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Original poster

In trouble at work

273 replies

Dottiemay · 01/02/2025 18:15

There's been Teams interviews for a junior role at work. The interviews include an on the day task for the first half an hour of the interview. I'm not on the panel but my manager asked me to join the call at the start of the interview alone to introduce the task and say the panel will join the call in half an hour and will ask you to introduce the task. All fine. I did six interviews this week and I was on the call for max two minutes to introduce the task then left. The last interviewee had been scheduled at school pick up time. I'd asked around to see if someone could pick up my kid from school but couldn't. So I asked the school - where I've been a governor for many years - if I could come early to use the meeting room to jump on this call for a couple of minutes. That way I'd be at the school for pick up. The head said yes, no issues. When I got to the school, the head was away at a meeting and hadn't told the deputy, and the meeting room was being used for a safeguarding meeting. They offered me the school reception area but it was full of parents wanting to speak to staff. As I didnt have time to drive back home, I jumped in the car and blurred the background. Introduced the task and then left - took a minute or two. The candidate then sent my manager a screenshot of me on the call clearly in the car. My manager has now raised it with me and said we'll have to chat on Monday about it. I'm shitting myself. They know I'm a single parent. I start work at 7.00 and work through my lunch break to get an earlier finish so I don't think I've done anything wrong and who cares if the background was a car. But I feel like I'm in a lot of trouble. Do you think I've done something terrible?

OP posts:
Teenagequeenwithaloadedgun · 01/02/2025 20:29

Candidate is a prick. There was zero need to do what he did, you attended on time and introduced the task.

People should treat each other like adults instead of children to be told off.

Crackednuts · 01/02/2025 20:33

Your boss will flex his muscles that's all. I wouldn't worry about it.

SauvignonBlanche · 01/02/2025 20:35

Candidate sounds likes a twat but it’s so easy to put a background on Teams, so if you knew you were interviewing it would be sensible to have one ready.

NovaF · 01/02/2025 20:35

They are following it up because someone complained and they have to follow policy/procedure. I would not worry too much about it, explain like you did here x

TheignT · 01/02/2025 20:36

Dottiemay · 01/02/2025 18:15

There's been Teams interviews for a junior role at work. The interviews include an on the day task for the first half an hour of the interview. I'm not on the panel but my manager asked me to join the call at the start of the interview alone to introduce the task and say the panel will join the call in half an hour and will ask you to introduce the task. All fine. I did six interviews this week and I was on the call for max two minutes to introduce the task then left. The last interviewee had been scheduled at school pick up time. I'd asked around to see if someone could pick up my kid from school but couldn't. So I asked the school - where I've been a governor for many years - if I could come early to use the meeting room to jump on this call for a couple of minutes. That way I'd be at the school for pick up. The head said yes, no issues. When I got to the school, the head was away at a meeting and hadn't told the deputy, and the meeting room was being used for a safeguarding meeting. They offered me the school reception area but it was full of parents wanting to speak to staff. As I didnt have time to drive back home, I jumped in the car and blurred the background. Introduced the task and then left - took a minute or two. The candidate then sent my manager a screenshot of me on the call clearly in the car. My manager has now raised it with me and said we'll have to chat on Monday about it. I'm shitting myself. They know I'm a single parent. I start work at 7.00 and work through my lunch break to get an earlier finish so I don't think I've done anything wrong and who cares if the background was a car. But I feel like I'm in a lot of trouble. Do you think I've done something terrible?

I can't understand why the candidate did that. Were they reporting you or something else?

lilytuckerpritchet · 01/02/2025 20:37

What a dick move hope he doesn't get the job.

Crunchymum · 01/02/2025 20:39

Dottiemay · 01/02/2025 19:10

Do you think this is better than telling the truth?

Show quote history

They know I do the school run. Not every day as his dad and childminders do it on other days, but every other Friday I do it and it takes ten minutes

Don't lie. You say in an earlier post that your work know you do the school run. They'll know.

Nonaynevernomore · 01/02/2025 20:40

Dottiemay · 01/02/2025 19:09

Thank you ❤️ In principle I completely agree. Men who do this are seen as amazing fathers. Women are made to look like they don't have their shit together and can't handle full time work.

