A Tale of 'Merica and Milk - I just walked out and abandoned a job interview. FML.

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xxxxxx,

With all due respect I arrived at 2:45pm and walked out at 3:47pm. I filled out your application, took your test and was completed by 3:00. Your previous candidate that you were interviewing walked out around 3:05 and I waited an extra 40+ minutes for my interview that you scheduled at 3.. While I understand things come up, and business must keep going, I am also very professional in how I handle myself and any business relationships. To be made to wait, with not so much as you coming out to shake my hand, introducing yourself and letting me know you were running behind I feel was extremely unprofessional. While I respect your accomplishments and your business, I have no desire to pursue any sort of working relationship with your company.

Thanks,
xxxxxxx


edited: fixed some grammatical mistakes from editing out names

“I feel extremely was unprofessional” ? What?

edit: argh you fixed it... or was I dyslexic for a moment there?
 
You're not in the wrong, OP. When employers set up an interview or a meeting and just ignore you when you show up, it's not your fault.

They're the same people who would insult you for being 2 minutes late.
 
For fuck's sake, Thacker.
You've been looking for a job for ages. This ain't the way to go about it, man
As much as I think waiting 45 minutes isn't really that big of a deal, you could've probably found out the real reason/fixed it pretty easily by just rescheduling. Instead you gave a pretty strong case as to why you shouldn't have email.
 
Again, taking OP's word it sounds like it was supposed to be at 3.



He had been waiting for 45 minutes with no explanation. To me, that's unreasonable. It would have taken him seconds to phone the secretary and say something.

45 minutes?! The horror! THE HORROR!!!
 
xxxxxx,

With all due respect I arrived at 2:45pm and walked out at 3:47pm. I filled out your application, took your test and was completed by 3:00. Your previous candidate that you were interviewing walked out around 3:05 and I waited an extra 40+ minutes for my interview that you scheduled at 3.. While I understand things come up, and business must keep going, I am also very professional in how I handle myself and any business relationships. To be made to wait, with not so much as you coming out to shake my hand, introducing yourself and letting me know you were running behind I feel was extremely unprofessional. While I respect your accomplishments and your business, I have no desire to pursue any sort of working relationship with your company.

Thanks,
xxxxxxx


edited: fixed some grammatical mistakes from editing out names

OP... you da man.

Seriously though, if you want a job you should heed some advice and really think outside of just "yourself" in these situations. The guy's short handed 2 staffers and though replacing them is important, he's got customers he's gotta please right that moment.
 
Thacker you are my fucking hero. You should have a mod tag stating that you are my fucking hero, because you are my fucking hero.

Edit: Seriously people, one job opportunity in a lifetime is nothing, Thacker here had the golden opportunity to shove someone's shit attitude straight down their throat and took it. He's a god-damned hero.

I love that you just assume the owner was being a dick and delaying the interview on purpose. You have no idea what was going on in his office and what does sending a letter to the owner accomplish? Absolutely nothing except he could've spent that time waiting for the interview instead of writing a pointless letter
 
Thacker said:
xxxxxx,

With all due respect I arrived at 2:45pm and walked out at 3:47pm. I filled out your application, took your test and was completed by 3:00. Your previous candidate that you were interviewing walked out around 3:05 and I waited an extra 40+ minutes for my interview that you scheduled at 3.. While I understand things come up, and business must keep going, I am also very professional in how I handle myself and any business relationships. To be made to wait, with not so much as you coming out to shake my hand, introducing yourself and letting me know you were running behind I feel was extremely unprofessional. While I respect your accomplishments and your business, I have no desire to pursue any sort of working relationship with your company.

Thanks,
xxxxxxx

Does Atlanta need any structural arsonists?
burning-bridge.jpg
 
xxxxxx,

With all due respect I arrived at 2:45pm and walked out at 3:47pm. I filled out your application, took your test and was completed by 3:00. Your previous candidate that you were interviewing walked out around 3:05 and I waited an extra 40+ minutes for my interview that you scheduled at 3.. While I understand things come up, and business must keep going, I am also very professional in how I handle myself and any business relationships. To be made to wait, with not so much as you coming out to shake my hand, introducing yourself and letting me know you were running behind I feel was extremely unprofessional. While I respect your accomplishments and your business, I have no desire to pursue any sort of working relationship with your company.

