Late for an Interview
System
5,885 Posts
As an HR professional I was late for an interview. I am in Memphis, TN and my contact is in Cali. He sent me an email with the address and contact for the interviewer but no phone number. Over the weekend I looked for the address and found what I thought was the correct building. Early and prepared, I arrived to the wrong place (same address but different street...it was very confusing. I spent hours preparing for the meeting and even am preparing a Powerpoint presentation as part of the second stage in the game. I met with the interviewer and he was light hearted about my tardiness ( the company had move as well and the address ultimately was wrong). The interview went OK in my opinion... He was not a very good interviewer. He was only asking me if I had questions through most of the meeting. His only meaningful question was "SO TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF?" and of course anticipating this, I made a grand slam on my response. Do you think I have lost any chance of redemption? I really want the opportunity and have prepared well with research etc. Please give me your real, TOUGH, honest HR opinions. And anything to move myself back in the top running for the job.
Second Chance In Memphis.
Second Chance In Memphis.
Comments
A question for you: Reverse the roles. You have a prospect show up late who gives a perfectly plausible explanation. You both laugh it off and share the blame for the mixup. Then he blows you away with good information about himself, has a great resume and promises a powerpoint presentation for a later review if you would like it. Now, do you come away from the interview dissing him because he was late OR are you remarkably impressed with his presentation of himself and his skill set? x:-)
Hope you have better luck than I did! You certainly had a better excuse than I did.
Thanks.
You had a good explanation, the interviewer agreed, and you blew him away with your answer about yourself.
Hold your head up high and go on.
If you get the job- great! If not, then perhaps you didn't want to work for a company that has rotten interviewers.
And next time you are in a strange city to interview - look for an HR person walking around with his pants unzipped. That's Don.
Zanne
Surely someone as cool as you doesn't wear nerd gear.
Enjoyed sharing interview stories, could probably be a thread in itself. Reminded me of when I went to the closing of my first house. I was single, fairly young, very nervous to be committing to that $350.00 a month house payment (now I am showing my age) but was determined to come off as confident, secure and mature. Dressed to the nines to fit the image. As I was leaving, the sellers attorney noted I had something on the back of my suit. As I turned there was a sweat sock statically clung to my rear..pretty much resembled a tail. Thanked God that I was not at a job interview!
Thanks from Elvis' hometown.