(names have been changed to protect the identities of the people below)
RULE # 1: Show Up:
A recent job search for a talented project manager yielded over 150 applicants for a role posted in my department. The criteria was specific, minimum 10 years experience, construction background, yadda yadda…my goal was to interview from a selected few, work my way through the first interviews then bring back two or three candidates for a second, and possibly, a third interview.
Fairly straight-forward, nothing out of the ordinary…right?
Last week, I had worked my way through several first interviews and had just one left to go. I needed to be away on business earlier in the week, so I booked my last candidate for 1pm on Friday. This person met all the criteria ‘on paper’, great resume, relevant and impressive experience, impeccable cover letter.
Friday came. At 1:00pm I checked the lobby and no one had arrived yet. At 1:10 pm one of the office staff went to check the lobby, and no one was there.
Strange?
This has never happened before?
RULE #2: If you don’t want the job and don’t want to waste your time in an interview; be courteous ~ call and cancel:
I waited, and waited …1:20pm, 1:30pm…
When suddenly I thought “this is weird… but still… I will give this person the benefit of the doubt, so I’ll call”
ring, ring, ring….
<voicemail responds…hello this is Guenther Herman, I’m not available to take your call…>
“hello ‘Guenther’, this is Gina, we had an appointment today at 1pm. I just wanted to make sure nothing is wrong, or perhaps we got our wires crossed? Please feel free to call me back to discuss”
RULE #3: Call back, apologize, make up a story, but do not send an email that says this:
**********************************************************************
Hi Gina,
Sorry, I did not attend the interview today, because, I am very much scared of working for i-talians anymore. My experience with previous employer & some of the nice idiots has proved that they are nothing but racist, sadist and psycho. I dedicated and shown my loyalty to previous employer named stupid ‘tony malony’, but he brutally spoiled my career giving a bad reference & recommending some of the employers to not hire in their organizations!!!! what a fantastic idea to spoil one family.
Anyhow, I avoided my interview because of this very basic reason and i don’t want to experiment anymore. You may not be the same, but, what-if you are related to some of your nice friends and give me a hard-time
Guenther
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BAH! Can you believe it?
This is was no joke. It really happened.
For more ways to see how you too can commit career suicide, please visit:
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2536820/it-careers/5-easy-ways-to-commit-career-suicide.html?page=2