observation-based trials where you shadow and do not carry out real work are less clear. Employers who make people do unpaid shifts for long periods risk breaking the law. If you are unsure, ask in advance whether it is paid, and contact ACAS or the Pay and Work Rights Helpline for advice.
Questions to ask beforehand
How long is the trial and what will I be doing?
Will I be paid, and how?
What should I wear and bring?
Who will I be working with?
How to make a great impression
Arrive early and dress to the standard of the workplace.
Be friendly with everyone, not just the manager.
Ask questions and show you are learning.
Do not wait to be told what to do. Offer help and keep busy.
Follow safety and hygiene rules.
After the trial
Thank the team and ask when you can expect to hear. If the employer asks you to do multiple unpaid trials, be cautious. A reasonable employer makes a decision after one.
Everyone in this situation feels alone at some point, and you are not. If this helped, share it with someone who is job hunting, and tell us in the comments what has worked for you.
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