To think it’s unprofessional that the interviewers didn’t apologise for being 15 mins late?

[TalkNerdyToMe]

I had an interview scheduled for 11am today via MS Teams. I joined the meeting at 10.55am and was placed in the waiting room, but no-one admitted me until 11.15am. I sent a message to the Executive Assistant to check if they could see if I was waiting, and I also called, but didn’t receive any communication from them.

I understand things can run behind schedule, but I felt it was quite unprofessional not to acknowledge the delay, especially as I was left waiting for a while. Am I overreacting, or is it reasonable to except at least an apology in situations like this?

Yes it is unprofessional
And I would personally apologise for keeping you waiting

And disrespectful.

YANBU, but I probably wouldn't say anything to them. 😬

Yeah, I didn’t mention it, just stayed polite and focused on the interview.

Did they not even apologise when they finally joined the call?

Yes it is rude and unprofessional and unless this was an HR screen with a recruiter you’ll never see again then it would put me right off. I wouldn’t want a boss who thinks I’m not worth a quick ‘sorry to keep you waiting’.

Nope, not a word. They just started the interview as if nothing had happened.

Very unprofessional. Plus I would have expected them to get a message to you to say they were running late unless it was a dire emergency

I completely agree. A simple acknowledgement of the delay would have gone a long way. It definitely makes me question their values and how they treat employees.

It's rude. I can see how a previous TEAMS interview may have overrun slightly - or they may have wanted to chat about the previous candidate, perhaps - but it is common good manners to simply say, 'I'm sorry we kept you waiting,'

Takes 30 seconds and is absolutely minimal effort. If they can't make that minimal effort I'd be unimpressed.

I turned up at the first day of a new job once and no one was expecting me. When my boss was finally tracked down, she was mildly apologetic, blamed HR etc. Fine. Irritating, but fine. Then she said she had a few things to do and we'd have lunch after. She finally came back at 14:00 ... I was half dead from hunger by then ... and still not a word of apology or attempt to improve the situation.

It was the first sign of how awful that job would be. When I left 2 years later because I'd been told repeatedly that advancement wasn't an option, my boss was furious and said, "but ify ou'd just be more patient". She never spoke to me again, including during my one month's notice.

I had a trial shift and told I had the job at the beginning of August. They took my bank details for payment of the trial shift and have ghosted me since, not replied to emails and manager won't take the phone. Have emailed head office and they don't respond either. Some companies are awful.

Yanbu. An interview is two way. It's for you to learn if you want to work for them, as much you then finding out if you right for their job. Tbh the fact they don't value your time by a simple sorry about the delay tells you all you need to know.

Someone once told me as much as the company are interviewing you, you're interviewing them as well. I would not want to work for an organisation that doesn't even value your time when they're trying to make an impression on you.

I once went for an interview and was told that I would hear back from them by X date, it came and went so I gave it another day or 2 before calling them (obviously at this point I knew I wasn't successful) and was told there was only myself and one other candidate and they had more experience. Fair enough, but if you've only interviewed 2 people then it's not exactly difficult to call the person who didn't get the job and let them know.

Agree with PPs about this could be the sign of the work environment. I’d be very wary of any company that doesn’t value your time and working for a manager that doesn’t apologise or even acknowledge the lateness!

Yes, me too!

My boss was on holiday for two weeks and no one knew I was starting. It took them several to get me onto the computer system. I sat there reading a book for a few days.

Boss turned out to a very good egg but disorganised. I was his PA....

It's unprofessional and from experience a sign of what you'd be working with if you accepted the job. People who do this unfortunately do not value your time.

Hey all… so… they’ve invited me for a second interview 🤣

Very unprofessional. By ten past, with no message at all to say they were running late, I'd have left and sent an email saying something like

Hi,

I attended the interview scheduled for 11am today, but unfortunately nobody was there. Please get in touch if there is a plan to reschedule.

Unless you're absolutely DESPERATE for work and willing to put up with a shitty employer, I would bail on this. If this is how they treat candidates when they are making a first impression, imagine how they treat established staff? No thanks.

DS had lots of interviews for apprenticeships - he learnt so much about the companies from the interview process!

Did you apply direct or through a recruitment tagency? Ask the agent what the employer is like, if they have recruited for them before etc, and at second interview ask lots about culture and staff turnover and why the role is vacant.

id definitely have apologised profusely if I was so late with no explanation

An interview is a two-way process. You should be judging/considering them just as much as they are you. This is a very poor first impression and I'd reconsider them as a potential employer.

I once had two interviewers fail to attend an in person interview! I was waiting in reception for 30 minutes. Kept asking the receptionist if there was anything wrong, was assured they were on the way. I gave up and left. Was later told by the agency that one of their parents was taken ill & other stuck in traffic - would I like to rearrange? I decided to pass as it left me with a terrible impression of the company.
Comgrats on getting a second interview though

Are you going to turn up 15 minutes late and not apologise?

I'd be tempted....

Did they say thank you for waiting. For those of us who say sorry for existing that’s usually the advice. But if not that was rude and suggests they don’t value the time of people less senior. And I say this as someone senior.