How long do you wait for a late interview?

[BarrenFieldofFucks]

Am sat waiting for an interview, half an hour so far. I'll sit here as I have nothing better to do tbh but out of curiosity, how long would you wait before giving your excuses and going?

It would depend on how much I wanted the job.

All day if I wanted the job!

Depends on the job and how desperately I wanted it. It doesn’t give a good first impression for the company. An interview is as much you wanting to work for them wanting you to work for them. Good luck

Depends what the job is.

Has anyone come and apologized for the delay and offered you coffee?

I think if it's got to half an hour late, and it's just because they're disorganised, not due to a crisis somewhere, and if no-one has offered any explanation or apology, I'd be wondering if I wanted to work for them.

I do want it, but not crazily. I'm going to stay put as dh is around to pick up the kids, but if he weren't working from home today I'd have to be leaving in 15 minutes! I'd enjoy it but it won't really make much after childcare, which is fine but hey. I wasn't that nervous earlier but being sat here is a bit 😬

Are you doing the interviewing or being interviewed? If I was interviewing someone, I’d give them 15 minutes. If I was the one being interviewed, I’d stay there as long as necessary unless I didn’t want the job.

If you really want the job, then fair enough … but I always think leaving people waiting for an interview speaks volumes. When I was a teenager I was left waiting for an interview for 3/4 of an hour: I was meek and clueless, and wish I'd walked out (crap job, too!) When I was about 30 I was left waiting for an interview for 20 mins, without explanation, by a solicitor. I think if they are 'looking after you' ie apologising, asking if you need anything (drink, magazine, etc) then alright, but they are basically saying their time is more important than you. Not a good start. The solicitor who kept me waiting was a prick and I always regretted not walking out (didn't need the job but desperate to change jobs).

I think they are still with previous candidate. Receptionist just asked me what time my interview was, rolled her eyes and said they're always running late. 😁

I'd wait an hour or so. After that, I don't think there'd be much chance of the interview going ahead, and I'd be feeling quite stressed.

Depends on why they're over run and how much I wanted the job.
Also if they have communicated that they are running behind or if they've just ignored you since you arrived? They do know you are there right? I have been sat in reception nearly 45 minutes before (not for an interview) the receptionist's message didn't get through to them letting them know I'd arrived, so they thought I hadn't turned up. Red faces all round.

Next candidate has just arrived too 😂

I think they are still with previous candidate.

At least they're not still at lunch. In the days when I used to go for interviews, I used to hate having the 2.00 slot because you'd always be kept waiting for them to get back from lunch.

I think if it's got to half an hour late, and it's just because they're disorganised, not due to a crisis somewhere, and if no-one has offered any explanation or apology, I'd be wondering if I wanted to work for them.

This would be my view too. Interviews are as much about assessing whether you want to work for them, as whether they want you to work there!

not exactly selling themselves, are they? Very rude and inconsiderate.

Yeah it's not good to have candidates running into each other waiting around. It's a fairly basic professional courtesy to interview someone on time, it's not fair to keep people waiting in those sorts of stressful situations. How can they be running late, if they had someone who didn't stop talking it's up to them to watch the clock and wrap it up.

Turns out they never got the message that I was there. 🤦🤷😂

It went ok, will wait and see. First job back after nearly 9 years out so was a bit rusty!

@barren oh no!!! How did the message get lost when you'd spoken to the receptionist?

Whatever happens best of luck and make sure you get feedback.