Rude? Or is it a plot?
By TheRealDawn
@dawnald (85146)
Shingle Springs, California
January 21, 2010 4:03pm CST
You apply for a job and the recruiter sets you up for a phone interview on Tuesday at 11:30 AM. You not only received this information by phone, but in an e-mail, so you are sure of the date and the time.
The interviewer calls you Monday at 11:30 just as you're getting out of the shower. You are surprised and remind her that the appointment is for tomorrow. So she apologizes and then asks if you can do it now. Well no, you kind of need to dry off, so you apologetically say no.
The next morning you get up early and go over questions in your head so that you'll be prepared. It's early, you're doing some laundry and you hear a noise that could be the phone. You run for it. Missed call, 11:10 AM. You guessed it, it's the recruiter and she's left a message in annoyed tone of voice.
Well dang, you know the interview is for 11:30 and she's early, so you call her right back and leave a message saying that you're right here waiting for her call. You leave another one a bit later saying that you were ready for her call at 11:30 and that you'd like to reschedule.
She never calls back.
Now really, is this just a rude, disorganized person? Or could there be some kind of tactic to calling at a different time than the agreed upon appointment. I just don't get it.
16 people like this
47 responses
@Wizzywig (7847)
•
21 Jan 10
If it had been an interview at the office, she wouldn't have expected you to turn up a day early (unless she's an idiot) so why should she expect you to even be home on the Monday. Sounds like she booked it and then thought it would suit her better at an alternative time...in which case, she should have sent an e-mail at least to warn you. If there's a time fixed for an interview that's when it should be.. whether its in person, by phone or by semaphore flags!! Now, if they were checking up on someone on sick leave or something that might be a strategy to catch them out but.....for a job interview?? no, I dont get it either???
4 people like this
@Sandra1952 (6047)
• Spain
21 Jan 10
Hello, Dawn. How annoying for you. Well, it could be some sort of weird employment psychology that if you can run the interview off the cuff, you're the sort of person they want. However, as most people in the job market either have other employment or things they need to do, it seems arrogant to me that you should be expected to wait by the phone in case they decide to call.
Unless this is your dream job, I'd question whether I'd want to work for a company that can't stick to the arrangements it's made. If they're going to treat you like this before you even have the interview, what's it going to be like working for them?
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
21 Jan 10
Not me, a friend, but I agree, seems as if there is no courtesy on the employer side of things sometimes. I wouldn't want to work for this person, but maybe she isn't the boss, maybe she's a recruiter. Actually, if it were me and if I had decided I didn't want to work there, I might just make an attempt to complain. If it were my company, I don't think I'd want a person like that representing it.
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
21 Jan 10
Once again it's this my time is valuable but your's isn't! I don't think it's a tactic.....I think it's a no brain person on the other end of the line not making sure they value your time....one of my biggest gripes I guess....like people who come early for a party and you need that last ten minutes to finish off things....or someone who leaves you waiting at a restaurant while they piss away time doing something dumb....I don't get it either....I do think it's very rude!
3 people like this
@cream97 (29086)
• United States
21 Jan 10
Hi, dawnald. One will never know if it was a plot to dismiss you from this job. The only way to find out exactly what is going on is to get into contact with this recruiter to find out what is really the reason behind the early calls. I hope that she calls you back. Because if she doesn't, the only thing that you can do is assume why she did what she did. I hope her reason is legit and reasonable.
3 people like this
@celticeagle (168307)
• Boise, Idaho
21 Jan 10
Are you the same person that had a problem with your job service and the situation with HR recruiter? I think you live in a place called Job Hell!! I think they are unorganized. It could very much be a ploy to see if you are good at handling situations, professional, and able to handle bad situations. I would wonder too!
3 people like this
@celticeagle (168307)
• Boise, Idaho
22 Jan 10
Pretty rude! I sure wouldn't want to work for them. IF it ws the job service I would call and tell someone. See how they react. I might even do the same thing if was a job interview. Just to sort of feel out the situation.
@maezee (41988)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I don't think it's a plot. It sounds like you're better off NOT working for a company that has forgetful and unorganized HR people. 
. I've never had this happen to me before but I would imagine it's EXTREMELY frustrating, especially if it's a job that you'd really like to have.
. I've never had this happen to me before but I would imagine it's EXTREMELY frustrating, especially if it's a job that you'd really like to have. 3 people like this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Jan 10
hi dawnald well you did all the right things, so I would
agree this person is rude and disorganized.she should stick
to the time she told you, and if she could not talk then she
'should have called you back and rescheduled. Maybe you will
be better off to get a job from someone else. She sounds a
tad ditsy.hope it turns out okay.
3 people like this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
21 Jan 10
Sounds to me like she needs to get her "stuff" together.
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
22 Jan 10
Hi dawnald,
I'll sent a e-mail telling them what has happened and then reschedule and if that don't work, we you'll know the the firm is disorganized or they just cannot be bothered.
Tamara
2 people like this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
22 Jan 10
Hey dawn! I think that is really rude that this woman is calling
every time that she isn't supposed to! I don't know what that
means, but I do think that there is definitley something wrong
with her planning or organization! First she calls you on the
wrong day then she calls the next day too early! I would think
that this is something definitely wrong on her part and you
are better off not working with her! I think this must have
been some sort of sign! I would just chalk this up to not
being something that was meant to be and move on! I think I
sure would!