Show quote history

Nail on head!

don’t apologise, go in with the attitude are you going to congratulate me for problem solving?

lauraloulou1 · 01/02/2025 20:40

I really don't think you will be in trouble - just explain what happened and the many measures you took to avoid that happening. The candidate has clearly moaned his way out of a job? That was not a smart move on his part. I'd be raising that at the meeting? You were being solutions focused, he was being a moany entitled little prick. Don't panic, all will be Ok. Xx

hotfirelog · 01/02/2025 20:43

MelisandeLongfield · 01/02/2025 19:43

Take a photo of the inside of your car and start using it as your regular Teams background 😄

But seriously, the candidate is a plonker - you haven't done anything wrong.

This! I'd also say to boss that it was highly inappropriate for a candidate to photograph you. In my role I've had numerous occasions where I've spoken to clients / staff from and in parked cars

Moonnstars · 01/02/2025 20:45

I don't get why people are now commenting on the fact it was a man!

Let's reverse it and imagine the post was this:
Had an interview today. The task was introduced by a man who was clearly in his car. As a woman did he not consider me important enough to arrange a suitable working environment to deliver the instructions?

On MN everyone would be outraged if this was the case and say the candidate should complain!

Slave2Avocads · 01/02/2025 20:46

The candidate is a wanker.

Youcantwinthemall · 01/02/2025 20:46

The candidate is a massive massive prick. I’m a single mum too and I totally get how hard it is juggling everything. You being in the car had absolutely no impact on what you were doing so really shouldn’t be an issue. I really really hope the massive prick doesn’t get the job!

Brainstorm23 · 01/02/2025 20:46

FictionalCharacter · 01/02/2025 19:33

If I'd been one of the hiring managers and a candidate sent me a screenshot of my assistant with a complaint, I'd have been very unimpressed. I'd have told them it's absolutely not acceptable to do that, and told them that whatever they were trying to achieve, that isn't the way to do it

Love this response! I would absolutely do similar. We had a candidate years ago who was rejected at first interview. He rang up demanded to be interviewed again as he felt the interview wasn't fair.

Manager was wavering but then asked more senior colleague for their opinion. They said "this person doesn't even work here and is causing trouble. Can you imagine if we employed them?". He rang the candidate and gave him both barrels.

surreygirl1987 · 01/02/2025 20:47

Moonnstars · 01/02/2025 20:45

I don't get why people are now commenting on the fact it was a man!

Let's reverse it and imagine the post was this:
Had an interview today. The task was introduced by a man who was clearly in his car. As a woman did he not consider me important enough to arrange a suitable working environment to deliver the instructions?

On MN everyone would be outraged if this was the case and say the candidate should complain!

I thought the exact same thing. I'm amazed that the candidate is the 'wanker' in this situation!

Barney16 · 01/02/2025 20:47

I manage people and it wouldn't bother me. I have done meetings too in my car when the traffic was bad and I couldn't get to the office. Things happen. I'd be grateful you managed to find a solution tbh. From what you say it didn't impact on their interview. You were doing the intro not the interview. Try not to worry.

ProbableDoris · 01/02/2025 20:47

He’d have a field day with my organisation - our board chairman has dialled into all-staff calls from his car, as have various members of the exec. We are often travelling to and from meetings, out on site or whatever. I mean, maybe you should have tried to contact your manager first, but meh, you tried to find a way to make it work.

If I were the candidate it wouldn’t occur to me to complain about something like this. Nasty little prick.

Crackednuts · 01/02/2025 20:50

strawberrysea · 01/02/2025 20:27

It takes a lot of time and effort to prepare for an interview and it's a massive deal to whoever is applying for the job. I think it's a bit insulting to then be greeted by someone sat in a car as your first introduction to the company.

Hopefully just a warning and it all blows over.

