The challenges of looking for a job often motivate us to do things we never thought we would. Usually, this is a good thing: we step out of our comfort zones, make sacrifices, and face tough decisions in order to improve our chances of landing that job.
Sometimes, though, it brings out the worst in us. It can make us do things that we’re not supposed to be doing as professionals, and which we’ll inevitably regret later.
The thing is, it’s not always obvious right away what negative effects these questionable actions can have. So we’ve put together this handy multi-part guide to help you avoid them during your career-seeking.
JUST DON’T: NO-SHOW YOUR INTERVIEW
Career-seekers are not exempted from having emergencies. The world doesn’t suddenly stop while you’re looking for a job, and anything can happen. It could be in any part of your life, or it could involve anyone you know. And when it happens, you have to take care of it before it gets worse.
Recruiters are mature and professional enough to know and understand this. They go through the same things, because they’re people just like you and me. And they often have to devote time and attention to such emergencies that they might have already planned to use for something else, like work or relaxation.
What recruiters don’t tolerate, however, is why some applicants who suddenly have to attend to emergencies on the day of the interview don’t even bother to let them know. These applicants just no-show the appointment without notifying them, and the recruiter has no one for the hiring manager or the head of the requesting department to interview.
The worst part is when some of these applicants follow up later about the position they applied for: if the vacant spot was filled during the time they were unavailable, they become angry and spread word that the company is unreasonably difficult to get into.
Such applicants are the type you do not want to imitate, because they incorrectly assume a few things:
- First, that an emergency gives them an excuse to not be professional. Well, it doesn’t. It takes less than a minute to advise a recruiter there’s an emergency that must be attended to, which is surely more considerate and professional than not saying anything at all.
- Second, that it’s okay to notify the recruiter later. The whole point of advising the recruiter of a sudden emergency is to allow them to adjust their plans ahead of time. It’s very disrespectful to deny them this – it’s like saying their time isn’t important.
- Third, that the company is obliged to wait for candidates. That’s a big NO. They will respect that an emergency has come up, but they have absolutely no obligation to wait for the candidate. That doesn’t mean that the applicant is not qualified; rather, it means that the applicant is not the only one qualified for the position. And of course, they are trying to fill the position as quickly as possible so they will move forward with someone else if the previous candidate is unavailable.
Avoid these assumptions. Always notify the recruiter if you have an emergency that will prevent you from coming to your interview. It’s the professional thing to do, and who knows? It might increase the chances that they’ll keep your file for future opportunities.
Now, you might be wondering: what if I don’t want to pursue an opportunity with a company any more? What if I’m declining the interview not because of an emergency, but because I’m no longer interested?
Then tell them. It’s still a much better way of dealing with the dilemma than just no-showing for no apparent reason. It’s honest, and it shows them that you know what you want and what you think you deserve. These are desirable qualities which indicate that you are focused and determined regardless of any challenges in your way.
There’s also another tech-savvy reason that no-showing your interview could get you into trouble. Job portals offer different functions for career-seekers and employers. Some job portals give recruiters the option to add permanent and publicly visible ratings and comments on candidate profiles. This includes indicating whether a candidate no-showed their interview, which will be available for every other employer to see. Obviously, you wouldn’t want this to happen to you.
So before you decide to not show up for your interview without notifying the recruiter, think about how much easier it will be to build good rapport and encourage future opportunities if you take the time to send a text or an email to them. One message is all it takes.