2 people like this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
22 Jan 10
'twasn't me, but yeah, she sounds pretty messed up. I wouldn't want to work for her, but maybe she's just a recruiter.
@PeacefulWmn9 (10420)
• United States
21 Jan 10
Oddly enough, interviewers are a lot like the IRS...if you are late, you pay...if they are off schedule...you pay. Actually, a lot of businesses are like that with appointments! It sucks. You weren't off schedule...she was!
Karen2 people like this
@LoSouLyricist (125)
• United States
23 Jan 10
Not too big a deal in reality, but yeah, it is rude to cancel with such short notice. It does seem like standard protocol nowadays for employers to run you around in circles and make you jump through hoops of flaming frustration ("could you come back tomorrow?" or "we can't find your application" etc) just to land the job. Last place I went to apply for, had me go there 6 times, waste tons of gas and time, and just kept giving me a wild goose chase for different managers and different interview/start dates etc. Terrible market these days, but hopefully it was just an honest cancellation, that it works out for you in the end, because the acceptance of an apologetic cancellation from a potential employer can put the power in your hands, or make you seem more right for the job.
Good luck!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
25 Jan 10
It wasn't exactly a cancellation. The person called early, missed the person she was supposed to interview and then never called back. :-(
@macdingolinger (10386)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I'd say it's a tactic. That way they can say they "attempted" to call and you didn't answer! It's probably a lot more common than any of us would like to think. I can top it though. I did the online app; went for the face to face interview; got the job, signed papers to start. The day of orientation someone else called me and told me that they had a new hire freeze and they would call me later if they needed me! Yeah right.. gotta say think it's because of my age!
2 people like this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
22 Jan 10
That happened to a friend of my Dad's except in his case the company wasn't laying off and then all of a sudden they were...
@Ladyslipper (1327)
• Philippines
21 Jan 10
Hi Dawnald!
I have some kind of wild imagination so if this one has happened to me I would think that the person did that on purpose. I am not sure what could be her/ his reason. One thing is for sure though. I know that it was not my mistake. The reason there is such thing as appointment is because we don't want to waste each others time and we want to make sure that both parties will meet both as prepared as they could be and as agreed. I will think that the recruiter found someone else and they made a great deal or some kind of agreement that will give her/ him (the recruiter) more favor. I would think that what happened was a plot and the person was not just rude but also unprofessional.
2 people like this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
21 Jan 10
Maybe she found somebody else. Or maybe she just was too immature to call back and say she'd make a mistake. Guess we'll never know...
@GalacticWorrior (2)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I think that is rude and wrong to do. If you have an appointment for 11:30 then they should call at 11:30 on the day that you scheduled for.
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
21 Jan 10
Yep, me too. I wonder what was up with that person!
@BarBaraPrz (47670)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
21 Jan 10
It is definitely rude, but could very well be deliberate. If that's the way they do business, I wouldn't want to work for them anyway.
2 people like this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
24 Jan 10
sounds like a desperate rude employer..seriously.
i hate when they call earlier than excepted or the date you write as available.
they imply you "must not need the job" if you don't jump up for them right then and there.
available date means available date..dammit.
available date means available date..dammit.@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
28 Jan 10
could be a local thing-they try to guilt you if they call early and you don't run
when they snap their fingers.my state seems to be moving toward a "right to work" state in the sense of if you don't want it,there's 1000 other people who do.
especially since the economy's tanked.
1 person likes this
@kiran8 (15348)
• Mangalore, India
22 Jan 10
Hi dawnald, It mushave been so very annoying to go through all that. It is just not fair, but let me tell you it happens often. In some way or the other the interviewer wants to show his/her superiority....there are such nice people too. I remember years back when I had my interview with a school, the headmistress was ever so nice and I did get the job and later quit it because I had some bad experience with the management. But I have remained on the best of terms with the headmistress until now...All the best
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
22 Jan 10
Maybe if my friend had answered the phone, it would have been a test as to how she handles unexpected situations. But it's still RUDE.
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
21 Jan 10
Recruiters are people. As you well know, some people can be incredibly sloppy and disorganized. Thus, recruiters can be incredibly sloppy and disorganized.
It is also possible that this particular person is eccentric and rude. Why? Because people can be eccentric and rude.
Sounds to me like I'll be calling a different recruiter. Or someone else in the organization that you wish to join.
In any case, do not let sloppy rude disorganized or eccentric people bug you. They are not worth your time.
2 people like this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
21 Jan 10
This actually happened to a friend of mine. And she's been out of a job for a while, so getting an interview was a big deal to her. So probably this was very frustrating for her. She did everything right and then didn't even get the chance to be interviewed. But I agree with you and I hope she finds some way around this person and gets another chance.
@tess5162 (66)
• United States
23 Jan 10
Hi,
Usually if someone is job hunting they usually have several leads and arent waiting on just one call so i think its wrong for the prospective employer to call you at any other time then what was originally discussed. It is very unprofessional and its probably a good thing for you to find out ahead of time that you probably wouldnt want to work for this employer anyways. Me on the other hand would probably try to make myself available at least 30 min before just in case but would hope I wouldnt get an attitude from the employer if I wasnt ready before the discussed time. Another theory could be that the employer had a lot of phone interviews set up for the same day and maybe the interview ahead of yours ended earlier then expected therefore they hoped you would be available.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
25 Jan 10
At any rate, I bet she'll have her phone on her a half hour early next time!