Thanks,
xxxxxxx


edited: fixed some grammatical mistakes from editing out names
Why burn bridges that weren't even built yet

i dont understand

my head
 
Man I hate that shit

*Shows up an hour late to the interview*

1/2 way through the interview:

"Now let me explain to your our very strict attendance and punctuality policy"

Pisses me off to no end, but you gotta say "thank you sir, may I have another?"
 
There's a decent middle ground in between the varying degrees of advice I'm seeing on this thread from:

1) telling your potential new boss to "suck it, bitch"

and

2) volunteering to be ridden like a horse and treated badly

The people who say to be human and mention to the receptionist that "Hey I was here for a 3pm interview, can you please check and confirm that it's still on" are right.
 
It sounds like you'll have other opportunities given your work history and training, but in the future I'd resist the urge to make global judgments about the interviewer and the job based on a single incident like this. His behavior might indeed have been a product of an unprofessional demeanor or inconsiderate personality, or maybe it was just a very busy day, or maybe there was miscommunication. Maybe you should have asked the receptionist outright what was causing the delay.

If this happened to me, I'd be annoyed as well, or at least confused and concerned, but I'd stick around and complete the interview. If the interview didn't assuage my concerns about the position and the management, then I'd still have the option of turning it down. At least then I'd have as much information as I could get before making the decision.
 
Thacker you are my fucking hero. You should have a mod tag stating that you are my fucking hero, because you are my fucking hero.

Edit: Seriously people, one job opportunity in a lifetime is nothing, Thacker here had the golden opportunity to shove someone's shit attitude straight down their throat and took it. He's a god-damned hero.
In the current job market? People have been going unemployed or underemployed for quite literally years. Atlanta is certainly a better market than many major cities, but I'm pretty sure Thacker has been at this searching thing for quite awhile.

It may be another 2 months before an opportunity of that quality comes by. Who knows.
 
Ok the letter was a little overboard. Never deliver consequences unless you have the leverage. This was a bit more bridge-burney than you usually want.
 
WAIT THIS WAS IN ATLANTA?!

I work in software here! There's a decent chance I know what company this is. I'm gonna ping out and see if anyone has any crazy interview stories from today.
 
xxxxxx,

With all due respect I arrived at 2:45pm and walked out at 3:47pm. I filled out your application, took your test and was completed by 3:00. Your previous candidate that you were interviewing walked out around 3:05 and I waited an extra 40+ minutes for my interview that you scheduled at 3.. While I understand things come up, and business must keep going, I am also very professional in how I handle myself and any business relationships. To be made to wait, with not so much as you coming out to shake my hand, introducing yourself and letting me know you were running behind I feel was extremely unprofessional. While I respect your accomplishments and your business, I have no desire to pursue any sort of working relationship with your company.

Thanks,
xxxxxxx


edited: fixed some grammatical mistakes from editing out names

Wtf. This makes you seem completely unhireable and like a nightmare to work with.
 
xxxxxx,

With all due respect I arrived at 2:45pm and walked out at 3:47pm. I filled out your application, took your test and was completed by 3:00. Your previous candidate that you were interviewing walked out around 3:05 and I waited an extra 40+ minutes for my interview that you scheduled at 3.. While I understand things come up, and business must keep going, I am also very professional in how I handle myself and any business relationships. To be made to wait, with not so much as you coming out to shake my hand, introducing yourself and letting me know you were running behind I feel was extremely unprofessional. While I respect your accomplishments and your business, I have no desire to pursue any sort of working relationship with your company.

Thanks,
xxxxxxx


edited: fixed some grammatical mistakes from editing out names

This is great. I think you should have high standards for the companies that want your employment. I think you should walk out and leave no later than 15 minutes after a scheduled time. Anything later and clearly they are an unprofessional business that cannot manage their time.
 
I said it before but I would never leave a potential employee sitting on his hands waiting on me without so much as an introduction. It's grossly disrespectful and nobody should stand for it.

Well he wasn't just sitting on his hands. He took a test during that time.
 
I said it before but I would never leave a potential employee sitting on his hands waiting on me without so much as an introduction. It's grossly disrespectful and nobody should stand for it.


