UPDATE: What is your first reaction when someone cancels an interview?

[Phentex]

Last edited Tue Feb 14, 2012, 09:47 AM - Edit history (1)

We set up an interview yesterday for this morning. 10 minutes before the meeting today, candidate called and canceled due to illness.

In your opinion, is this...

1) Thoughtful. Don't want to carry germs in the office.

2) Other. Please explain.

UPDATE: She called this morning at 8:00 (interview set for 9:00) asking if she could reschedule for tomorrow due to the weather. And added if we could do this, it would be perfect for her.

For the record, it's not even raining. She does NOT live in North GA where they had some precipitation (wintry mix?). I made it to work just fine and I live farther away from the office than she does.

This is BIZARRO to me.

[HappyMe]

1. Nobody wants me to interview them.

10 minutes prior, imo, is cutting it too close. But at least they called.

[Phentex]

4. I felt that was too late to call...

but I suppose if you are really sick you might be sleeping?

[KurtNYC]

20. I think they are just giving you a sample of what they would do if you hired them

not a good start

[Phentex]

23. Agreed!

Guess we may have dodged a bullet, so to speak.

(note to jury: I am not advocating violence in any way.)

[WolverineDG]

27. My thoughts exactly nt

[Gidney N Cloyd]

2. #2: My first reaction is they don't want the job.

My second is that a professional wouldn't have waited so long to cancel.

[Phentex]

5. Thanks...

I want to give the benefit of the doubt but I think unless I were throwing up, I would try to make it to the interview.

[Scuba]

3. Was the call timely, polite and did the prospect request a later interview?

I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, once. The 10 minute notice is a big flag.

[Phentex]

7. It bothered me and the interview was not especially early...

She was polite and mildly apologetic but I asked if she wanted to reschedule and we did.

We'll see what happens!

[alphafemale]

6. Unless the interview was very early in the morning?

I'd say a Red Flag and a risk.

People can also have sudden onset illness if they have allergies.

I'd still say probably about 90+% not worth the effort.

[Phentex]

8. See above, but yeah...

I hear about how desperate people are to work but we are having a hellava time. And this person was sent to us through someone we know. I am hoping this was really a case of illness and not a line.

[Moondog]

9. Other. I assumed that

Last edited Thu Feb 9, 2012, 07:47 PM - Edit history (1)

(a) they don't want the job;
(b) they don't want to ever be considered for another position;
(c) they were raised in a barn and do not play well with others; and
(d) I would accede to their wishes.

Barring a death notice duly published in a newspaper of general circulation, or a verifiable serious illness of a spouse or child, they were dead to me.

There are a lot of lawyers in Washington, DC, and when I hired it was for a good position that paid well, and had great benefits. The least they could do was show up, or send regrets on a timely basis.

[Phentex]

12. I appreciate your answer...

There's something off about this but I am willing to go through an interview at this point just to see if this is just a one time thing.

[trof]

10. OK, here's a possible scenario:

From the 'Benefit of the Doubt' Dept':

Don't know if she was to interview for a job as chambermaid or CEO, but I'd go with '1'.
Maybe she woke up feeling ill but thought/hoped she'd feel better in a little while.
And then she didn't.
And she knew that first impressions are lasting, and she really wants this job, so she decided it was in her best interest (and yours?) to postpone.

Did she say what her illness was?
Did she postpone for a few days?
Or until tomorrow?
THAT might tell you something.

Anyway, I'm glad you decided to cut her some slack.
I'm a softie.

[Phentex]

14. Answers...

She said she woke up sick in the middle of the night. I don't remember her exact words after that but it was something about not wanting to make anyone else sick. I then asked about rescheduling for tomorrow and she said ok. But then I realized that was not a good time for us so now it's scheduled for next week.

There IS a lot of stuff going around as far as flu and colds so who knows?

[Curmudgeoness]

11. I also try to give the benefit of the doubt, but

calling to cancel 10 minutes before the interview is inexcusable. Unless she lives next door to your place of employment, she should have been on the way before then. I would consider this person a high risk.

But since you have rescheduled the interview, I would see how things go.

[Phentex]

15. Plus, we have an answering machine...

She could have called very early before we got here.

I'm thinking she overslept which might be realistic for someone who's sick. I still think calling an hour ahead would have been better.

I don't think I'm going to spend too much time thinking about it. I just like to check myself on the the "is it me?" scale every now and then.

[Chan790]

13. That they got lost trying to find the place.

No lie, I had someone later admit that the reason for their last-minute cancel was that they were lost and didn't want to be late. Mind you, if they'd been honest about it during the cancel phone-call, I'd have bumped my schedule around to fit them in when they arrived.

It's not like I had any meetings...I was the capacity builder (one of two) for an NPO. My own executive director didn't know what my job-function was, only that I was interviewing my replacement candidates. I didn't work for him anyways, I was on the payroll of the parent organization.

