Flare to feel like a right twat through no fault of my own.

[PersephoneSmith]

I had an interview at a university college. It was at 12:30pm and I arrived in good time, checked in with the receptionist and her first question was ‘ is it a morning or afternoon appointment?’
Of course I said afternoon (you can probably see where this is heading) but she couldn’t find me on her list, quite a lot of faffing ensued, there didn’t seem to be any way of searching for my name either.
I sat for a bit, hoping that the interviewer might come looking for me, the receptionist was quite angry with me by now as she insisted that I must have the wrong date and was clearly stressed because she couldn’t find me on the list.
Eventually she tells me that it is now ‘lunch time’ and no one would be coming until at least 2pm when the afternoon session starts.

Apparently the last morning session is from 12:30 - 13:15, followed by lunch from 13:15 until 2
When the interviewer came in just before 2 the receptionist rolled her eyes a lot and told them I was ‘late’ because I had said my interview was in the afternoon, when it wasn’t, it was morning. I tried to argue that 12:30pm is in the afternoon but I got a hard stare and felt like a right twat.
FML
*made to feel, flaming autocorrect, can’t edit the title!

Oh no. She’s taken her stupidity out on you.

I would be inclined to let whoever arranged the interview know about their unprofessional reception staff.

I don't understand why the receptionist didn't look at her watch, instantly realise the situation and look through the morning diary. No need for you to feel like an idiot at all.

When she goes home and mouths off, someone with more intelligence will hopefully point out what an idiot she was.
So sorry op, that sounds shit
How did the actual interview go?

Not your fault at all @PersephoneSmith, this is purely on the receptionist, not you. You're not a twat. Did the actual interview go ok?

The receptionist is an idiot not to have checked the list of pre-lunch candidates.

Did she not ask you for the actual time of the appointment? Surely that's the first question to ask. I'm surprised, to be honest, that you didn't state the time when she was having trouble finding you. If I arrive for an appointment anywhere, I say, e.g. "Hi, my name is SwanOfThoseThings and I have an appointment with Mrs Smith at 12:30."

Yes, of course I should have, circumstances though, you know how it is, I didn’t have chance to introduce myself, just got barked at. Never occurred to me that she was looking at post-2pm appointments.
The interview was a bit shit, as I was late, I was probably instantly marked as unreliable.

I'm so sorry. Sounds like you've had a shite day. I hope you can do something nice this evening to lift your mood?

It sounds like our receptionist. In my office we would all know, managers included, it wasn't your fault.

Thanks all. The interviewer was definitely in agreement that I was late for my ‘morning’ appointment and I was completely the one in the wrong. 😑

It was at 12:30pm and I arrived in good time

The interviewer was definitely in agreement that I was late for my ‘morning’ appointment and I was completely the one in the wrong

So you weren’t late. I’m not sure they covered themselves with glory here, and I’d not be keen to work for them even if you did get the job.

The panel will have a list of names.
Did you make it clear to them that you had arrived on time and been turned away?

I'm a receptionist, though in a different type of place, but this would have been something that'd drive me mad, terming an appointment that is in the afternoon as being in the morning and expecting people who weren't familiar with our system to know that their 12.30pm appointment, was on our system, a morning appointment, and I'd mitigate accordingly, either by checking both lists or by asking appointment time.
This definitely isn't on you OP, 12.30pm is afternoon and you're not to know how they've set up their appointment system!

What does she think pm means?

Do neither of them understand afternoon means after noon, i.e. 12pm, midday? It doesn’t seem so, in which steer clear.

Lucky escape though. You don't want to work with this heejits

Indeed, probably had a lucky escape!
thank you :)