Working Interview

Bunnie1982

I have a working interview tomorrow for a job through an agency, I was under the impression it was going to be for half a day to see if I can do the job and if the people like me. The agency phoned me earlier to check I was ready for tomorrow and the consultant said to me to phone her at 5pm when I finish.

I was a bit taken aback to be honest as it is a full day that I am not being paid for.

Can anyone who has done a working interview before please advise what is normal procedure?

***edited to say the job is for an accounts admin based role of which I have five years experience, and also the job is only a temporary position for 4 months with no view of permanency***

unluckyone

i've never heard of a working interview before but one day without pay is well worth the opportunity to earn 4 months salary.

if you have 5 years experience you should be well suited to the role.

are you confident?

Bunnie1982

unluckyone wrote: »

i've never heard of a working interview before but one day without pay is well worth the opportunity to earn 4 months salary.

if you have 5 years experience you should be well suited to the role.

are you confident?

I'm confident, but I'm just a bit concerned about being taken for a bit of a mug as I've never heard of a working interview before.

Bunnie1982

I've done some research around the internet and can only find reference to working interviews with regards to Dental Assistant jobs and on the Canadian Monster site. I think alarm bells have rang because the goal posts have been changed.

Joolsinthecrown

This sounds a bit irregular. You may be doing a days work to no avail.
Good luck if you go through with it!

liney

Bunnie1982 wrote: »

I've done some research around the internet and can only find reference to working interviews with regards to Dental Assistant jobs and on the Canadian Monster site. I think alarm bells have rang because the goal posts have been changed.

They haven't changed the goal posts - you were "under the impression" and you know what Thought did....

What time is your interview in the morning due to start? By the time that is over and removing breaks, you will probably only work the equivalent of half a day anyway.

I'd be wary if it was a more unskilled job, in that they could be taking dozens of people on daily/weekly for free labour. This is a skilled job, so unlikely to be the case.

foxy-roxy

I did a working interview for starbucks, but it was only half a day, in fact prob not even that long, about 2 hours.
I now work in an office doing accounts (among everything else) and i basically was on a weeks trial (still with the agency, still getting paid) and after that week they would see how we all got on and if my work was upto scratch, which luckily it was.
I would be a bit miffed to do a full day without pay tbh because what if they said no and try someone else it could go on for god knows how long without them having to pay a penny, but if it is a reptuable company then i doubt it would be.
maybe the agency has got it wrong and are just assuming you will be working until 5pm?

Bunnie1982

I was only under the impression it was half day as that was what I was originally told. I have now been told I have to be there at 9am in the morning and will be there until 5pm on a working interview basis and therefore I won't be paid. It's an unskilled accounts role in that they haven't asked for any particular qualifications.

I don't mind working on a trial basis, but the fact about not being paid bothers me, especially as this particular agency have messed me about before.

cazziebo

Agree with Liney. No matter how skilled the person, I've never had someone able to turn in a productive day's work on day one. I wouldn't worry you're being taken for a mug.

It's a very time consuming way to select someone - although work trials are proven to be the most effective method of recruitment. I can't imagine they would do this with more than a couple of candidates - and I suspect you might be the only candidate. It is also an excellent opportunity for you to see if the job, the environment, the people are right for you.

Best of luck.

Bunnie1982

Thanks, I guess there is no harm in trying it out. I was just wary because never done anything like this before.

paulwf

Work trials are common in catering and sometimes in retail. They make sense as not only can they decide if they like you but also if you like them. They can also see if you get on with the team you would be working with not just the interviewers.

It is common to pay you a days wage for this, although with companies tightening their belts with the recession and the complexity of putting a one off payment through the books perhaps not getting paid is now to be expected. I think they should pay, although they won't be doing it to exploit free labour as they are unlikely to get much productive work out of you on the first day.