Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?

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Madness
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PostCan I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Madness » Sat Jan 04, 2020 5:42 pm

Oh lads I’m strawberry floated. I’ve got an interview on Monday for a job I really want, it’s a second interview and I’m one of two candidates left.

However this weekend I am absolutely laid up with a horrible cold. Fever, chills, squits, the lot. I know we have lots of professional people on the forum - do you think it would significantly hurt me if I called on Monday morning asking to reschedule? Obviously I’m hoping I can rally tonight and tomorrow, but oh my god I am so stressed out.

Any advice would be appreciated with this!

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Lex-Man
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Lex-Man » Sat Jan 04, 2020 5:51 pm

It depends on the employer but I'm guessing they'd be a fairly decent chance of them rescheduling. If you're really not up for it there's not point in not trying to reschedule.

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Ecno
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Ecno » Sat Jan 04, 2020 5:52 pm

Madness wrote:Oh lads I’m strawberry floated. I’ve got an interview on Monday for a job I really want, it’s a second interview and I’m one of two candidates left.

However this weekend I am absolutely laid up with a horrible cold. Fever, chills, squits, the lot. I know we have lots of professional people on the forum - do you think it would significantly hurt me if I called on Monday morning asking to reschedule? Obviously I’m hoping I can rally tonight and tomorrow, but oh my god I am so stressed out.

Any advice would be appreciated with this!


Yes you can. If they liked you and they don't need to make an immediate hire they'll wait. What's 2/3 days when your notice is probably 1 month+ anyway.

I'd probably drop an email sometime tomorrow though and follow up with a call first thing in the morning just to show it's not a last minute flaky thing.

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Dual
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Dual » Sat Jan 04, 2020 5:56 pm

Is it through an agency or direct with the employer?

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Tomous
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Tomous » Sat Jan 04, 2020 5:59 pm

As it's a second stage interview I would definitely try to postpone. If it was first I'd say postponing could mean you miss the chance but you already know they like you and as it's second stage I'm assuming a more senior member of staff will be involved? In my experience, they'll always want to see two candidates to compare.

Unless they urgently need someone in (which I'm guessing would have been communicated to you in the first round) I would call them first thing and explain and try to reschedule.

I'd also try not to stress about it because that won't help your recovery-easier said than done though I know!

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Oblomov Boblomov
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Oblomov Boblomov » Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:04 pm

Bradford Factor bonus pre-offer :datass: get in there.

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Dual
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Dual » Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:06 pm

Can you take a mountain of drugs to get through the interview?

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Clarkman
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Clarkman » Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:21 pm

Madness wrote:Oh lads I’m strawberry floated. I’ve got an interview on Monday for a job I really want, it’s a second interview and I’m one of two candidates left.

However this weekend I am absolutely laid up with a horrible cold. Fever, chills, squits, the lot. I know we have lots of professional people on the forum - do you think it would significantly hurt me if I called on Monday morning asking to reschedule? Obviously I’m hoping I can rally tonight and tomorrow, but oh my god I am so stressed out.

Any advice would be appreciated with this!


Worked for six years in recruitment.

Answer is they won't appreciate/believe you telling them at the last minute. If you're one of two left, they're likely confident that you can both do the job, and will be using the final stage to pick between you. They'll almost certainly go with the other person rather than rearrange.

If you're set on the interview, just force yourself to go, and send an email to warn them in advance that you've been unwell.

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Oblomov Boblomov
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Oblomov Boblomov » Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:24 pm

Agreed. I'd probably use it as a deciding factor, if we had to go to a second round because we couldn't choose between two appointable candidates.

Stuff yourself full of drugs, you'll be surprised how well you do on that mixed with adrenaline. Let them know you're under the weather, but in a very casual way.

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Moggy
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Moggy » Sat Jan 04, 2020 6:54 pm

I Shot A Kid wrote:Bradford Factor bonus pre-offer :datass: get in there.


:lol:

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ITSMILNER
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by ITSMILNER » Sat Jan 04, 2020 8:21 pm

Neck a few monster energy drinks and take some lemsip max pills and you’ll be raring to go!

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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Qikz » Sat Jan 04, 2020 9:42 pm

The very fact that people in recruitment are saying to drug yourself up and go in rather than admit you're ill because employers don't give a gooseberry fool really does put light into how shitty our world is.

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NBK
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by NBK » Sat Jan 04, 2020 10:12 pm

Yeah, I'd happily reschedule if someone told me they weren't feeling well. Would rather have that than either ending up catching whatever the person has or having them suffer the humiliation of literally shitting themselves in front of me/spewing all over the table and ruining my perfectly written interview notes.

Try and rest up and see how you are on Monday, no harm in contacting them if you're still not feeling great.

