I really want this job but is this a red flag?

[sundayclean]

I'm looking for a new job and have been invited to attend an interview this Thursday at 2:30. Unfortunately I have a dentist appointment on Thursday at 2pm which has been booked for well over a month. I have an NHS dentist and they are very very strict with cancelling and rescheduling appointments. I cancelled once last year (first time in 7 yrs) due to an emergency and they said if it happened again then I would be taken off the register. It's not great but I only stay with them as I can't afford to go private.

Anyway, I spoke with the hiring manager at the beginning of last week and she contacted yesterday to arrange the interview. In all fairness I never mentioned my appointment when I initially spoke to her as it just slipped my mind but she also didn't mention what day the interviews would be on if I was successful getting to the next stage.

I've asked if she can accommodate another day/time to which she's said no. I really want this job, but she does seem a bit inflexible/awkward. Or am I the one being awkward? I don't really want to risk losing my dentist for a job that I might not even get and I think expecting someone to cancel a prior appointment with 3 days notice is a bit unreasonable. Would this put you off?

Dh had this recently- told them he had a hospital appointment on a certain day and they made the interview for that day and he said sorry he couldn’t make it s as nc they basically said ‘tough’. He was the same - said to be fair if they’re so non accommodating do I want to work for them? But his appointment got changed so he ended up going for the interview. It’s tough op!

Yes it would. You could e.g. have had a medical procedure booked. Did they ask at the interview about your availability because I think if they asked and you didn't mention the appointment then I could see why they might be a bit irritated.

It slipped your mind?

I suppose that could be seen as a red flag from the perspective of a potential future employer

@stayathomer it's really tough out there and so much competition. I'm glad to hear your Dh managed to attend his interview in the end though!

@saveforthat no, she didn't ask for my availability. It was only a screening call last week so I wasn't even sure if they wanted to interview me. She contacted me yesterday to confirm I was being moved to the next stage and that they wanted to interview on Thursday.

I had this in the company I currently work for! Applied for an internal move and got a phone call at 5.30 on Tuesday evening asking me to interview on the Wednesday which I had booked as a day off for a medical appointment. They wouldn't reschedule despite the fact that they were clearly the ones being unreasonable. I put it down to karma saying it wasn't the right move for me.

That would be a big red flag for me. I would definitely accomodate your availaiblity if I was scheduling interviews (something I do a lot).

@Misaster I hope an employer wouldn't hold something like that against a candidate?! It's a shame if so. Full time job, family, etc, it's easy for things to slip people's minds.

Why? They didn't ask for her interview availability and it's not expected to provide it ahead of being invited.

OP of they've put their foot down I'd take it on the chin and chalk it up as good application feedback. Unless it's absolutely unmissable, I don't see this as a good sign of their company culture I'm afraid.

Sorry @saveforthat I skim read and thought you were saying they could be irritated as it stood.

Likewise, an employer could hope an employee wouldn’t hold this against them!

ultimately the ball is completely and utterly in their court op

@Misaster yeah, totally get that. I'm just disappointed because I was really interested in the job and wanted to attend the interview but I've not been left with much choice unfortunately.

Three days' notice for an interview is ridiculous, especially if they're not going to be flexible around people's existing commitments. I would decline the interview, something else will come up.

I'm not sure I'd want to work for such an inflexible employer.

if they really want you ie experience very relevant for example, they will be flexible

fact they’re not may indicate it would have been a waste of your time anyway

What's the job- is it likely that they will struggle to find lots of good candidates or are they not really going to be that bothered if you drop out?

Did you say why you wanted a different date/time (i.e. did you say it was a long standing medical appointment which most people appreciate would be hard to change, or did you not really give any explanation)?

They don’t sound great but you could phone up the dentists and explain the dilemma to them. They might be gracious… they might not of course

Companies often put aside a day or two to bulk interview so it may literally be that day or not at all. Did you ask if you can do different time?

My dd was applying to work in schools and had an interview for one school but it was the same day as her dissertation presentation they wouldn't change the interview so she didn't go.

@RedSkyDelights yes I mentioned it was a dentist appointment and that it had been booked for over a month.

I applied for a job in the nhs that was perfect for me. Spoke to the guy I would be working for, he was keen that my skills and experience were perfect too. Then when it came to the interview I got Covid quite badly. They agreed for the interview to be online. My symptoms worsened and I wasn't capable of attending the interview even online. They said tough and wouldn't reschedule. Indicative of their (ironically) bad attitude to unavoidable ill health. Albeit at the time I was really upset, on reflection I dodged a bullet.

If they can’t accommodate I’d take this as a sign that they have an internal/preferred candidate and you were just making up the numbers. If a company is really interested they would try a bit harder.

Definitely a red flag to give such short notice, no choice of day/time and then refuse to reschedule.

@MayaPinion that's what I'm thinking, seems like I've dodged a bullet then.

Sometimes they have commitments they can’t get out of too though. Maybe they only have a short window to interview, maybe one of the panel members is only available that day etc. Whilst it’s not great to offer no flexibility at all, I wouldn’t necessarily write them off as a shit company to work for

They’ve saved you a lot of hassle in interviewing for a job you likely weren’t going to get!

Whatever their reasons, it’s pretty inhuman and unaccommodating and you shouldn’t have to work somewhere like that

I’d reply truthfully, saying ‘unfortunately this is a vital dentist appointment that I cannot miss, and so with regret I can’t attend the interview and will have to decline at this stage. Many thanks for considering me, and I wish you all the best finding the right candidate’

This is a huge red flag.
You’re not the hiring managers favourite candidate if they can’t make an adjustment. Everyone knows NHS dentist appointments are like collecting rocking horse shit.

They're going to be totally inflexible if you work there around appointments because, of course, you live to work, not the other way around. 🫠