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An interview after redundancy has an extra layer: the question of why the last job ended, and a private worry about how long the search will take. Preparing a routine in advance takes some of that pressure off, because you are working from a list instead of from nerves. This article sets out a preparation routine drawing on National Careers Service guidance, with notes on time off and on what to check before you accept an offer. If you are still working your notice, the redundancy pay calculator shows what you will receive, which makes it easier to judge an offer.
Getting the time off
If you have been given notice of redundancy and will have two years of continuous employment when it ends, you are entitled to reasonable time off during working hours to look for work or arrange training. Acas says there is no fixed number of days, and you ask during your notice period. Your employer can refuse only on reasonable grounds.
Pay for this time is capped at 40% of a week's pay over the whole notice period. If you are on £500 for a five-day week, that is £200, the equivalent of two days, even if you take more. Time beyond the cap is unpaid unless your contract or your employer says otherwise. Agree the dates with your manager as soon as an interview is booked, and say how long you will be out for, including travel.
The week before
These steps draw on the National Careers Service interview advice.
- Check the format. In person, by phone or by video. If you need adjustments, ask in advance.
- Read the job description closely. Note the skills and experience the employer asks for, and mark where your own record matches.
- Research the employer. Start with the company website.
- Re-read your CV or application form. Think about what the interviewer is likely to ask about it.
- Prepare examples from your past work that you can draw on.
- Practise common questions, ideally aloud and ideally with someone you trust.
- Write down questions to ask.
Using the STAR method
The National Careers Service recommends the STAR method for structuring answers. The letters stand for Situation, Task, Action and Result. Choose four or five examples that cover the main demands of the job, such as dealing with a difficult customer, meeting a deadline, working with others, learning something new and fixing a problem. Write each in four short lines, then say them aloud until they fit in about two minutes.
Redundancy gives you a few strong examples. Handling change, keeping standards up while a team shrank, or helping colleagues with a handover are all things a new employer will want to hear about, as long as you describe what you did and not who was to blame.
Answering the question about leaving
Expect to be asked why you left. A calm, factual answer is enough: the role ended in redundancy, here is what you did in your final months, and here is what you are looking for now. Keep it short, do not criticise your former employer, and move on to the job you are interviewing for. Say it aloud a few times, because it is easier to say flatly if you have heard yourself do it.
Practical preparation tools
A few items make preparation easier.
Ad A book on interview technique can supply example questions and answers, and it is worth reading once to find the ones that feel hardest. For practising, Ad a pack of ruled index cards suits STAR examples, one per card, which you can shuffle and answer at random. Ad A ring-bound notebook keeps research on each employer in one place.
If the interview is by video, the National Careers Service says to check your computer and internet connection. Ad A 1080p webcam with a built-in microphone helps if your laptop camera is poor. Ad A USB headset with a microphone cuts down on echo in a room with hard surfaces. Ad A small laptop stand raises the camera to eye level, which is a more natural angle than looking down.
For face-to-face interviews, Ad an A4 padfolio with a notepad holds a printed CV, your questions and a pen, and gives you somewhere to make notes without fumbling.
Questions to ask them
The National Careers Service advises writing your questions down beforehand, and it is fine to read them from your notes. Good ones show you have thought about the work: what a typical first month looks like, who the role reports to, how the team measures success, and what the next steps in the process are. Avoid asking anything the website answers, and keep pay and notice questions for the offer stage.
The day
- Allow plenty of time to arrive, and aim to be ready 5 to 10 minutes early.
- Turn off your phone.
- If the interview is online, check your equipment and connection beforehand.
- Know how to contact the interviewer if you are running late or have technical problems.
- If you do not understand a question, ask for it to be repeated or explained.
- Pause to think about your best prepared example before answering.
- Ask your prepared questions near the end.
After the interview
The National Careers Service suggests following up by email or phone if you do not know when you will hear back. If you are unsuccessful, ask for feedback.
If you are offered the job, ask for the offer in writing and confirm the start date, your notice period and the working arrangements before you accept. If you are still working your notice, check that a start date fits the end of it. For redundancies on or after 6 April 2026, statutory redundancy pay is based on a weekly pay cap of £751, with a maximum of £22,530, and the calculator on this site works out your figure.
Our guide to redundancy rights covers what your employer owes you while you are working your notice.