This would be great if only everyone did it ... that's not the world we live in right now ...
 
You should track down the other interviewee who was leaving before. If he gets hired, have him buy you lunch since you just made his competition one less person and helped him get the job.

Wait until he gets his first paycheck at that job though, that's only fair.
 
Wow. You screwed up. Then you sent that email. Wow.

That guy is sending that email to all his friends in the area and they are all laughing at you. Oh and they won't even call you in to wait around.
 
That letter comes off a bit almighty to me. You could have asked the receptionist to reschedule for you or check on him to make sure he was aware you were there waiting. I understand it's aggravating to be made to wait, but I'd hardly consider what he did unprofessional and beneath you

Honestly... I felt as if the receptionist was sending me signals the entire time I was there.

When she handed me this huge packet to fill out I made a comment like along the lines of "just like a doctors office..."

She laughed. Said "Probably a lot more painful...."


Also during our small talk I said she seemed very busy and her reply was "yea... I do HR.. billing, receivables, shipping, HR, payroll, dispatch and customer service... I don't usually have a lot of time to think about here."

Also of note was how she told me about the two techs leaving. She said they left unannounced and she felt extremely sorry for the techs still there because of how they were already busy, but now they were "unreasonably" busy.
 
While I've had trouble getting interviews my skillset is high in demand in the Atlanta area and I am pretty confident something else will come along if I can hold out a bit longer. I recently got a misdemeanor expunged from my record which was holding me back dramatically... and I've been applying heavily and sending resumes for about 3 weeks now. I have 9+ Microsoft Certs, 1 Cisco, 2 CompTia and various other customer service related courses under my belt, along with 8+ years of total IT related experience. I am 27.

You're going on a hope and a prayer right now. You're hoping that with your qualifications things will pan out, but that isn't always the case. In a month you might have an awesome job and you can look back at this interview and say it was worth it. On the other hand you might still be unemployed desperately looking for a job. Your qualifications don't automatically mean you get jobs. I hope things work out for you, but this was still incredibly stupid regardless of how it turns out for you.
 
40 minutes isn't a lot really. Considering your difficulties even getting an interview and how much you said you wanted a job I'm surprised you would do that.
 
Thacker you are my fucking hero. You should have a mod tag stating that you are my fucking hero, because you are my fucking hero.

Edit: Seriously people, one job opportunity in a lifetime is nothing, Thacker here had the golden opportunity to shove someone's shit attitude straight down their throat and took it. He's a god-damned hero.

And if the interviewer has connections to other IT companies in the area, say good bye to jobs in Atlanta.

IT industry is a small world.
 
WAIT THIS WAS IN ATLANTA?!

I work in software here! There's a decent chance I know what company this is. I'm gonna ping out and see if anyone has any crazy interview stories from today.

Oh shit. Nothing like burning multiple bridges.

Also during our small talk I said she seemed very busy and her reply was "yea... I do HR.. billing, receivables, shipping, HR, payroll, dispatch and customer service... I don't usually have a lot of time to think about here."

Also of note was how she told me about the two techs leaving. She said they left unannounced and she felt extremely sorry for the techs still there because of how they were already busy, but now they were "unreasonably" busy.

Umm that is nothing unheard of, her having multiple rolls.

And to the bolded: THAT IS WHY THEY ARE HIRING PEOPLE.
 
Honestly... I felt as if the receptionist was sending me signals the entire time I was there.

When she handed me this huge packet to fill out I made a comment like along the lines of "just like a doctors office..."

She laughed. Said "Probably a lot more painful...."


Also during our small talk I said she seemed very busy and her reply was "yea... I do HR.. billing, receivables, shipping, HR, payroll, dispatch and customer service... I don't usually have a lot of time to think about here."

Also of note was how she told me about the two techs leaving. She said they left unannounced and she felt extremely sorry for the techs still there because of how they were already busy, but now they were "unreasonably" busy.

Whatever helps you sleep at night, man.
 
