What did I miss?

 

I'm hearing you. You can only do so much.

 

Simply put, delaying an interview (or class date) for any reason these days has the potential to hurt your chances with a company. Of course it depends on where you're applying and the personal thinkings of the HR staff/hiring manager, but from an employers standpoint there's always a possibility of it affecting their opinion of your application.

The best thing that you can do if you have to delay an interview or class date is this:

-Immediately apologize that you are unable to accept the interview on the date that was offered. If possible, explain politely why you are unable to meet their request.

-As soon as you are finished, reaffirm that you want to interview/start and ask if they have another date that you can reschedule to immediately (preferably a day that you know for certain that would work).

-If they don't have a date readily available, ask if it would be okay to call back to reschedule. Be proactive- most employers will offer their phone number to call back. Wait a few days and then call them back and "remind them" that you're still interested.

Good luck!
~Josh

 

If offered, I would do what you can to make it... certainly stuff comes up and you cant but If I was actively sending out resumes now, which I wont be for a couple months, Id be hard pressed to turn one down especially if it was somewhere I really wanted to work. I know when I went thru getting hired at AE back in the OLD days they were hiring 75 a month and had been for awhile and the gouge was that they would be for another year and then 3 months after I was thru the school house.....BAM.....stopped hiring and they never did again in my three years with them.

 

I think Josh and Herc are right on the mark.

I can't imagine that many air carriers would retain an interest in a person who is willing to blow off an interview offer for other than a very good reason.

There are understandable reasons for turning down an interview. Hiring managers are well aware that you may not be able to make a short notice interview. Active crewmembers may have a problem getting released from their line, or maybe your only daughter's wedding is on that day.

Just remember that you sent them your resume. You asked them for a job. Asking to delay the interview (or the class date) without a reasonable explanation gives the distinct impression that you are not serious, or worse yet, that you're hoping for a better offer. No employer wants to be your "fall-back" option.

 

Southwest emailed me last year while I was in the pool at Fedex (10000hrs TTL, 1800PIC Turb, no type, 4yr Deg). I was a little torn because although I was happy with the career security at Fedex, I was not technically on property and still had a few months to go til I had a class date. I called Southwest back for the interview and set a date. Then I reconsidered, thinking I have already won the lottery, why burn a spot that someone needs more than I.

I called them back and asked them if it would be acceptable to delay the interview for a few months to straighten out some distractions that were going on in my life so that I could give the interview the 100% focus that it required (half-truth). They were fine with that and told me to give them a call when I was ready to reschedule. I soon started class at Fedex and forgot about that call. A few months later I recieved an email asking if I was ready to reschedule.

I was a little surprised since I hadn't updated my profile in 9 months. I blew off the email thinking they didn't need me to tell them I wasn't interested at that point. I figured the absence of a reply would have been sufficient. Perhaps I should have just told them I could be taken off the list... Anyway, I got a phone call a few months later from the hiring department wondering if I were interested in interviewing. I told them that I was happy to say I was at Fedex but thank you for considering me.

Point being, Southwest for one will not strike you from their list if you need more time. I can't speak for other companies but if you are qualified and you need time to sort things out or prepare, don't be afraid to give yourself the time. You are giving up seniority but giving yourself a chance to do a better interview, so no sense rushing in and blowing it. That will kill your chances quicker than asking for more time.

It used to be that as fragile and competitive as hiring was, you didn't have the luxury of asking for more time. Nowadays you do have the ability to ask without ruining your chances.

 

If at all possible, always take the first interview day they give you. And always take the first class date you can get. Seniority seniority seniority.

 

I recently had to turn down an interview as well. I have a set schedule for the rest of the year. There is no way I am going to call in sick or otherwise screw my current company over for an interview. I really want to work at the company that called, hopefully they will call back with a date I can make.

 

thats my position billy. i really do want to work at the company that called, just can't get off from work the interview date.

 

I agree, calling in sick for an interview is a bad idea. Many companies ask how you got the day off to come see them for an interview, which means that you either have to lie (bad idea) or you tell them the truth which doesn't sound so good either. If you're willing to call in sick for an interview, what else do you use sick time for? If you were hiring pilots, would you want someone who used sick time to come for the interview?