I decided to apply for a job in another city about 5-8 years ago. I got shortlisted on the very day my mum had a hospital appointment and therefore I rearranged the interview date so I could be with her. Guess what? There was a tube, bus and rail strike where I live on the interview date! (This was before interviews became more commonplace on MS Teams). I rang to explain my predicament, but by then, they'd lost interest.
Well, my mum has never let me live it down and she'll say I've now been black-listed, as 6 months after, I applied for a similar job at the same place (NHS - clerical and admin) and my application wasn't successful 😣. My mum still brings it up with, "You'll never get a job now in that city. You've messed it up. They'll remember you for being flaky". I tell her I should be allowed to make mistakes and I'm sure by now they'll be a new set of people and have forgotten me by now? and this is how it goes 🤷. I feel so stuck.