E-mail Interview - feeling disadvantaged

[TsunamiSurfer]

Shamelessly posting here for traffic..

I applied for a job, and received an invitation to interview.

On the day of the interview the potential employer rescheduled from an in person interview to an e-mail interview due to unforeseen circumstances.

id never heard of an e-mail interview but basically they e-mailed me the interview questions at 1pm and I had 1.5 hours to complete.

in one way this was a positive but in another…. I had trouble with google docs which impacted on my time, I had to copy and paste things into a word document and start again so I wound up having to go over the 1.5 hours by 20 mins which I did explain was due to technical difficulties with google docs.

mega annoyingly I noticed the odd typo and extra word after submission - in spite having spell checked.

it was 5 pages of interview and then personal screening questions.

they said in their e-mail that this interview method wouldn’t disadvantage me but aside from not being put on the spot in person I feel as though it has, I wouldn’t have run out of time in a real interview and I wouldn’t have added in extra words.

its a job I have experience of and its minimum wage (I mention this as it felt like I was applying for a job with a much higher pay grade) but has been the most bizarre interview experience….

especially given communication is 80% body language.

my answers were good and I wouldn’t really change them but I don’t think I’m getting the job am I?

the thing is I type bloody fast too so god knows how a slower typer would’ve got on

what are your own thoughts and experiences?

id never even heard of an e-mail interview up until this point.

I've never heard of one either and unless I was desperate for a job I would drop out at that stage
In person for me all the way

That feels weird, but nothing you can do now. Shame they couldn’t reschedule

Yeah, you’re right - maybe that’s why I’m so meh about it too - I didn’t get my chance to shine in person I guess.

I am really keen on the opportunity, or rather I was, but it’s taken the shine off a bit.

It’s a local employer, so not a scam or anything but I suspect they must do this regularly as the e-mail read very much like a template one.

I’m frustrated at myself for the typo and the extra words here and there but at least it proves I’m human and I didn’t use AI!

You’re right - nothing I can do now - I guess I just have to let it go.

I felt I was a strong candidate too but perhaps I just have to have faith that what’s meant for me won’t pass me by and if this does then it’s not on me.

Did everyone do an email interview, or just you?

How odd. Have you ever actually had a verbal conversation with any of them or seen them, even in a video call? Have they even asked to see you or speak to you at all?

I'd be shocked at an employer being so unbotheted about anything relating to the physical existence of the candidate other than the fact 'they' supposedly completed and submitted a document.

They put in minimal effort at this point so I certainly wouldn't dwell on the outcome.

I don’t know….I think this is irking me too as you’ll get so much more from an in person interview, plus it’s a retail position so it makes even more sense to favour in person over e-mail.

If everyone has been e-mail at least I’ll feel like we are all on an even playing field but I have no way of knowing.

Excellent point - they put in minimal effort - i won’t dwell on the outcome and I think I’ll just write it off and chalk it up to experience.

I have had no communication with them face to face or verbal via any means.

At least I know that e-mail interviews are a thing now.

Yes, the (possible) different modes of interviewing would be a concern for me too (though, some people may actually be better in written answers). In my organization, if anyone needs to do a virtual interview (international organization, so this is almost always the case), everyone does a virtual interview. I've done interviews where I'm sitting in the office next one of the other people (I've done this as both the interviewer and the interviewee) but it was still done virtually.

I've never had one of these but I definitely wouldn't be happy with an interview that had no "meeting" factor ie via Teams at least, or in person.

Dodged a bullet.

You mentioned it was a template, so they have issues with time, its minimum wage and they wanted 1.5 hrs for 5 pages of questions and then personal questions? How can they say "it wont impact you" - they dont determine the impact - you do.

Id be impacted by an email interview being dyslexic and dyspraxic, but how the hell can a company say you wont be impacted, and you were.

Bullet dodged there, I think this would be a terrible company to work for.

Appreciate your response - this was what I was thinking - virtual interview fine, but a written template in 2026?
you’re all making me feel so much better

This is where I’m at, even more so after this thread

I recently started a new job and the first stage was a phone call, it went really well, they then said so we need to set up a face to face then, as obviously I need to meet you! As it was a smaller local organisation face to face was more their thing but to me a virtual face to face interview would be bare minimum. I think as others do that you've had a lucky escape- I hope you find something soon 😊

Thank you - I can see more and more that I may have dodged a bullet here - and you’ve hit the nail on the head there, they don’t get to consider the impact, only I do.

I did consider how it may impact someone with dyslexia, or other conditions.

some of the scenario based questions were also absolutely insane.

this is the positive side of mumsnet - I literally feel like a problem shared is a problem halved.

Thank god for you lot!

Thank you ☺️

OP, copy and pasting some questions into a doc and back is about the most basic computer skill there is. I really don’t see how having to do that should cause you to go over time or be disadvantaged. Perhaps look to see if your local library offers any upskilling lessons for IT because the majority of jobs with any level of computer use will expect that to be second nature.

Or am I misunderstanding what the actual issue was?

This is strange and not something I’ve ever heard of. An interview is a two way process for you to decide if you want to work there as much as them deciding if you can do the job.
If they’ve reduced the process to a written submission it says a lot about them and their culture and processes. They can’t have considered any reasonable adjustments as a written only process can easily disadvantage candidates with excellent interpersonal skills who may have dyslexia or other additional difficulties.

I’d decline even if they offer you, this will only be the start of your issues. If they decline you, don’t feel bad, you’ve dodged a bullet.

AI could likely have helped in this situation.

I don't think OPs IT skills are the issue- I think they mentioned an issue with some software on the day but not their actual skills. The issue is, to me definitely, that an email interview isn't really an interview.

It's a lazy approach to sourcing staff, so you can be sure they don't care about you as an employee, you're minimum wage so they can't even be bothered to give you the time of day.

You can also be sure that you've done all the hard work, they won't have to spend any further time on you because they will just stick your interview file in with 100 others and get AI to pick the top however many candidates they intend to recruit. All done in moments.

This is the future of recruitment for call centre roles and many other types of work where investment in people is the bottom of their priority list. They're even using bargain basement googledocs that they don't need a license for.

Utterly depressing. If they do accept you, be very cautious about their contract of employment to ensure you agree with how you'll be employed

To be honest I don't think they're a common thing. It's not a good first impression from the candidate's side so the calibre would be lowered because the employer cba.

Did you have to fill in an application form to apply OP?

If not, these emailed questions just could be in place of an application form with longer answers.

Google docs initially looked encrypted no matter what I tried to do initially, then it kept throwing up error messages, then I finally got to view it as a word document but I couldn’t save or edit it - I think this was to do with permissions on my PC.

The copy and paste bit to word was basic.

I’m familiar with Microsoft packages but you’re right in so far as it’s highlighted I need to learn more when it comes to navigating Google docs! So a training opportunity exists there.

Yeah, you’re right - how do you get a feel of what an employer or the Manager, etc. are like?

I definitely feel a bit robbed here too.