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uk Work & employment crises interview for my own job • asked to reapply for role • made to reinterview internally • role reposted looks identical • job advertised that i do • same duties new title • reorg interview for same work • restructure role competition • forced internal interview • selection pool confusion • at risk of redundancy signs • role duplicated in org chart • my position being replaced • being scored for my role • internal vacancy mirrors job • worried about redundancy process • meeting invite feels like layoff • job description matches current

What to do if…
you are asked to interview for a role that looks like your own job

Short answer

Pause and get clarity in writing about what the interview is for (new role vs restructuring/selection vs redundancy-related) before you treat it like a normal recruitment process.

Do not do these things

  • Do not resign “to get ahead of it” or send an angry message you cannot take back.
  • Do not assume it is definitely redundancy, or definitely harmless, without asking what process you are in.
  • Do not sign anything (new contract, settlement terms, “voluntary redundancy”, resignation letter) under time pressure.
  • Do not share speculation widely at work or on social media while facts are unclear.
  • Do not ignore the invite and hope it goes away; silence can be misread as disengagement.

What to do now

  1. Switch to “fact-gathering mode” and ask one clear written question. Reply to the invite with: “To prepare properly, can you confirm whether this interview is for a new vacancy, part of a restructuring/selection process, or connected to redundancy consultation, and share the job description and assessment criteria?”
  2. Ask for the documents that let you compare roles properly. Request the job description, reporting line, location/hybrid expectation, pay band (or confirmation it’s unchanged), and the selection/assessment method (for example, competencies and how decisions will be recorded).
  3. Ask explicitly whether you are ‘at risk’ and whether consultation has started. If redundancy is being proposed, ask when your consultation meeting is and who your HR contact is. (If 20 or more redundancies are being proposed, additional collective consultation rules can apply.)
  4. Start a simple evidence log now. Keep a private timeline (date/time, who said what, what was sent). Save the invite, JD, any org charts, and your replies. If you keep copies outside work systems, do so in a way that follows your employer’s confidentiality/data policies (for example, saving PDFs of your own correspondence rather than exporting sensitive company data).
  5. Prepare for the interview as if it’s a selection exercise, without conceding anything. Bring a short written summary of what you do now (key responsibilities, outcomes, systems you own). If the “new” role is effectively your current role, calmly anchor your answers in current, verifiable work.
  6. If this looks like ‘suitable alternative employment’, slow it down politely. Ask whether the role is being treated as an alternative to redundancy and what, specifically, is changing (duties, seniority, pay, location, hours). If it’s genuinely similar, note that and ask how they are treating it procedurally.
  7. Use internal routes early, but proportionately. If the process feels unclear or inconsistent (for example, unclear “pool”, opaque criteria), ask HR for a short clarification meeting focused on process and documents. If needed later, you can use the grievance process, but you do not need to decide that today.
  8. If you may later need the record, consider a subject access request (SAR). A UK GDPR SAR can help you request your personal data (for example, assessment notes about you, scoring linked to you, and emails that contain information about you). Be aware SAR responses can be redacted and may not include everything you expect, especially where other people’s data or exemptions apply.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide today whether you will accept any new role, take redundancy, or challenge the process.
  • You do not need to threaten legal action to ask for clarity and documents.
  • You do not need to perfect your CV or start job-hunting in the next hour (you can do that once you know what’s happening).
  • You do not need to confront colleagues or try to “collect allies” before you have basic facts in writing.

Important reassurance

It is common for restructures to be communicated clumsily, and it is also common to feel blindsided when an “interview” looks like you’re being asked to compete for your own work. Getting the process clarified in writing is a steady, protective first move.

Scope note

These are first steps to stabilise the situation, reduce panic decisions, and preserve your options. Later steps may depend on whether this is redundancy, redeployment, or a genuine new vacancy.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. Employment situations turn on details (contract terms, policies, numbers affected, and what your employer is proposing). If you feel out of your depth, consider getting independent advice before signing or agreeing to anything.

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