to send this reply?

[BobMarley]

I had been invited for an interview for a maternity cover contract. Unfortunately the interview date was when I was away abroad for the week and asked them if we could reschedule to a later date.

This was the reply I got:

"Thank you for your e-mail.

Unfortunately due to holiday/diary arrangements we are unable to reschedule your interview.

If we are unsuccessful in making an appointment following the interviews, we will be in contact with you"

AIBU to send this back:

"Thank you very much for getting back to me. However, I must say that it is incredibly disappointing that not more effort can be made to re-schedule the interview. Unfortunately it does not give me a very favourable impression of the sort of person and company I would potentially be working for. I would therefore not be interested in an interview if you were not to find the right candidate with the current interviewees."

I know you're cross and ranting but honestly the second email still makes it sound like it's their fault (which to you it is, but in their eyes it's your problem you're on holiday). Unless you're fancying burning bridges then I'd go for:

"Thank you very much for getting back to me. I'm disappointed that I won't be able to make the interview and hope that you will get back to me should another vacancy arise."

...or something like that.

The harsh reality is that you might not be the preferred candidate for this job, but you could be for another one and being chippy with them is cathartic but will get you remembered (for the wrong reasons) if another vacancy comes up.

Off topic but Primafacie - you've gotta love the pompous grads . We had one rejected years ago at the online screening stage who thought the right way to persuade us to interview him was to send us 3 pages of close typed font saying how flawed our process was, going into great detail about his 2nd year project on problems with online competency assessments and throwing in that his dad was a client!

I'm sure the Partner was extremely tempted to send it around but he did the decent thing and rang the client and politely suggested he might like to have a word with his son about how he approaches potential employers...to be fair the client took it well and agreed his son needed sorting out!

I think what set me off was that they weren't at least a little bit apologetic or explaining that there were 5 people in the interview panel (or whatever), it was a very short, final email.

I wouldn't send that reply even if it's how you really feel.

You never know what might happen in the future and you might yet want to apply again to this company.

Their email to you sounded perfectly polite to me.

Just out of interest, what did you put in your original email to them about you going on holiday?

YABU to send that.

I tried to change the date for my last job interview, but I was told it wouldn't be possible as it was a panel interview with four people, all who were very busy and difficult to get in a room together. I really wanted to attend the interview so I made it work.

If you'd rather go on holiday, that's fine. But its not the companies fault that you can't make it, and they've explained why they can't reschedule at this time.

Why should they apologize? You are the one who can't make the interview, that's not their problem.

You really do sound entitled. Something you might want to work on.

Second email is much better. I missed that one because after I started my reply I was needed to recreate the Island of Sodor across the living room carpet.

They probably have so many people who fit the interview criteria that they are overjoyed there is one that cannot attend. You will just make yourself look a pillock if you reply on the basis you indicate.

PuppyMonkey is it wrong to ask if it is possible to re-schedule an interview because you are going on holiday?

If I was the person sending out an email to say that an interview can't be re-scheduled I would probably explain why as the person on the receiving end might understandably be upset. I might also ask if they really can't make the original interview date. For all they know I might be prepared to cancel my holiday?

No not wrong at all, I just wondered how you worded it that's all.

higgle why invite everyone that meets the interview criteria, could be hundreds? Surely you only invite people that you actually want to see?

Puppy this is what I initially emailed:

"Thank you very much for your email inviting me for an interview for the xxxx's position.

I am very much looking forward to the interview but unfortunately I am on holiday from 2 until 9 June and was hoping that we can reschedule the interview to a later date?

I look forward to hear from you."

YANBU to want them to reschedule for when you are back

HOWEVER, if they really wanted you, they would

so , I would move on and dont sent shiity emaIL LIKE THAT

Oh, this thread makes me miss working in recruitment! We had so many 'interesting' candidates to liven up our day.

Please, please don't send the snotty email. I'm cringing for you at the thought of it. The fact that they couldn't reschedule isn't indicative of them being awful to work for and you may well want to work for them in the future. Plus as others have said, you don't know who the HR people know at other organisations. You could be cocking up your other interview before you walk through the door!

What an amusing email.

Pompous, entitled and very opinionated.

I imagine they would have quite a good laugh so yes go ahead and send it.

I find it incredible that you could have even considered sending that email. Have you ever actually had a job before? And expecting them to be "apologetic" for the fact that you can't make an interview?

I've worked in public sector and have been on interview panels and there's no way we could have rearranged. There's usually three or four people on the panel to ensure fairness and 5 or so interviewees who would like to know whether they have the job ASAP. They therefore can't wait for you. They may be disappointed by it but in reply they would need to send a standard email reply (and in the public sector, the tone of formal communications is neutral).

If I was the interviewer I'd be pleased to receive your first email as it would show that you have a poor attitude and you're not a loss. Tbh, your replies here aren't making you sound better much better. If you want a job where people are flexible to your requirements and can bend the system a bit, don't apply for the public sector unless you're going for director level roles.

Tbh, your replies here aren't making you sound much better

I've been in exactly the same position - missed out on two interviews because I couldn't make the interview date. One was 8 days after I had given birth and was 300 miles away, the second I had booked long haul flights.

If you really, really wanted the job you would have cancelled your holiday. As it was, particularly in this job market employers don't have to be flexible (although I agree they could have given you a fuller explanation).

I would always phone up in this situation though, your first email sounded a bit impersonal and like you didn't really care about missing the interview.

If you're that disappointed not to be able to attend the interview, why don't you just reschedule your trip?

Otherwise, I'd send lie a bit and send something like

"Thanks for your letter in response to mine. I'm so sorry that I couldn't make the interview date, as I though the job was right for me and I would have fitted in well to x workplace. I hope you will consider me should any alternative dates for interview come up, or should any additional opportunities arise".

Is it a teaching job? Had a conversation about a candidate unable to attend interview only today.

Do you know how much time/effort/money it takes to hold full interviews? Just be grateful to have a job and stop being difficult for no reason.

Obviously I was being unreasonable and didn't send the email. However, I have interviewed candidates a lot myself and I wouldn't expect a candidate to cancel their holiday abroad for an interview and I would re-schedule, wouldn't bother me at all and certainly wouldn't think it is entitled behaviour. And I wouldn't invite candidates that I wasn't interested in seeing in the first place. Is that really so weird?

depends on the job

Yabu you can see that, surely. You can't make the interview due to your plans, but expect them to change theirs for you. Interviewing is very time consuming especially when you will be interviewing lots of people for one job. These people have other work to do and lives. You are not willing to reschedule, why should they make 'more effort'. What skills do you have that no other person has to make it worth them fitting interviews around your schedule? You sound quite arrogant to be honest. They probably want in done and dusted in a short time period. Imo you should get over yourself.