Interviews you are lukewarm about can lower your anxiety, show you what you are worth, give you negotiating leverage and widen your network. Here is what the research says, what is different in Nigeria, and the rules that keep it ethical and safe.

Last updated: 6 November 2026

The Short Answer

Yes, you should sometimes interview for jobs you are unsure about, as long as you are honest, you verify that the employer is real, and you treat the interviewer’s time with respect. An interview for a role you do not strongly want is a low-pressure way to practise, learn your market value, discover what you actually prefer, build relationships and create alternatives before you need them. It is not a licence to waste people’s time. Skip roles you would never accept under any circumstances, and be upfront early if your interest fades.

Key facts at a glance (as of November 2026):

  • A meta-analysis found a moderate negative link between interview anxiety and interview performance, with an overall correlation of −0.19.
  • Average pay per employee in 2025 ranged from about ₦12.1 million a year at Dangote Cement to ₦64.3 million at Seplat Energy among top-paying listed companies, according to Nairametrics.
  • Research from the University of Washington’s Foster School finds that a strong outside offer helps job seekers set higher salary targets.
  • Reputable studies put networking and referrals at roughly 30 to 60 percent of hires, according to AIChE career guidance.
  • Nigerian recruitment scams, including staged interviews, are rising, and PenCom issued a warning in April 2026.

We found no Nigerian study on whether practice interviews improve later outcomes. Where we draw conclusions for Nigeria, we say so, and the recommendations are our suggestions. This article is general information, not career advice.

1. Is Interview Practice Worth It? Anxiety Hurts Performance

Why it helps: Many people perform worse in interviews than they should because of nerves. A meta-analysis published in the Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science found that interview anxiety has a moderate negative effect on interview performance, with an overall correlation of −0.19. Practice appears to help. A study of 245 job aspirants in India, summarised by the BIMTECH research newsletter, found that satisfaction with preparation raised self-efficacy and lowered anxiety in remote interviews, and that practice interviews mediated performance outcomes.

What this means for you: An interview for a job you are not desperate for is a real-world rehearsal where the stakes are low. That is our inference. We found no study that tests real interviews for unwanted jobs, so combine them with mock interviews and honest feedback. Our guide to the top 10 mistakes people make during interviews is a good starting checklist.

2. What Are You Worth? Nigerian Pay Varies Enormously

Why it helps: Pay for similar skills can differ by many multiples across Nigerian employers. A Nairametrics analysis of audited 2025 reports found average annual pay per employee of about ₦64.28 million at Seplat Energy, ₦44.40 million at MTN Nigeria, ₦17.42 million at Zenith Bank and ₦12.12 million at Dangote Cement. At the other end, a Risevest report, covered by Techeconomy, found that 73 percent of Nigerians earn below ₦500,000 a month. Averages include executives, so they overstate what a new hire earns, but the spread shows how much employer choice matters.

The remote market adds another benchmark. In a TechCabal series on African remote workers, one Nigerian IT support engineer said a remote role paying about $500 a month compared with local offers of ₦100,000 to ₦250,000. That is one account, not a survey, but it shows why checking the wider market can change your view of your own pay.

What to do: Use interviews to learn typical pay ranges, benefits, working hours and growth paths. Then use our underpaid guide to test your numbers, and explore which companies hire remote workers in Nigeria.

3. Do Alternatives Give You Negotiating Power?

Why it helps: Negotiation research treats alternatives as a main source of leverage. INSEAD scholars describe alternatives, or BATNA, as the biggest potential source of power in a job negotiation. New research by Elijah Wee at the University of Washington finds that a strong outside offer can raise the salary targets of job seekers, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds, by changing what they believe they deserve.

A caution: A weak alternative can backfire. Harvard’s Program on Negotiation reports research showing that a clear but weak alternative can anchor people to lower expectations than having no alternative at all. So an interview for a job you do not want helps only if you treat its offer as one data point, not as your ceiling.

What to do: Aim to compare roles you would genuinely consider, not only roles you have already dismissed. Get offers and salary details in writing, and do not accept something just to have it.

4. You May Be Wrong About What You Want

Why it helps: People are poor at predicting how they will feel about future events. Psychologists call this affective forecasting. Daniel Gilbert and Timothy Wilson found that people tend to overestimate the intensity and duration of their emotional reactions, which matters for career choices because a job that looks dull on paper may suit you, and a glamorous one may disappoint. The same bias affects how bad rejection will feel, so a low-stakes interview can show that the risk of a “no” is smaller than you fear.

What to do: Treat a lukewarm interview as a fact-finding visit. Meet the team, ask about a typical week and notice how you feel afterwards. Our guide on how to get hired without applying shows how to make yourself visible to employers who might otherwise never reach you.

5. Interviews Build Your Network

Why it helps: Many hires happen through people. AIChE’s career guidance says that reputable studies put networking and referrals at roughly 30 to 60 percent of hires, and notes that claims of 70 to 80 percent are overstated. A good conversation with a hiring manager or recruiter today can lead to a referral for a better-fitting role later. We found no Nigerian data on how often interviews turn into later offers, so this is our reading of the evidence.

What to do: Send a thank-you note, connect professionally and stay in touch. Our look at connections versus merit in Nigerian hiring explains how relationships work in practice.

6. In an Uncertain Job Market, Stay Interview-Ready

Why it helps: Restructuring is common. TechCabal reported that more than 100 staff of Unity Bank received termination letters on 1 January 2026 after the Providus Bank merger, according to the banking workers union. Organised labour has also warned of job losses from bank and insurance recapitalisation, and a Brand Times analysis argues that casualisation has become the dominant employment model in banking. Candidates who interview regularly keep their stories, references and contacts fresh.

What to do: Keep your CV current and tested. See how to write a resume that makes recruiters call you first and what recruiters look for in a CV, and use MyJobAlly’s Optimize Your CV tool.

7. Interviews Show You What Employers Want Now

Employers’ questions and expectations change quickly, from AI skills to remote readiness. Hearing them first-hand shows you where your skills match and where they do not. Use what you learn to prioritise training, and read our guides on AI skills that can strengthen your resume and cybersecurity jobs in Nigeria if those fields interest you.

When You Should Not Interview for a Job You Don’t Want

Interviews cost the other side time and money, so use judgement. Our suggestions:

  • Skip roles you would never accept. If the pay, location, values or role are non-starters, say so early rather than going through rounds.
  • Do not pretend. Avoid saying it is your dream job. You can honestly say you are exploring and want to understand the role.
  • Do not use interviews only to extract salary data or to pressure your employer. It is unethical, and Nigerian professional circles are small.
  • Respect small employers. A start-up with one hiring manager loses more from a wasted round than a large firm.
  • Protect confidentiality. Do not interview in ways that expose your current employer’s information, and do not use work time or equipment.
  • Withdraw cleanly if you lose interest. Employers also ghost candidates, with a recent survey reported by Allwork.Space finding that 66 percent of job seekers had been ghosted during the hiring process, but silence from your side can still cost you a future opportunity. That survey is US-focused, and we found no Nigerian data.

Stay Safe: Verify Before You Go

Recruitment fraud is a serious Nigerian risk, and a lukewarm interest can make you less careful. A BusinessDay opinion piece on the rise of recruitment fraud notes that no credible employer asks for application fees, and that some scammers rent offices or hotels to stage fake interviews. PenCom warned of a rising recruitment scam in April 2026, and Africa Check has documented fake adverts such as the fake KPMG graduate trainee posting.

Our checklist:

  • Confirm the vacancy on the company’s official website or verified channels.
  • Cross-check the interview address with the company’s official address.
  • Be wary of processes that run only on WhatsApp or Telegram.
  • Never pay for an interview, training, ID card or “processing.”
  • Tell someone where you are going and keep your documents safe.
  • Allow for travel time and cost. The Danne Institute of Research estimates that people employed in Lagos spend an average of 2.21 hours in traffic daily, so factor in the cost of getting there.

How to Interview Well for a Role You Are Unsure About

  1. Set a purpose. Decide in advance what you want to learn, such as pay range, team style or growth.
  2. Research the employer. Check the company’s size, reputation and recent news.
  3. Be honest about your stage. You can say you are open to the right opportunity.
  4. Ask sharp questions. What does success look like in six months? Why is the role open? How are people promoted?
  5. Practise for live tasks. Interviewers increasingly use exercises and structured questions.
  6. Take notes after each interview. Record pay information, impressions and red flags.
  7. Decide within a clear window. Reply promptly, and decline politely within a couple of days if you will not proceed.
  8. Keep the relationship. Send a short thank-you and stay in touch.

If you later resign to take a new role, see our guide to professional resignation, and plan references with how to request a job reference.

Short Scripts You Can Adapt

  • When invited: “Thank you for the invitation. I’m currently exploring options and would like to learn more about the role and the team.”
  • When asked about interest: “I’m interested in understanding how this role works and whether it fits where I want to go.”
  • When declining: “Thank you for your time and for the information. After reflection, I’ve decided not to proceed. I appreciated meeting the team and hope we can stay in touch.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it unethical to interview for a job I do not want? Not if you are honest and respectful. It becomes unethical if you pretend strong interest, waste a small team’s time on a role you will never take, or use the process only to gain leverage over your employer.

Should I tell the interviewer I am only exploring? You can say you are exploring and want to learn more. You do not have to explain every detail, but avoid claiming this is your dream role.

Will interviewing while employed put my job at risk? It can if your employer finds out, particularly in small industries. Keep it confidential, avoid using work time or devices, and ask the new employer to keep your candidacy private.

Can interviewing for a job I don’t want improve my negotiating position? It can, if you secure a realistic competing offer. Research shows alternatives are a main source of leverage, but a weak alternative can anchor your expectations too low.

How many interviews should I do for practice? There is no research-backed number. A sensible approach is one or two exploratory interviews at a time, alongside mock interviews, and only for roles you would consider on the right terms.

How do I avoid fake interviews in Nigeria? Verify the vacancy on the company’s official channels, cross-check the address, avoid anything that asks for payment, and be cautious with WhatsApp-only processes.

What should I do after an interview I do not want to pursue? Send a thank-you, decline promptly and politely, and keep the contact. You may meet the same people again.

The Bottom Line

Interviewing for a job you are unsure about can lower your anxiety, show you your worth, build leverage, reveal what you actually want and widen your network, which matters in a market where restructuring and fraud are both real. Do it honestly, verify every employer, protect your confidentiality and decline politely. Start by making sure your CV and profile are ready, and let each conversation teach you something.

This article draws on the Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, the BIMTECH research newsletter, Nairametrics, Techeconomy, TechCabal, INSEAD, the University of Washington Foster School, Harvard’s Program on Negotiation, 80,000 Hours, AIChE, Leadership, Brand Times, Allwork.Space, BusinessDay and Africa Check, current as of November 2026. Several sources are surveys, company disclosures or press reports using different methods, and some research comes from outside Nigeria. We found no Nigerian study on whether exploratory interviews improve later outcomes, on interview ghosting, or on how often interviews lead to later offers, so those points reflect our reasoning and suggestions. This article is general information, not career advice.