If you work in recruitment, or ever have, you will of had the famous phone call from the candidate on the morning or night before telling you they can’t attend their interview. Nowadays, it’s more probable that it’ll be an email or text as this makes it easier and minimises human contact.
Now, things happen. We know that. Life doesn’t always run the way you want it to and often, particularly if you’re in a job, it’s difficult to attend an interview because something happens or your boss makes changes and you have to rearrange things because you just can’t get out of something.
But what about some of the excuses that you just know isn’t true. It still amazes us that people feel the need to bend the truth and be so inventive in coming up with some reasons for not attending. If you don’t want the role, just be honest with your recruiter, they will understand, it saves everyone’s time and effort. No one will mind. But I suppose people are people and these things won’t ever really change.
If you’re an experienced recruiter, you will of heard some beauties, and they still make us laugh, normally after you’ve stop being annoyed at the lengths the person has gone to.
So, as recruitment can be quite stressful sometimes, we thought we would list some classics, here you go:-
“I couldn’t call because I’ve lost my iPhone” – email sent from my iPhone
“I can’t go to the interview anymore because I spilt apricot jam on the outfit I planned to wear, and I won’t feel as confident in my other clothes”
“I can’t do my presentation as I put my laptop in my girlfriend’s safe overnight and now we can’t remember the code”
“I got run over on the way in to the interview on my bike as I was distracted by a UFO”
“I can’t make the interview because my laptop exploded in the middle of the night whilst I was asleep and I am too traumatised”
“I was burgled this morning and had to chase the person which has made me late and exhausted”
“The Google maps app was down so I couldn’t find the place” on being 30 minutes late to an interview
“I am on a juicing diet and I don’t feel my brain is working properly at the moment, can we reschedule when I have lost weight?”
An email two hours before the scheduled interview – “Really bad news I’m afraid. I went out for dinner last night and have food poisoning. I had mussels at Belgos. I am not available tomorrow as I have a mini break booked for Portugal.”
“Really sorry but I have just arrived at the building and I am not going to be able to make the interview as there is only a lift to the office and I am claustrophobic!”
“I went to the wrong office by accident” after failing to make it to the 3rd final stage interview.
“I cant go to the interview as it’s raining”
If you’ve got one, we would love to hear it!
