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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:
HeadintheiClouds · 12/08/2019 12:37

Agree about approaching the interviewer to say you had a childcare emergency, op. What have you to lose?

S1naidSucks · 12/08/2019 12:38

I’m so sorry, OP. That must be so very upsetting for you and I know you needed somewhere to vent, but unfortunately many posters seem to be lacking in empathy. OP isn’t on here looking for people to tell her the rights and wrongs of what happened, she just looking for some support and I don’t think it’s to much to ask that people show some kindness towards her.

As a previous poster has said, think of it as a blessing in disguise, as you could have ended up working for someone with the same lack of empathy as some of these posters. 💐

berlinbabylon · 12/08/2019 12:38

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

Oh for goodness sake, people do conference calls with kids in the house all the time. Have none of you seen that video of the guy doing the interview whose daughter came in?

But of course that was ok because he was a man, and it was cute. When it's a woman it's unprofessional.

LenoVentura · 12/08/2019 12:39

I think that perhaps before the interview you should have contacted the recruiter, explained the situation re childcare and asked if the interview could take place in the evening after DC have gone to bed, or at least at a time when OH could hold the fort for half an hour.
It wouldn't be the situation as it arose in the moment that would have been such an issue for me if I was the recruiter, annoying as it was, it would be the lack of initiative around a potential tricky situation. The world of work doesn't wait for you to sort yourself out and ring somebody back about an issue.
What is the nature of the job you were interviewing for?

Butterbeeeen · 12/08/2019 12:40

Not much help but my DS then aged around 3 answered the phone when I had a telephone interview. They had been due to ring my mobile and had rang the land line and he was chatting away thinking it was his gran. When I eventually got the phone off him and completed my telephone interview she offered us both a job. She said he was better than most of the candidates she had interviewed. Don't loose all faith yet OP.

Nicknacky · 12/08/2019 12:40

Darling Would you answer the door while on a telephone interview?

LenoVentura · 12/08/2019 12:41

And picking up on berlin's point, yes people do conference calls with kids in the house all the time, and actually it is super annoying for your colleagues. If you can't hold a teleconf without being interrupted by a child, then you're not actually available.

berlinbabylon · 12/08/2019 12:41

I wouldn’t expect someone to excuse themselves from a telephone interview because the postman rang the doorbell

So if you're waiting fror an urgent piece of post you can't take 30 seconds out to get it? Some very odd posters on this thread. If someone was on a call with me and said that I'd just say fine and make a couple of notes in the few seconds gap. Seriously, if someone thinks I can't do a job because I need to answer the door, then I don't want to work for them anyway. But I've noticed that about MN before there are quite a few people I would definitely not want to work for.

OP I hope you get the job/get to the next stage regardless.

MidnightMystery · 12/08/2019 12:41

Some of you women make me laugh.

Stay at home mother - lazy get a job.
Mother having a phone interview to get a job, should have sorted child care Hmm

Bunch of judgmental twats.

HeadintheiClouds · 12/08/2019 12:42

Well, to be fair, berlin, that interviewer wasn’t actually in sole charge of his children at the time; their mother was also in the house.
She took her eye off the ball, it happens, but there were two adults present.

Nicknacky · 12/08/2019 12:43

Berlin Not during an interview though!

berlinbabylon · 12/08/2019 12:43

people do conference calls with kids in the house all the time, and actually it is super annoying for your colleagues. If you can't hold a teleconf without being interrupted by a child, then you're not actually available

There is this wonderful invention called the mute button. Clearly of no use for a telephone interview but for your normal waste of time teleconference where everyone is playing on Facebook while listening to people droning on, perfect.

managedmis · 12/08/2019 12:44

You definitely can't blame a two year, but your error was in mentioning it to him. Telling him he has to be quiet whilst mummy has an important conversation? Just asking for trouble!

Wonkybanana · 12/08/2019 12:44

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 can see your point. The interviewer didn't know that your MiL is on holiday and that his nursery shut suddenly last week. Nor that he's usually quiet if he's given snacks and the ipad, or that your 'D'H is working seven days a week. To her it would just have sounded like you weren't treating this interview seriously enough to have the quiet time you needed for it.

I know it's a shame and that you would really have liked this job, but look at it from her pov too.

Nautiloid · 12/08/2019 12:44

Ah that's crap OP.
I remember going for a face to face interview a few years ago, had a babysitter sorted but she couldn't arrive very early.
Said goodbye to babies and one vomited on my interview clothes. I was absolutely skint at the time and didn't have anything else really suitable, it was horrible.
This too shall pass.Flowers

HeadintheiClouds · 12/08/2019 12:45

It’s hardly odd, berlin? Would you refuse to attend a face to face interview because you had to wait in for the postman? If I heard an interviewee excuse themselves to answer the door I’d presume they weren’t taking the interview particularly seriously.

managedmis · 12/08/2019 12:45

But of course that was ok because he was a man, and it was cute. When it's a woman it's unprofessional.

^

This, unfortunately

ScreamingValenta · 12/08/2019 12:46

Have none of you seen that video of the guy doing the interview whose daughter came in?

That was so funny, thank you for reminding me of it! I've attached the link in the hope it might cheer the OP up:

berlinbabylon · 12/08/2019 12:46

She took her eye off the ball, it happens, but there were two adults present

The point is, had it been the other way round, she would have been an unprofessional mother, as so many people are rushing into claim. But because it was a bloke, everyone thought it was cute.

The same could have happened in the OP's case - DH supposed to be looking after son, he gets distracted for a minute, son dashes into where OP is and starts talking in the background of the call.

And no it wasn't a job interview, but it was a live TV interview!

A sensible interviewer realises that people have lives, and once you have a job you might be able to afford childcare but before you get one, probably/possibly not. But fine, crack on with your perfect unempathetic posts. I just hope the OP ignores them and finds a job with a human boss.

LannieDuck · 12/08/2019 12:46

Your DH could have taken 1 hour out of his 7-day work week to come back and look after his son. Even if it was his lunch hour, he could have sat with DS in the kitchen while you did your interview.

StuffYouAllInTheCrust · 12/08/2019 12:46

The nest of vipers are out in force again I see Confused Way to kick a woman when she’s down eh?

Don’t beat yourself up OP, even with the best intentions in the world, things can go tits up sometimes. I’m of the belief that what’s meant be will be and may be that just wasn’t the job for you. Saying that, you haven’t had a no yet!

Good luck with the job hunting, you will get there Flowers

BangingOn · 12/08/2019 12:47

Oh OP I’m so sorry. My son’s school shut down suddenly last week (they owned a nursery too... I’m wondering whether it’s the same place) so I’ve been having to work from home with DS here until I could sort alternative holiday childcare. It’s not ideal but you really have my sympathy.

Nicknacky · 12/08/2019 12:48

Screaming That always makes me laugh 😂

IncrediblySadToo · 12/08/2019 12:48

🌷you’re doing the right thing looking for a job if things aren’t great with you and DH.

There are some right sanctimonious twats on here today, dont let them drag you further down!

It might not have gone as badly as you think, hopefully they’ll invite you in for a F2F interview, if not, I’m sure something else will be along soon.

Chin up chook!👍🏻🌷

Ginmel · 12/08/2019 12:49

That's horrible op. Just try to keep moving on. Fingers crossed you find another opportunity soon.