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Hey all, 

A little advice needed for your world of knowledge and experience on if I should mention a mistake made by HR on my interview time so I don’t look like I can’t time keep?

I just finished a job interview with a twist. My interview planned for 2pm, which was sent to me in an email.

I turned up to the office an hour early due to the long drive and was planning on spending the time before the interview going over my cards and trying not to panic. 

At 1:15pm the HR girl (lets call her S) called to say the interview was meant to start at 1pm. I panicked a little said sorry and checked the email on my phone as I rushed into the building.

I explained to the HR girl that the email said 2pm and she said sorry for sending me the wrong information. 

In the interview room I met the manager who was going to interview me along with S. We all shook hands and the interview started with no mention of being late or not being told the correct interview time. 

After the interview we again shook hands and I was escorted out of the building by the manager with neither of us talking about the interview start time.

Should I mention in the thank you letter or send an email to explain the difference in start time for the interview?

I am concerned the HR girl doesn't mention that it was not my fault and if I do bring this subject up is there any advice on what I should write?

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Phil B

 

stenya's picture
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Phil, I'd suggest checking in with S by phone or email about this mix-up - it's reasonable to ask whether she told the hiring manager that she mistakenly told you the wrong start time. And if not, to please do so! This shouldn't reflect badly on you. I hope the interview went well, otherwise!

I was on the other side of this problem last year: I called a candidate for a telephone interview, and her first words to me were "I was EXPECTING your call two HOURS AGO." Okay... ? Apparently, the recruiter who set up our appointment didn't account for the time-zone difference between me and the candidate, and the candidate decided to quietly spend her afternoon fuming instead of reaching out to the recruiter for an explanation or rescheduled interview. Weird day all around.

svibanez's picture

First off, good on you for allowing the extra time ahead of the appointment! It seems like something unexpected always comes up when you're going to an important appointment - and you allowed for that in your plan.

Is the hiring manager more interested in excuses or in how you handled the situation?  If you point out the HR mistake, it will probably sound like whining. It sounds like you handled it pretty well, assuming the interview itself went well, and that could go in your favor.  How you handle an unexpected time change can show a lot about how you deal with stressful situations.

It wouldn't hurt to check with "S" to see if you did, indeed, have the time wrong.  Your approach is going to be important.  You're less likely to get an honest answer if you go in with a you-told-me-the-wrong-time-and-made-me-late approach.  I recommend you explain to her that you were concerned about having been late and ask if you had written down the wrong time.  If "S" realizes she made a mistake, she may well inform the hiring manager of the mistake without any prompting from you.  If you made the mistake, own up to it if the subject comes up at your second interview.

Steve

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brew752's picture

 

Thank you for your advice, it follows mostly my experiences.

I have sent my thank you letter to both the manager and S thanking them for the interview and I also slipped in a few lines apologising if I had come across nervous as the time change caught me off guard.  I didn't try and blame anyone and just moved on as in my experience the blame game usually causing more harm.

Just have to wait and see if I get invited back now.

Again thanks for your help.

 

Phil

 

 Good judgement comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgement.