Author Topic: Phone Interview Etiquette  (Read 1175 times)

Andi_3k

Phone Interview Etiquette
« on: August 13, 2020, 11:36:47 am »
I recently had a phone interview scheduled for a specific time and day. The interviewer selected the appointment and emailed me, not to confirm but basically it was an attitude of “this time or no time.” Ok- he’s in charge he got the job on offer and I accepted that.
  When the appointment time was close I made sure I was in a quiet, professional space ( rather than say the basement or kitchen) and  waited for his call. And waited and waited- for an hour and two minutes. I finally called only to find the number on his email was a personal cellphone. So I googled the company and called the company receptionist who told me “ that’s how he does things and you just have to wait until he’s ready”  I canceled the appointment and said I was no longer interested.
   I was always under the impression that you had to take phone interviews as seriously as in person ones these days, no matter if you were the interviewer or interviewee.
  Is my feeling that the erstwhile Interviewer’s lack of promptness combined with the receptionist’s attitude demonstrated a reflection on the company’s culture off base?  Am I wrong to have been mildly put out by the experience?

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DaDancingPsych

Re: Phone Interview Etiquette
« Reply #1 on: August 13, 2020, 11:55:20 am »
Interviews (in-person, phone, or video) are just as much the company interviewing the candidate as the candidate interviewing the company. The interviewer saying, "I am available on Tuesday at 2pm" (ie. take or leave it style) would not bother me. Usually that is done to prevent all the back and forth and to get the interview done as quickly as possible. It feels a bit presumptuous to me (like we expect the candidates to drop everything for us), but I see it enough to acknowledge that it's how business is done. (In most cases when the managers do this, they are willing to suggest other times if the individual is not available.)

The not calling when scheduled? Big red flag. Minus a major issue followed by a prompt apology, to me this means that the manager does not value the time of others. The receptionist confirmed to you that this was not a one off thing. I don't know that I would read into the receptionist's attitude. She may not be in a position to change or comment on the practice. And she didn't say that's how the company does things, but just this manager. I would probably not want to work for this manager and I would proceed cautiously with this company in the future, but I wouldn't rule them out from this one interaction.

I don't think that you're wrong to be put off. This might cause me to cut ties and not want to work for this manager (and maybe the company). But depending on other things, I may have continued with the process to see what else I could learn. I will say that this sort of thing almost always ends with me deciding that the manager is not going to mesh well with me.
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Jem

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Re: Phone Interview Etiquette
« Reply #2 on: August 13, 2020, 11:56:07 am »
I would have been irritated also. Both the interviewer and the receptionist were rude. The only question is how badly do you need/want the job, but I would certainly factor how the company functions (or rather DYSfunctions) when coming to that determination. Sorry that happened to you!

oogyda

Re: Phone Interview Etiquette
« Reply #3 on: August 13, 2020, 12:58:49 pm »
I would have been irritated also. Both the interviewer and the receptionist were rude. The only question is how badly do you need/want the job, but I would certainly factor how the company functions (or rather DYSfunctions) when coming to that determination. Sorry that happened to you!

I'm not sure I'd say the receptionist was rude based solely on  “ that’s how he does things and you just have to wait until he’s ready” .  Her "tone" was not conveyed and it could have been anything from snippy to factual to sympathetic. 

Interviewer?  Without question he was rude given the information from the receptionist. 
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gramma dishes

Re: Phone Interview Etiquette
« Reply #4 on: August 13, 2020, 01:26:21 pm »
...  Am I wrong to have been mildly put out by the experience?

