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Original poster

ds just ruined my telephone interview

253 replies

stuckinthewrongbody · 12/08/2019 11:40

Just had a telephone interview with a job i wanted so badly DS has just ruined it! i put dd in her cot to have her nap and i gave ds some snacks and his ipad.

I go sit in the back and close the door he follows me starts screaming hitting his toy gun up the door i tell her i would call her back which i did and she just didnt seem interested after.

Feeling very crap about myself dont think i will ever get back in to work at this rate.

OP posts:
FAQs · 12/08/2019 12:10

I agree with @WarmSausageTea. OP ignore the bitchy patronising comments some have left, it makes them feel superior bless them.

P1nkHeartLovesCake · 12/08/2019 12:11

He’s 2, he was never going to understand about your interview Confused His 2 and wanted mummy’s attention, perfectly normal child 🤷🏻‍♀️

The child has done nothing but be a child, the adult didn’t think about this properly.

A telephone interview with a toddler in the house and no body watching the, keeping them quiet was never going to work.......

Original poster
stuckinthewrongbody · 12/08/2019 12:11

I dont need to work but things arent great with me and OH i dont want to be financially reliant on him any longer. Also i miss having people to talk to very isolating being at home.

OP posts:
YetAnotherSpartacus · 12/08/2019 12:13

I'm so sorry OP. We all know that DS didn't mean it, but I can just imagine your devastation and frustration. I once had an extremely spiteful adult do the same to me (not a job interview, but a very important phone call) and I know how it felt at the time. Good luck. I admire your wanting of financial independence.

Jellybeansincognito · 12/08/2019 12:14

Perhaps it was because you ended the call and was going to ring back? It would put me off too tbh. Sorry.

My 2 year old would behave the same if I shut him out of the room I was in.

He is a pain every time I’m on the phone and talks etc but people usually just find it amusing.

Don’t blame him though, it sounds like a shitty situation all round.

HeadsDownThumbsUpEveryone · 12/08/2019 12:15

Well, as OP is currently not working, I assume they need his income to pay all the bills?

That doesn't mean he doesn't have to do any parenting at all though. It is clear that the Op wants to go back to work and a reasonable DH would have helped facilitate that by helping to arrange childcare for her interview. To expect the Op to do the interview and look after the children is not fair as he is prioritising his job over being a parent.

ScatteredMama82 · 12/08/2019 12:17

@stuckinthewrongbody sorry - I can imagine how frustrating it was. I think I would follow up with an email to the recruiter as PP have said. In addition, in future if you have another telephone interview and the kids need to be there, I think I would let them know that at X time you will have the kids, so the interview can go ahead but you can't guarantee no interruptions so you can go ahead, or if they prefer you could do it at Y time when you have childcare arranged? Hope that makes sense. Good luck xx

Wolfff · 12/08/2019 12:17

I’m very sorry to hear this. Try not to get down, there will definitely be other opportunities.

I am so sorry for the nasty comments on this thread, I used to have to book into my part time job a few days beforehand, at a specific time, it was first come first served for shift, when we only had a landline and DD1 used to scream and create when I was on the phone for 2 minutes. I also lost shifts because of it. Unless you have been in this situation you don’t realise how frustrating it is.

Passthecherrycoke · 12/08/2019 12:17

“If your judgement is so poor to arrange a telephone interview with an unsupervised child in the house, I would not give you a job either.”

What a dickish thing to say. DS literally DID ruin the interview- not intentionally, but he did.

OP this happened to me, although I was on mat leave and it was an internal promotion so didn’t harm my chances.

my DD was only little and I could leave her in the cot but she screamed the whole time and I was nearly in tears as it was so distressing. She was too young for child care or to be comforted by anyone else. It happens

Wishihad · 12/08/2019 12:19

Its rubbish. Kids are never quiet when you need them to be.

When the nursery shut down you would have been better contacting then and rearranging the interview, explaining your child care closed short notice and you were arranging an alternative.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing though.

Esto · 12/08/2019 12:19

My DS is similar OP, I don't know what it is about me being on the phone to someone but he goes nuts and starts acting crazily to get my attention. He's normally pretty good and happy just pottering around playing or watching TV. I've had to explain over and over to him not to disrupt me when I'm on the phone and at 3.5 he's just about getting it. I mentioned it to one of my friends and she said her DD about the same age is exactly the same.

Very frustrating but hopefully something else turns up soon.

INeedNewShoes · 12/08/2019 12:19

I really feel for you OP. I'm a single parent to a 2 year old and I'm also self-employed so the need does arise sometimes for me to make phone calls with DD at home.

I've learned that important phone calls cannot be made without childcare. DD is very good and she will most of the time play quietly in another room if I tell her I need to do something important, but there is no way I would chance this for an interview.

I'm afraid you've learned this the hard way and you can't place the responsibility for this on your 2 year old but I still have tons of sympathy for the situation.

I've sometimes paid a babysitter to look after DD for an hour just so that I can make a call if I haven't been able to draft in help from friends.

Bluntness100 · 12/08/2019 12:19

Op, don't blame your child, that's not fair. It's not his fault he's little or you were unable to organise child care for half an hour, even a friend or a neighbour to sit with him.

It is what it is, move on and don't do interviews whilst looking after two small kids.

Bluntness100 · 12/08/2019 12:21

DS literally DID ruin the interview- not intentionally, but he did

No he didn't, please don't blame a small child for being a small child. Lack of child care is what ruined the interview.

Passthecherrycoke · 12/08/2019 12:22

It’s not about blame though is it? This isn’t a blame game. It’s just stating facts. His noise ruined the interview. It’s not his fault, there aren’t any consequences for him, it’s iust annoying

IHateUncleJamie · 12/08/2019 12:23

@stuckinthewrongbody Can you send a follow up email, apologising for the interruption and explaining that it was a one-off?

RomaineCalm · 12/08/2019 12:25

As a mum I do sympathise OP, I really feel for you. You were just doing what you thought would work best at the time. However as a professional recruiter I wouldn’t have been impressed I’m afraid. I would have thought you disorganised and wasting my time.

I agree with this. You could give it one last attempt and email the interviewer explaining that you are aware that the interruptions from your son didn't give a favourable impression and that you would welcome an opportunity to speak again at a time that was convenient for her.

You may get nowhere with it but at least you can then chalk it up to experience and be better prepared for the next one.

ScreamingValenta · 12/08/2019 12:25

What bad luck. Flowers. Perhaps wait until your MIL is back from hols and can look after the children, then get some more interviews lined up.

techgirlme · 12/08/2019 12:26

What is lacking in the comments here apart from a few people is empathy.
OP, write a letter to your interviewer stating that your normal childcare fell through and you'd like to show them how much this job means to you. Or ring them / email them. Show them some tenacity about this job.

KatherineJaneway · 12/08/2019 12:27

Sorry to hear this OP. All your childcare options were not available, you hoped it would work but on this occasion things didn't align. Chin up, you'll get a job Flowers

gottastopeatingchocolate · 12/08/2019 12:30

OP, write a letter to your interviewer stating that your normal childcare fell through and you'd like to show them how much this job means to you. Or ring them / email them. Show them some tenacity about this job

Agree with this. Especially if there are likely to be other jobs in the future in the organisation. Don't lose heart.

DarlingNikita · 12/08/2019 12:31

Some twats on here.

I'm sorry, OP, that's shit for you.

I would second the suggestions to be proactive and tenacious and email (or phone if that feels more appropriate/is possible) to apologise again, explain and outright ask them how you can make the right impression.

TBH, I do wonder if it was as bad as you feel it is or if that's partly your feelings about it. If for example someone started a phone interview and the postman rang the doorbell, they'd have to do basically the same thing and I don't think it'd be the end of the world.

RantyAnty · 12/08/2019 12:34

Sorry to hear about the interview. It was just bad timing all the way around.

Hopefully your MIL and DH can help out soon. Not sure what type of neighbours you have or if you know them. Might not be bad to get to know them and you might have the option to ask someone to come over for an hour if needed.

HaileySherman · 12/08/2019 12:35

That's alw6the way though, isn't it? Sorry it didn't work out. Hopefully it wasn't as bad as you thought. If so, next time you'll do better. Keeping a positive attitude when looking for work is SO hard. I find it the hardest, most discouraging time. It will work out. You're not alone....it's tough for most people. Good luck!

HeadintheiClouds · 12/08/2019 12:35

Well, no, Nikita, I wouldn’t expect someone to excuse themselves from a telephone interview because the postman rang the doorbell.
What a very strange comparison.

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