To ask interviewer to email me rather than call?

[pestopastapeas]

Hi, looking for a job at the moment and need some advice re how to be professional :)

Had an interview last Wednesday but unfortunately didn't get the job. Was told on Friday by email that if I wanted feedback they'd be very happy to give it to me (very small company, very hands-on). Anyway, I thanked them for their time and said I would appreciate the feedback.

Fast forward to today and the interviewer has asked to have a chat on the phone about it. I said I'd be free all day today and have a missed call. Problem is I feel extremely unwell and have come down with a bad cold: really can't chat on phone! How can I say this to her without sounding taking the piss/sounding ingratiating?! I appreciate she's doing me a favour and really do want this feedback.

Someone help please, my cold-addled brain is really making me overthink this one...!

Have you lost your voice?

If you can talk then suck it up and do the phone call.
Won't take long and if you cry off with a cold it won't look good.

You can't - I'm always happy to give verbal feedback but written feedback is a PITA and could be used against me

Aoife, near enough - very croaky and nose completely blocked. I would sound like an idiot if we spoke on the phone!! Only problem is yesterday I told her by email a call would be fine! Just don't want to sound like I'm lying/don't appreciate her time

I don't mean to sound harsh, but I would just grit my teeth and try to get through the phonecall. So few companies are willing to even give you feedback. It will take the interviewer an awful lot longer to write you a formal email then to chat on the phone for a few minutes, and they are probably busy as it is.

I do appreciate how rotten you feel though - I'm just getting over some sort of virus-y thing myself and I haven't felt so ill in years.

I think you need to have the phone call unfortunately. It's not really the sort of thing someone would want to put into an email, much better to explain stuff verbally.

Hope you feel better soon.

I don't think you would sound like an idiot - you would sound like someone who has the cold. The lady will have had a cold herself at some stage, she will understand.

Take the call, just apologise for having a cold straight away.

Anyway, feedback will involve you listening more than talking.

You're receiving a phone call, not auditioning for the Xfactor. Why on earth would it matter if you're croaky when you say 'hello... I see... well thank you'.

Sorry you didn't get the job.

Agrée with pps. Just say 'sorry I have a cold'. I work in HR and wouldn't think someone was an idiot for sounding blocked up over the phone....

Don't stress and just give her a call back! Hope the feedback is useful for future interviews.

They won't email it. Firstly, it takes much more time. Secondly, it leaves them open to have it used against them - it's against guidelines.

You'll need to weigh up if you want the feedback. If you do, take the call but apologise for your cold. If you don't, email and thank her for her time.

It does sound like they might have something useful to tell you, though, so it's probably worth taking some cold meds and struggling through.

I took it! Thanks everyone, she was understanding and very kind about it

Well done. I'm a bit phone phobic and make all sort of convoluted excuses to avoid calls if I can

Yes, I hate using the phone but agree that you had to really, in this case. Sorry you didn't get the job, and well done for getting through the call. Get well soon, colds when the sun is shining somehow feel even worse than when it's raining.