My partner went to an online interview last year. He got the job. He only stayed there a week they were very disorganised. The interviewer had a heart attack after his online interview and he was told she won't be returning for a few months. Alarm bells went off and he left after a week and went back to his old job. Luckily he didn't resign. His mate stayed and last week he got a call telling him they no longer need him and they've run out of money.

surreygirl1987 · 01/02/2025 20:52

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 01/02/2025 20:07

What time do you contractually finish work and what time was the interview task intro in the car?
Why did you not raise this earlier or just as a relied on colleague to do it?

Yes - this is my question too. OP, you said you start work at 7am so that you can leave early. I presume that flexibility had been agreed with your line manager. So are you saying you had officially finished work for the day? If so, why on earth are you worried?? If anything, your line manager is at fault for asking you to work outside of your working hours!

Of course, if you WERE actually supposed to be at work then, that's a differently story (and fuels the homeworking / back to the office debate).

PurpleH · 01/02/2025 20:52

Just keep it professional when they talk to you (not snidey at the candidate) and you’ll be fine. I can’t see that you’ve done shy thing wrong…? How does the candidate know your workplace doesn’t allow flexible working? We’ve all taken teams calls in funny places sometimes. Candidate’s a dick btw but make sure YOU stay above it. Perhaps a quick apology (but explain it was a last minute thing) but otherwise you should be fine

PlanningTowns · 01/02/2025 20:55

Tell the truth, simple as. As articulately as you’ve set out above. You made suitable plans but were let down so did the next best thing in the circumstances.

the candidate is a twat and showing their true colours. How are they to know you didn’t do that with all the other candidates. You blurred out the background, acted professionally and the point was to introduce the task rather than interview.

from the candidates perspective it doesn’t show the organisation in the best light, but I wouldn’t have paid any attention to your background but what you were saying to me.

just be honest and factual. And I’d probably add at the end once sorted that it doesn’t inspire confidence in that candidate, but then that might not be advisable!!!

NewToAllThisStuff · 01/02/2025 20:55

Viviennemary · 01/02/2025 19:36

Should you have been at work when you were picking your child up from school? It would give a very bad impression if you were meant to be working, But were in the car picking up children and driving and on the phone. Shows really poor judgement.

they weren't driving 🙄

TheignT · 01/02/2025 20:57

TheignT · 01/02/2025 20:36

I can't understand why the candidate did that. Were they reporting you or something else?

Show quote history

I can't get my head round what a nasty idiot the candidate was. I've done many many interviews, I used to be head if HR, and I'd never give someone like that a job. Not exactly a team player.

Brainstorm23 · 01/02/2025 20:57

surreygirl1987 · 01/02/2025 20:47

I thought the exact same thing. I'm amazed that the candidate is the 'wanker' in this situation!

Show quote history

The candidate is the one trying to sell themselves to the organisation. If it was me it might raise an eyebrow but as long as OP communicated whatever she needed to say clearly I wouldn't give a shit and certainly wouldn't be complaining about it to the hiring manager.

I have done interviews over Teams where people's kids have barged into the room to demand milk and cookies. Or one where their child had a full on meltdown and candidate had to mute for 2 minutes while they corralled them out of the room back to their mother.

These things happen and people should understand. If i had been in this situation and didn't have time to put a background on I would have made a joke of it at the start of the call and then moved on.

I always put a company brand background on any on-camera Teams calls so that's a lesson for the future OP but apart from that it's a total non-issue.

FatLarrysBanned · 01/02/2025 21:01

As a Manager I would never say to someone "we'll talk about this on Monday", we talk about it there and then or I raise it on Monday and we talk about it immediately. Putting the wind up someone and ensuring they have a shit weekend worrying about something isn't something I'd do.

If one of my reports explained the situation as you have i.e. "it clashed with the school run, I had a meeting room arranged, that fell through, I did it in the car before I picked child up" I'd have absolutely no issue.

I'd have a much bigger issue with the candidate and tbh I'd probably send them back a response along the lines of "We're a family friendly company, sometimes things happen outside of our control but we try and work around it as best we can. We trust our employees to get the job done, sometimes that means them working creatively, but we want to keep good people and that works out well for both us and them"

I'm not in the habit of making staff take leave to attend a 45 minute assembly, making up time for medical appointments or looking at my watch when they leave 30 minutes early to get to parents evening, or take the dog to the vets.