I've been in the same situation and a job with a boss with shitty time management is better than no job at all. If you got the job and it turned out a nightmare you could've easily quit. Ditching the interview means you'll never know either way.
 
xxxxxx,

With all due respect I arrived at 2:45pm and walked out at 3:47pm. I filled out your application, took your test and was completed by 3:00. Your previous candidate that you were interviewing walked out around 3:05 and I waited an extra 40+ minutes for my interview that you scheduled at 3.. While I understand things come up, and business must keep going, I am also very professional in how I handle myself and any business relationships. To be made to wait, with not so much as you coming out to shake my hand, introducing yourself and letting me know you were running behind I feel was extremely unprofessional. While I respect your accomplishments and your business, I have no desire to pursue any sort of working relationship with your company.

Thanks,
xxxxxxx
Sounds good to me. If anything, people looking for work need to stop putting employers on a pedestal. Both sides win with a quality hire, and both sides have their parts to play. Its an equal relationship, and both parties can end it prematurely. A potential boss letting you sit for an hour past your schedule without saying a word is setting the wrong tone and the wrong example right from the get-go.

When in doubt, follow your gut.
 
Honestly... I felt as if the receptionist was sending me signals the entire time I was there.

When she handed me this huge packet to fill out I made a comment like along the lines of "just like a doctors office..."

She laughed. Said "Probably a lot more painful...."


Also during our small talk I said she seemed very busy and her reply was "yea... I do HR.. billing, receivables, shipping, HR, payroll, dispatch and customer service... I don't usually have a lot of time to think about here."

Also of note was how she told me about the two techs leaving. She said they left unannounced and she felt extremely sorry for the techs still there because of how they were already busy, but now they were "unreasonably" busy.

Probably information you should've included in your OP
 
Thacker we think a like. Except I walked out of my job after 6 1/2 years today.

I might make a thread about what I just did because now I need advice.
 
Of course it would do good. That's six months of salary and experience and he has a job when it comes time to look for a new one, which is a huge benefit.

Really, he totally blew this opportunity.

Not sure if others have responded to this point yet but most decent recruiters are not going to see a six month stint at any company and think it's a good thing. If anything, it raises red flags, because it opens the door to all sorts of questions like "Why were you only at X place for such a short amount of time?" Obviously the job market is still totally upside down so some of the "old" wisdom doesn't necessarily apply, but a lot of the old wisdom absolutely still does. The only way 6-month blocks benefit the job seeker is if he or she is a contractor moving from project to project, client to client, being placed by one company. Otherwise, it doesn't indicate stability, which is a big issue.

Could the OP have handled things differently? Absolutely. He absolutely should have asked what was thing on. He should have made his presence known beyond making small talk with the receptionist.

Hell, almost five years ago, I was in a similar interview situation. IT support position, interview scheduled for 9:30am with the IT manager. Guy didn't get in until 10. I was waiting in the lobby since 9:20. That was in the middle of the recession and I was desperate, so I stuck it out, but I also had a few in's at the place and knew what was going on.

A lot of people understate the importance of instinct in situations like these. If a manager's behavior and actions don't seem quite right, there's probably a good reason why. If a place had two sudden and unexpected resignations the week before, there could be a good reason why. When times are tough, like this, it's the smaller shops that typically fall apart. I'm talking 6-14 people. Sounds like that's exactly what's going on here.

So, even though the OP didn't handle the situation correctly, he still made the right call in getting out of there. There will be other interviews, other better opportunities, at far more stable places.

Stability is the name of the game on both sides. Applicant looking for stability. Employer looking for stability.
 
Also during our small talk I said she seemed very busy and her reply was "yea... I do HR.. billing, receivables, shipping, HR, payroll, dispatch and customer service... I don't usually have a lot of time to think about here."

Also of note was how she told me about the two techs leaving. She said they left unannounced and she felt extremely sorry for the techs still there because of how they were already busy, but now they were "unreasonably" busy.

This is all EXTREMELY normal in an 8-person company.
 
WAIT THIS WAS IN ATLANTA?!

I work in software here! There's a decent chance I know what company this is. I'm gonna ping out and see if anyone has any crazy interview stories from today.

Same here, but I don't want to go all detective and shame this guy any further.
 
Having to wait 45 minutes means the owner has a shit attitude? Get over yourself.

Yep. Senior management gets busy sometimes, that's life. This was pretty unreal to read, but good luck finding a job where meetings always start exactly on time and nothing ever gets off schedule.
 
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