To not wait any longer?

[AtTheZoo]

Got an email yesterday asking me to come in for a job interview at 10am today.

Arrived on time. Been sat in the waiting room for 30 mins. One glass of water. Told things are running over but no apology.

Weird feeling just want to walk out. AIBU?

Sorry, other reason could be delay in starting- someone was late in ..traffic, kid emergency etc. late starting the 9am, then a bit of overrun. But, as I said no reason to treat you like that though.
If they were on the panel someone should have got up, come to find you in person, explained and given you options.

They were definitely taking the piss. Unless there was a massive emergency, which I would expect them to communicate to you and offer to reschedule, then there is no excuse for being an hour late - 20/30minutes is annoying but reasonable, anything more is just disrespectful of my time.

There is no way to walk without it seeming like a flounce.

There are many ways to politely tell them you cannot sit there all day.

"I'm sorry but I have other commitments today so I cannot sit here indefinitely. Do you have a time scale for when the interview will start?" then depending on their answer and/or whether you actually wanted the job or not you follow up with "I do still wish to be considered for the role so would it be possible to reschedule for another day?" or "I would like to respectfully withdraw my application from the process as I do not wish to work for a company with so little respect for my time and effort"

Any decent company would not take it as a flounce if someone was straight with them and said they couldn't wait due to the company's actions, and any who did I wouldn't want to work for.

@AtTheZoo

Unless I was absolutely desperate to get the job I wouldn't have stayed more than 40 minutes. Nobody can explain why, and they're still interviewing the person that came in at 9:00am TWO hours later?! What the fuck? Yeah I'd leave! It's pretty disrespectful and bad organisation... I'd worry about whether I'd get paid on time if it was me.

An hour is rude and disrespectful. Or maybe just plain disorganised. I’d have walked after 40 minutes tops.

Wow. You've dodged a bullet there! If they can't even run to (reasonable) time or come out to personally apologised (and without the receptionist chasing them, no less!)

Yeah an hour is outrageous - I'd have explained to the receptionist that I had work commitments and needed to leave.

I wonder if they accidentally booked you both in for a 10am slot.

The previous interview probably started late, but they could have let you know that when you got there. Doesn't sound like a good place.

Am guessing since there’s no further update, they suddenly became free.

Unless it’s such a high profile job, I’m thinking they’re taking the piss.

Hope OP comes back to tell us how she got on.

I hope after waiting almost an hour you finally got in.

I think it's always reasonable to say "look, I have a meeting today at 12 and I can't stay any longer".

It would make me question the management at that company they sound very unorganised .

Wow that's seriously rude.

We run a small business and would never leave someone sat there so long, especially if they're nervous. It's actually quite cruel!

Oh good lord no - I'd have waited 15 mins maximum. This is totally unprofessional and I'd leave and tell the receptionist that unfortunately I have another appointment and can't wait longer.

It’s rude, but I guess these things could happen depending on the job. Could there of been some kind of emergency? But if I was on a tight timescale I’d just say sorry I have an important meeting at work and have to leave. If I’d taken the whole day off I’d wait and see what they had to say.

I hope you left. It is a huge red flag for disorganisation that usually runs deep, in my experience.

There is no way that a 9am interview ran until 11, unless they were half an hour late and then panel needed the toilet and/or drink but are taking their sweet time. However, out of respect, you'd be very quick - some days I haven't been able to get a drink between interviews when done online. Although, they should have pushed back the first to later in the day if this scenario was the case.

I know someone who was kept waiting so long she had to ask to text her childcare part way through the interview because she knew she’d be late, they didn’t offer it to her because she was unprofessional 🤯

I would just say sorry I can't wait any longer and leave. I hate people that think they can waste other people's time

I hope you left OP! Your time is of value and you’re not desperate for a job. They’re CFs!

Totally unprofessional. I would have walked.

That's not on to keep you waiting for an hour. Did you leave OP?

Invoice them for your time - if they're that disorganised they probably won't question random invoices.

Unless they were in another building I don't see why someone wouldn't come out of the interview, greet you personally and give you an apology and explanation.

So they've behaved badly.

However your main concern is your own career and professional image. Personally it makes no sense to say "I can't wait more than 40 minutes" because surely you'd have set a few hours aside for interviewing?

You're better to make an amazing impression and have a job offer you turn down based on how they handle this (and if they are blase then don't work for them) than make any sort of negative impact on anyone professionally.

So I'd wait but I wouldn't necessarily work for them.

I like that one. It's what I would do. 🙂

You dodged a bullet OP.

Agree with posters who have said that preferred candidate is in, I've had this before (nhs) where they need to make up the numbers for interviews despite knowing who they're giving job to. Rude!

It is quite cheeky and inconsiderate of them. If I didnt really want the job I'd say I was unable to wait any longer and go. I wouldn't bother rescheduling.