I came home from school and saw that there was a call from this Bank where I applied to a job for. (i have call display) There was no message on my machine because my step-dad turned it off.
So, i called the number back and asked for Jill, because that was the name listed in the job posting. I got connected to and said “Hi, my name is Jason, i’m returning call you made to me half an hour ago in regards to a teller position”
She says “i didn’t call anybody half an hour ago, i think you want Jane” Doh!! Jane is the one who connected me to Jill!
So then i got the info for an info session, etc. Did i totally mess up and make myself look like an unprofessional ass or what? It’s a bank position, so they might be pretty uptight.
Any advice on how to handle the situation at the info session? Maybe turn the situation around and have my response reflect well on me?
Sounds like an easy mistake to make; I’m sure they’ll understand. Also, my sister used to be a teller at a bank, so I know that not everybody who works in places like that are uptight. Finally: good luck! I hope you get the job.
i’d also like to add that the second time i talked to Jane, she asked me if she left me a message. I said yes.
Then she shuffled some papers, and said “I didn’t leave you a message, i couldn’t get a hold of you. Did you just see the number on your call display?” I said Yes again.
Could this be construed as lying? I know i sorta did, but…is that really serious, or can i just one of those things that people don’t really remember?
I wouldn’t worry about it.
You were bieng courteous in returning the call, even though there was no message. Maybe they’ll think of it as being on the ball, saw a call, returned it, wanted info about job.
If you put all the energy you are using to obsess on this into the job you’ll do great. Worry about the presentation/impression you will make upon meeting them next rather than this stuff you can’t do anything about now.
If you really think you damaged your prospects (& I see no evidence of this in your post), then my advice: Rehearse what you’d like to say to them when you go to the info session. Something like: “Jane funny thing happened with the call I’d like to explain (nonchalant laugh while lighting a cigarette :eek: ), see when you called…” --joking of course but something like that.
BTW If they thought you were a great lying weirdo, they would have “lost” your app by now, or suddenly cancelled the session.
Sounds like a lie to me. And if it did to her, she’ll remember. I’m wondering why you didn’t tell her that the answering machine had been turned off, and there were no messages.
The name mixup is small potatoes, everyone does that occasionally, and you can lightheartedly say, “Well, I knew it was a name that began with the letter J.” Answering falsely about being left a message might be hard to explain. You could claim that you misinterpreted the question, but my recommendation is to tell the truth about it, whatever it is. Most people have a lot of respect for others who are truthful.
i didn’t mess up the name, i asked for Jill, who was the contact person in the posting. I assumed that she was the one i would want to speak to. Turns out it was this other person.
I kind of felt like i had just asked the CEO of say, McDonald’s to take my order for me. I got the impression that Jane was the secratary, and Jill was the “head honcho” as it were.
About the lie, if I’m asked about that I think i’ll downplay it if i can
You could say that your Dad/Mom/sister/whoever told you someone called for you and didn’t write it down so you assumed it was from the bank, since thier number was on your Caller ID.
This Jane sounds like a freaky cow. She rang your phone - why is it such a big deal to her whether she left a message or not? Why ask you if she left a message, then sinisterly “shuffle her papers” and tell you that she didn’t.
Or maybe she’s just disorganised. Maybe she just wanted to find out if she’d already given you a load of info re. interview dates, for example, so she didn’t have to repeat herself. Maybe she did leave a message with some candidates, and was trying to remember which one you were.
But if she is trying to catch you out over something so trivial and pointless, I really don’t think you want to work for this company…
What the “message” issue sounds like to me, and I’d use this rationale if it comes up again, is mixed signals.
She asked if she’d left a message. What she meant was, “Was there actual specific information or instructions left for you?”
You said yes. What you meant was, “I knew someone from the bank had called. I am returning that call.”
A difference in terms, or in understanding the terms. Sometimes it’s not what people actually say, it’s what they mean that’s important.
I don’t think the question will come up again, but even though there was no specific message, there is no doubt they contacted you, and that was why you were calling (as opposed to you being an over-eager prospect cold-calling and bothering them about whether they’ve made their minds up yet). I think it’s not a big deal.