Best of luck with the interview :)

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Wrathy
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Wrathy » Sat Jan 04, 2020 10:23 pm

If the company is worth working for, I don't see why it would be an issue. It's a legitimate reason and it'll enable you to bring your A game to the interview. If it was a dealbreaker, and that was how they're treating someone they're trying to attract to a position, then I'd be concerned about being an employee with them - mostly in how comfortable would I feel using medical leave and the general working environment with them.

Interviewing is a two way process, and as much as it's about them finding your suitability for the role, it also gives you an opportunity to assess them as an employer. As a last resort, I think if you're sick, then fair enough.

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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by OrangeRKN » Sat Jan 04, 2020 10:53 pm

Wrathy wrote:If it was a dealbreaker, and that was how they're treating someone they're trying to attract to a position, then I'd be concerned about being an employee with them


+1 to this from me. I'd give them an early heads up of the possibility then later reschedule if I had to.

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Tomous
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Tomous » Sun Jan 05, 2020 12:21 am

I Shot A Kid wrote:Agreed. I'd probably use it as a deciding factor, if we had to go to a second round because we couldn't choose between two appointable candidates.

Stuff yourself full of drugs, you'll be surprised how well you do on that mixed with adrenaline. Let them know you're under the weather, but in a very casual way.



Genuinely curious, why would someone being sick be a deciding factor? That’s just utter madness to me. People aren’t robots, they get sick, it has no bearing on somebody’s ability to a job at all.

We’ve been doing a lot of recruitment at the moment, and if we had a phone call before an interview that someone was sick and wanted to reschedule I wouldn’t hesitate at all. Give people the benefit of the doubt at least once.

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Oblomov Boblomov
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Oblomov Boblomov » Sun Jan 05, 2020 12:37 am

Merry Christmous Everyone wrote:
I Shot A Kid wrote:Agreed. I'd probably use it as a deciding factor, if we had to go to a second round because we couldn't choose between two appointable candidates.

Stuff yourself full of drugs, you'll be surprised how well you do on that mixed with adrenaline. Let them know you're under the weather, but in a very casual way.



Genuinely curious, why would someone being sick be a deciding factor? That’s just utter madness to me. People aren’t robots, they get sick, it has no bearing on somebody’s ability to a job at all.

We’ve been doing a lot of recruitment at the moment, and if we had a phone call before an interview that someone was sick and wanted to reschedule I wouldn’t hesitate at all. Give people the benefit of the doubt at least once.

Because if you're at second round, you've got two appointable people that you're trying to split apart.

Interviews/assessments are by their nature based on limited judgment.

I could say a lot more, based on my significant experience in both recruitment and management, but I'll end up in the bad books of the non-manager expert managers again ;).

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Clarkman
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by Clarkman » Sun Jan 05, 2020 12:42 am

Merry Christmous Everyone wrote:Genuinely curious, why would someone being sick be a deciding factor? That’s just utter madness to me. People aren’t robots, they get sick, it has no bearing on somebody’s ability to a job at all.

We’ve been doing a lot of recruitment at the moment, and if we had a phone call before an interview that someone was sick and wanted to reschedule I wouldn’t hesitate at all. Give people the benefit of the doubt at least once.


Over 90% of hires in white collar roles are time critical, with internal project deadlines, which factor in offer dates and notice periods.

Additionally, in the time you wait to reschedule, the other candidate could be off the market. It is not game theory optimal to wait.

Also, a candidate at a rescheduled interview is typically at a disadvantage in terms of both perception and negotiating power, because they are starting on the back foot. This often leads to candidates adopting a more submissive interview style, which is rarely successful.

Most experienced interviewers have put up with every bullshit excuse you could possibly hope to hear, and operate from a default position of scepticism with regards to last minute excuses. They simply can't be bothered waiting, because most of the time it isn't worth it when you have multiple options.

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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by pjbetman » Sun Jan 05, 2020 12:53 am

Wrathy wrote:If the company is worth working for, I don't see why it would be an issue. It's a legitimate reason and it'll enable you to bring your A game to the interview. If it was a dealbreaker, and that was how they're treating someone they're trying to attract to a position, then I'd be concerned about being an employee with them - mostly in how comfortable would I feel using medical leave and the general working environment with them.

Interviewing is a two way process, and as much as it's about them finding your suitability for the role, it also gives you an opportunity to assess them as an employer. As a last resort, I think if you're sick, then fair enough.



100%. I like that.

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OrangeRKN
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PostRe: Can I postpone a job interview because of sickness?
by OrangeRKN » Sun Jan 05, 2020 1:02 am

Frosty the Clarkman wrote:Additionally, in the time you wait to reschedule, the other candidate could be off the market. It is not game theory optimal to wait.


Wouldn't you reschedule the person who's ill, but go ahead and offer the first person the job if you wanted them?

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