[Phentex]

16. I'm sure someone has written a book on

excuses people use. Sometimes I think people don't hear themselves.

I just had someone tell me she was running late because her cell phone was broken and she was in the AT&T store having it fixed. She was calling from her cell phone. (This was not a potential employee.)

[yewberry]

17. I had someone cancel at the last minute due to weather not long ago.

It was snowy in Seattle.

We declined to reschedule because the position was 'essential personnel' and we'd all made it in that day ourselves, as had the other interviewees.

[nolabear]

18. Oh, I'd just rescedule and go from there.

If they really were sick it's a shame and if not you'll know soon enough that they're not interested. I agree ten minutes is a little goofy but people can go all kinds of weird places when they wish thry weren't sick.

[Phentex]

19. kick with update

kick

[Chan790]

21. I'd lose her from consideration at this point.

But I'm a confirmed bastard. Nobody likes working for me.

[Phentex]

22. Well, I'm not...

but two strikes and she's out as far as I'm concerned. I am still laughing a little at her comment about tomorrow being perfect for her.

[davsand]

24. If you have ANYBODY else that is qualified I'd cancel that interview.

There are too many people out there that WANT to work, WHY mess with a flake or a less than serious applicant unless you absolutely have to?

Bad hires have potential to make your life a living hell, and they have potential to create a terribly toxic environment in your workplace. Hiring is not just about filling a job with a body, it is about finding somebody that will ADD to your staffing and contribute something positive to the workplace. I learned the hard way that unless it is a mission critical position (which should never be the case if you take time to cross train) you don't hire until you find the person that will not only do the job well, but also "fit" with your company's attitudes and ethics.

I think you already have an opinion about this applicant based on your coment in the OP ("I made it to work just fine and I live farther away from the office than she does...&quot I also think that if you hire that person you are probably gonna live to see the day when you resent that person and feel you made a bad hire. WHY even have that interview??? Seriously?



Laura

[Phentex]

30. Yep...

everything you say is true!

[sibelian]

25. Hm, Kinda flaky.

I'd be wary but still interview (depending on what characteristics this position needs). Might be amazing in other areas, and you'd never find out. You can always turn them down after the interview - could be an opportunity to gain an excellent employee. People can sometimes have all sorts of complications in their life that they really feel they can't discuss with a potential employer. Not that these could be *your* problem, obviously, you'd have to make a judgement on actually meeting them.

Nothing's actually lost by continuing with the interview, which is what I think should be what decides the job... I'd call it a small point against them, I guess.

[Phentex]

31. Time would be lost...

and these days we don't seem to have enough time at work to get everything done.

[sibelian]

39. hm, ok

I guess you have other candidates, and it sounds like time management's an important issue for you. If the job doesn't need anything special you have to look out for, maybe just drop the flake...

[6000eliot]

26. I've done many job interviews.

I wouldn't have her back.

[Phentex]

32. It seems so odd to me.

I have no idea if she will call back but we won't ask her to come in again.

[Fla Dem]

28. First reaction is, "Great, I get back an hour of my life".

Now given the circumstances of when she called (10 minutes before meeting) I would not be angry, but she would already get a strike against her. Not for missing the meeting, but for having so little disregard for me or the situation she waits until the last moment to call.

After the second call. I would just have told her to nevermind. Regardless of the reason, or how good her resume looked, she had already displayed a lack of commitment, dependability and respect.

[Phentex]

33. Imagine if there was rain...

still haven't' figured out what weather could have kept her from coming in.

[Bucky]

29. She could be anxious. We all want to hire extroverts, but recent studies show...

that introverts, people with performance anxiety, can be more productive employees.

I'm maybe too soft on second chances, but as a teacher I see plenty of hesitant losers pull their shit together and turn it around over the course of a year. I say greenlight a second interview. Everyone has off days.

[Phentex]

34. Twice?

Maybe she's not ready for a job and that's fine. But we are ready for another employee. Which requires someone to show up.

[Curmudgeoness]

35. Just what you need---a prima dona

I can see it all now....

I can't make it today, it's raining.
I can't make it today, I broke a fingernail.
I can't make it today, my heart is broken over Whitney's death.

[JanMichael]

36. Other: the dissenting opinion

Sometimes, and not very often...people do come down with sudden physical problems that make it impossible to get somewhere...not to put to fine of a point on it, but think: Diarrhea. Vomiting.

Stuff that resolves itself within an 8-24 hour period.

And it's embarrassing. What are the chances nerves were involved here that caused one of the above conditions?

Give her the benefit of the doubt.

[Phentex]

37. Not to beat this dead horse but

we did give her that after the first canceled appointment.

I don't see how nerves could keep her from the second appointment. And then what of the job?

[JanMichael]

38. read the OP wrong!

sorry, I thought this was her FIRST missed appt. Yep...now I agree with the other posters