Yes you are.  You should have been massively and royally ticked off by the experience!    ;D
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Rose Red

Re: Phone Interview Etiquette
« Reply #5 on: August 13, 2020, 05:24:09 pm »
Nope. Interviews are a two way street. A lot of interviewers seem to think people should be grateful they are giving you the time of day. The forget they should be trying to impress you too with what a great place their company is to work for. This guy is not going to get good employees with how he treats people.
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Mistress Mae

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Re: Phone Interview Etiquette
« Reply #6 on: August 14, 2020, 09:48:10 pm »
If I agree to be at a place for an interview, am waiting by the phone for one, or at the computer for a video call, at a certain time on a certain day, I expect the interviewer to be there as well and on time. I understand that sometimes stuff happens and things get in the way of the interview, but that is when someone, the interviewer if possible, reaches out to me (or another interviewee) and explains that they need to reschedule for whatever reason. Not just leave anyone hanging just because.

I'd be upset as well, because time was set aside for this and the interviewer never bothered to call.
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Winterlight

Re: Phone Interview Etiquette
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2020, 12:34:25 pm »
Interviews go both ways- they see if they want to hire you and you see if you want to work for them. It's like dating- the guy who shows up on a first date at a nice restaurant wearing jeans with holes in them and a graphic tee with a naked lady is telling you that he's fine with your first impression of him being someone who doesn't think you deserve his best, and the interviewer who's willfully late to the point where the receptionist not knew he would be because she'd most likely fielded other calls like yours is telling you he (and by extension the company) won't value you or your time.
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Xainte

Re: Phone Interview Etiquette
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2020, 06:40:39 pm »
Of course you're not off base - that was very unprofessional.   Respect for someone's time is goes both ways.  I'm thinking you dodged a bullet with that bozo.
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Codewoman1125

Re: Phone Interview Etiquette
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2020, 01:22:00 pm »
I agree with the above. The fact that this was a virtual interview is of no consequence when it comes to the understood interview etiquette of promptness, attentiveness, and decorum.
-- Formerly Codewoman (but I forgot my password, have changed email, etc.)
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Kimpossible

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Re: Phone Interview Etiquette
« Reply #10 on: August 20, 2020, 08:42:19 am »
I wonder if that was a test to see how much BS you are willing to put up with.
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DaDancingPsych

Re: Phone Interview Etiquette
« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2020, 09:18:16 am »
I wonder if that was a test to see how much BS you are willing to put up with.

Maybe they don't know that it's a test, but I think that you are right. Any manager who behaves this way for an interview is likely to pull all kinds of poor management BS!  ::)
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JeanFromBNA

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Re: Phone Interview Etiquette
« Reply #12 on: August 21, 2020, 02:16:54 pm »
If I agree to be at a place for an interview, am waiting by the phone for one, or at the computer for a video call, at a certain time on a certain day, I expect the interviewer to be there as well and on time. I understand that sometimes stuff happens and things get in the way of the interview, but that is when someone, the interviewer if possible, reaches out to me (or another interviewee) and explains that they need to reschedule for whatever reason. Not just leave anyone hanging just because.

I'd be upset as well, because time was set aside for this and the interviewer never bothered to call.
On the rare occasions that I'm more than a few minutes late for an interview, I'll have someone let them know, and let them reschedule if they want.

Andi_3k

Re: Phone Interview Etiquette Updated #19
« Reply #13 on: August 24, 2020, 03:54:05 pm »
I actually heard from the guy about 3 days after the phone interview was actually scheduled. He said he had it written down wrong and had it for the day after. Even though he emailed me the information for the interview. The email came 2 day AFTER he “thought “ it was scheduled and he said he understood I was “no longer interested but I should realize this does not reflect on the company but only on him”

gramma dishes

Re: Phone Interview Etiquette Updated #19
« Reply #14 on: August 24, 2020, 08:47:34 pm »
I actually heard from the guy about 3 days after the phone interview was actually scheduled. He said he had it written down wrong and had it for the day after. Even though he emailed me the information for the interview. The email came 2 day AFTER he “thought “ it was scheduled and he said he understood I was “no longer interested but I should realize this does not reflect on the company but only on him”

Do you believe him?   Seems that the receptionist thinks he does things like this frequently!  But at least he apologized and I find that alone pretty unusual.   I certainly didn't expect you'd be reporting this!
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