Involuntary retirement may be perceived as voluntary however if you are still able to perform substation work, you may qualify for unemployment benefits. Your employer may attempt to say that your retirement is voluntary. Make sure that you provide your employer with any evidence that you have that proves that you were retired. You should make sure that you do not leave them with the question in their mind that you quit or was terminated.

If you have a certificate or a plaque that you received for retiring, show your interviewer that. If you received a retirement party from your employer, tell them that as well. This shows them that you indeed retired and did not quit. After that is clear to your interviewer, make it clear that it was an involuntary retirement. You may have a handbook that shows that retirement must happen at a certain age. Bring that information to you as well. If there were others who were made to retire, list them as well. Tell them that you are not pleased about having to be let go because you reached a certain age. Tell your interviewer about your position in a positive manner. Elaborate on all of the duties you had and how eager you were to perform them.

If you have been unable to find like work, mention that as well. List for the interview all jobs that you feel you are suited for and tell them that you still feel qualified to do a variety of different jobs. You need to make clear that you would have liked to stay at your former job if you had been able to do so. Describe your job in detail and as you explain it convey that you were willing to do your job. Explain that you received training and were able to pick up the task and was very good at it. It’s important to emphasize that you had not considered retiring and had not put plans in place to retire. Explain that you were told by your employer that you would be leaving and was even given a going away party. Always stress to the unemployment interviewer that you feel that you still have several good years left to work and that you enjoy it. Because it wasn’t your intention to quit your job, you want to find another job that you can continue to put your skills to good use on. When you leave your interview, make sure you have stressed the fact that you are not going to sit around and wait for your retirement and that you truly want to work.

Your employer may have something in the handbook that says that you must retire at a certain point. Explain that you had no knowledge of this requirement and that your intention was to continue working there until you were unable to.