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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to have already written this off...

28 replies

Chippednailvarnish · 12/09/2013 14:41

I've just been made redundant, so I am job hunting. Over the last few months I have applied for eight jobs, I've had interviews for four of them, but so far no luck and my confidence is slipping.

Last night I applied for a job online by email, it turns our the email address on the advert wasn't working. So I trawled through the internet and managed to find an alternative address and sent it to that one instead.
I then called the company this morning to check to see if they had received my application. To cut a long story short, they were really rude and basically put the phone down on me.
Then two hours later they email me and ask me for interview!

Am I being really stupid but I'm already writing this one off on gut feel alone?

OP posts:
SlobAtHome · 12/09/2013 14:42

YABU. It was one person on the phone, possibly having a bad day, possibly not actually related to your job.

Go for the interview.

kinkyfuckery · 12/09/2013 14:46

If you need a job, go! You might be the only applicant that's been able to send in an application!

Original poster
Chippednailvarnish · 12/09/2013 14:48

I've already agreed to an interview, but I just have an unreasonable feeling that its a bunch of idiots wasting my time (I know its irrational!)

OP posts:
nickelbabe · 12/09/2013 14:50

it sounds like a bad day from the person on the phone.

I think you'll be fine.

if not, then it's still great interview experience (often it's better to have a bad interview than several good ones)

Grin

YABU
just go for it.

SquinkiesRule · 12/09/2013 14:52

Maybe you'll be in charge of the rude person who answered the phone and can set them straight after you start the job.
Well done trawling the internet to find the right address.

TidyDancer · 12/09/2013 15:59

What does "really rude and basically put the phone down on me" actually mean? Could it have just been someone in a bad moment?

I would go to the interview. If you don't get it, it's still experience isn't it?

Original poster
Chippednailvarnish · 12/09/2013 20:06

I called and asked to speak to their HR department, so they took my name and put me on hold.

Then they came back on the line and asked what the call was regarding, so I explained about the email address not working, so they put me on hold again.
Then they practically barked the alternative email address at me, so I explained that I had already sent it to the other address and wanted to confirm that they had received it and if there was a closing date. They promptly told me they didn't know and put the phone down!

I am going to the interview, but this has put me right off them.

OP posts:
Hassled · 12/09/2013 20:08

If you don't go for it and then don't find another job you'll be kicking yourself. And yes, it could be one mardy cow in a building full of rainbows and kittens in human form. Good luck.

TidyDancer · 12/09/2013 20:12

Oh that does sound pretty rude.

I would revise my previous answer in light of Hassled's. Surely it's worth going just to see if there really are rainbows and kittens in human form?! Grin

Original poster
Chippednailvarnish · 12/09/2013 20:46

And a loveable but slightly grumpy unicorn who answers the phone Grin

OP posts:
arkestra · 12/09/2013 20:46

It is a negative marker but no more than that. Put it together with what you see at the interview. It is my experience in general that if anyone's rude to job seekers it's a big warning sign. When you interviee, look out for people being rude to subordinates or about predecessors in your role. If you see that kind of thing, time to be a bit wary.

MammaTJ · 12/09/2013 20:53

Hell, it might get you your perfect job!! Go for it! Even if the job is crap, you won't regret not trying!

Saffyz · 12/09/2013 20:58

YANBU. You can find somewhere better, with a friendly attitude and polite colleagues Smile

CrapBag · 12/09/2013 21:00

Go, hopefully it was one rude idiot in an environment of lovely people. And they also may be very impressed that you took the time and effort to bother about finding the right email address and following it up to see if they had received it.

Good luck.

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 12/09/2013 21:05

It was probably their fault it was the wrong address, they realised they were going to look a total idiot and they needed to get you off the line so they could say "fuck" a lot like Charles on 4 weddings and a funeral.

marriedinwhiteisback · 12/09/2013 21:07

Even if it's not the best job in the world it's easier to get a job when you've got a job. Good luck

Beccagain · 12/09/2013 21:13

Hold up...you have applied for 8 jobs and got four interviews???? That is an amazing strike rate.

But go for it anyway!

Original poster
Chippednailvarnish · 12/09/2013 22:10

I think that's partly what's bothering me, previously I have taken ages to get an interview but I've always been relatively successful at interviewing.

I'm hoping they were saying 'fuck' Mumof !

OP posts:
SeaSickSal · 12/09/2013 22:22

8 jobs is not an awful lot, are you applying for something quite specialized?

At the moment because a lot of people are chasing after each job the employers can really get say 6 people of an extremely high standard in to interview and will find after interview that maybe 4 or 5 of them are really employable and go for the one who just had that little bit extra.

It's really tough at the moment for that reason, it's not that you're doing anything wrong, just the competition is really tough.

Xiaoxiong · 13/09/2013 08:22

Also unless you are applying for a job actually in the HR department, depending on the size of the organisation there's a very good chance that you will only rarely have to deal with the person who was rude to you if you do get the job.

Definitely go to the interview, blow them away with your amazingness Grin

fascicle · 13/09/2013 10:00

You have nothing to lose by going for the interview. All interviews are valuable, even if the job or company turns out not to be for you.

That said, the first response you got on the phone would be a huge red flag for me. It's a given that the person who answers the phone for a company should be pleasant and professional. I think there's a good chance there's something wrong with a company's culture and values if the first point of contact is rude to a potential employee, especially when you were asking a legitimate question following an error in their advert.

Perhaps when they ask at the interview if there are any questions you'd like to ask, you can sweetly ask them what happened!

Good luck with your job search. As has already been said, you've got a high success rate with getting to interview stage. It can only be a matter of time before you find something suitable.

tertle · 13/09/2013 10:01

YABU!

You should definitely go to the interview. You were probably the umpteenth person who that receptionist had spoken to. She, not being in HR, isn't going to know if your CV has been received or not, and has probably had strict instructions from HR not to put anyone through to them.

Just forget it, go to the interview and make your judgement from there.

Oh and be super sweet to the receptionist when you go to the interview. Chances are she'll be feeling bad for being a grump!

FetchezLaVache · 13/09/2013 10:05

I'd go along, with the red flag of how the receptionist spoke to me in the back of my mind as "Strike One".

Original poster
Chippednailvarnish · 13/09/2013 16:06

Well the second red flag is that after I have replied by email for their request for a job interview, they haven't bothered to respond!

It just pisses me off that I'm now arranging childcare for an unconfirmed appointment.

In terms of the number of applications I have made, there just isn't anything advertised in my area. Its all very depressing...

OP posts:
SeaSickSal · 13/09/2013 16:33

If they sent you the request for the interview I think you just reply to confirm. I wouldn't expect confirmation back again, the first email gave you the appointment time, it's you that needed to confirm.

Ignore the rudeness, you probably won't deal with that person. Personally I wouldn't ring to confirm an application had been received because TBH to the person on the end of the phone it often feels like they are being hassled.

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