I have been unemployed for over a year now and had an interview with my former company. I wrote it down in my calendar for Thurs rather than today (Tue) and left the hiring manager waiting for me for 20 minutes before he gave up :smack: He was understanding and forgiving when I called him and we have rescheduled for Thurs. I rarely do stuff like this (professionally) and I feel like such an ass. I need the job too.
Once or twice something like that has happened to me, and it makes me so angry with myself I almost literally see red. Good for you that the interviewer was understanding. Maybe it speaks well for how you are remembered!
Not done that, but I was a half hour late for an interview in December–mostly due to failure to allow sufficient travel time in bad weather. Didn’t get the job. Just as well, really.
And, just a couple of weeks ago, I left my apartment, drove half an hour away, suddenly realized that despite multiple trips out to my car, I did not recall picking up my suit for the interview. My trip was about 4 hours in length. I’d left an hour and a half for changing clothes, eating lunch, exploring the community in which the job would be, and getting stuck in traffic. My travel outfit was not as dressy as I wished to be for the interview, although if it had been another 15 minutes, I’d have just dealt with it–as I wouldn’t have had time to return to my apartment and grab the suit and still get to the interview on time.
Eureka, Could you have purchased reasonably priced clothing closer to your destination, or along your route?
I can see being late for an interview as a deal breaker, as that may leave the impression that your are always late to appointments, thus not the best candidate for the job. Luckily, I have never been late for an interview (although I have not had many).
I would make a joke of it, buy a big old Elvis calendar or something, circle Thursday with a bright red marker and write, TODAY IS THE INTERVIEW and present the calendar to him as a gift.
It might break the ice and reinforce the idea that you made an innocent, but stupid, error and it was not a ploy or lack of interest on your part.
My college had the policy that students from 4th, 5th and Project were eligible for summer jobs. A large company called looking to hire two people from 5th, from the Analytical specialty; the school explained that this was not acceptable: they had to interview 4th years and Project as well, with no regard to specialization. “All or none.” The company decided that ok, if nothing else it would give them a nice pile of CVs. Better than printing an ad in the paper anyway.
We were given an address, no directions. The address was, let’s say, Big Street 110, Littletown.
Big Street, Littletown is a continuation of Big Stret, Bigtown; in due time it runs into Big Street, Smalltown. The numbers change: Big Street 1, Littletown is right across a narrow street from Big Street 1, Bigtown. In the area c. 100, Littletown, the even-numbers side of the street is a series of big warehouses, stores and factories, none of which is numbered.
I got there by subway, with one hour to spare. After walking up… and down… and asking… and nobody knew… and then I got on an overpass and… oh hell! That piece of something round I can’t see clearly looks like it’s the same color as their logo!
I got in over one hour late and apologizing for the eau d’sweat (it was over 30C), told the HR woman that I realized I was way too late and she probably wouldn’t want to interview me and I was sorry, but I’d thought they’d want to tell other people that they’re behind the big supermarket and can’t be seen from the street on which they theoretically stand. You can see the logo if you’re driving in from the south or if you get there by bus: otherwise, no.
She decided to interview me.
Two openings, both of which went to 5th graders, Analytical. 1st reserve: a 4th grader from Organic who’d arrived to the interview over one hour late… 2nd reserve, another Analytical 5th grader.
'twas real weird, being congratulated on “almost getting a job”.
Mistakes happen. People know this. And the fact that you called to apologise shows that you want the position.
I think you should just go in, professionally apologise again for being late and commence the interview just as you would have today.
No offense, DMark, but I think the above calendar trick would really be a big mistake. He’s already apologised. This just highlights it again in a big way which is not really going to accomplish anything.
I remember reading (somewhere) that in a situation like this, it is preferable to show up 45 minutes early on the wrong day, (and start acting) than ten minutes late on the correct day. I’ve never had to try that, but it kinda makes sense/worth a try.
Interview while unemployed isn’t a good thing, believe me I’ve been there. Bruce Williams, the radio guy, who has presumably done more than a few interviews, said the unemployed “have an odor”, so to speak, that sticks out a mile away. And I bet he would predictably question why you have been unemployed for a year - and don’t have even a part time job shoveling coal or something, seriously. You’ve no job for a year, and you miss an interview? You shoulda been camping out on the roof or something!
In theory, perhaps, in practice? Well, I was headed someplace I’d never been before. So I didn’t know whether I’d drive by any places with suitable stores. (Seems like I did, but I wouldn’t swear it was on the way there rather than on the way home–came home by a totally different route). I hate shopping, especially for suit-type clothing, so the stress would not have helped me be relaxed and confident for the interview.
On the other hand, if I hadn’t thought about my suit when I did, I might have tried, not neccessarily for a suit, but for something dressier than my travel clothes. Or at least, I wouldn’t have turned around to go get the suit, and I did have pantyhose and decent shoes with me.
Er, I’d say that the mistake of “Tuesday” and “Thursday” isn’t exactly an unbelievable one, you know. He didn’t miss the interview because he couldn’t be bothered, but because of a genuine, and linguistically logical, mistake.
And I’ve been in the situation of being unemployed, willing to take any job, and being refused jobs because the people who needed to fill it and couldn’t find anybody did not believe I would do it.
I obsessively reminded myself about an interview at ten in the morning, then the day before somehow decided it was at one in the afternoon. I puttered around the house, then at ten thirty it hit me :o :eek: :mad: :smack: :rolleyes:
The worst part about it? It wasn’t just a job interview, it was the final interview in a weeks-long process that included on the job shadowing, physical and written tests and a thirty page background check I had to fill out. I called and they were nice enough to reschedule, but I still didn’t get the job. I like to imagine it was a purposeful move on the part of my subconscious, as I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it, anyway.
Mistakes happen, that is why there is a word for it.
Good luck, I hope you get the job! Sending lucky thoughts your way. 
I think I am going with DMark on this suggestion. I interview many applicants per year and I would get a kick out of that approach. Being left waiting for 20 minutes for a no show isn’t something he/she is likely to forget. It really wouldn’t be “highlighting” anything but make be an ice breaker for someone with already one strike against him.
I disagree. As someone who is currently in the position of interviewing a lot of people, I have to say that while having someone be a no-show is indeed a “strike against”, mistakes do happen and if the candidate were able to follow through and subsequently show that he/she was a good fit, it could be forgiven (though probably not forgotten – expect it to be fodder for teasing in the future).
A move like presenting me with a calendar with a Big Red Funny about the earlier incident would (a) only remind me once again that this person is a potential flake at a time when I’d rather put it out of my mind, and (b) sow the new seed that this guy treats scheduling slip-ups as a joke.
A serious one-time apology and moving on from there would be the expected, professional response. Leave aside this kind of joking until you’re already co-workers.
Now in this case, as it is an interview with a former company, it might be OK if DanBlather were already personally acquainted with the hiring manager and had worked with him in the past – if they have already been in a jocular, same-team-in-the-trenches context before. Otherwise, definitely a no-no to me.
Excellent smiley usage 