I'm scheduled for an interview and I won't be able to attend it. So I sent back....

[Braznor]

an email explaining the circumstances.

Respected Madam,


Thank you for the confirmation. But I apologize that I wouldn't be able to attend the interview tomorrow as I'm facing a sudden health complication and my doctor has advised me of a few days rest. My apologies again for all the inconvenience caused to you by this issue.



With sincere apologies,
(My name)

I'm really down with a bad fever and do not have the energy to do anything much less attend an interview. Did I do the right thing replying back to the company in the above manner? :\

UPDATE:The person to whom I sent my email merely resent me the mail for attending the interview. So it is safe to guess my apologetic letter went unread.

 

[Braznor]

By the way the interview is tomorrow and there must be other people too scheduled to attend it besides me. I applied for the job from one of the numerous jobsites. My biggest worry is that I shouldn't jeopardize any future relationship/communication I might have with this company.

If nobody replies, I will assume I did the right thing.

 

[NoTine42]

"Health complication" sounds like you are battling cancer or something (that will perpetually cost that company a lot of absences and health care costs)

I'd probably leave it at sick or ill.

 

[Printer Bandit]

i would have gone with busy black friday shopping.

no one cares about or will hire a sick person.

 

[mizzou]

holy shit just say you are sick. They are going to think u hae fucking AIDS!

 

[Braznor]

"Health complication" sounds like you are battling cancer or something (that will perpetually cost that company a lot of absences and health care costs)

I'd probably leave it at sick or ill.

holy shit just say you are sick. They are going to think u hae fucking AIDS!

Well, I did mention that the doctor said that I only need a few days rest. That wouldn't sound like cancer or AIDS, would it? :\

 

[Braznor]

i would have gone with busy black friday shopping.

no one cares about or will hire a sick person.

I'm not from the U.S. :\

 

[doubledeluxe]

If someone sent me that I would think they have a serious disease.

Tell them you have a fever of 40 degrees or whatever and would like to reschedule.

 

[sportage]

No no no.
That sounds like such a cop-out BS excuse.
And makes you sound flaky.
If you have no desire with following thru in the future and this is your last communication, then whatever. Just blow them off.
But if you still want to be interviewed and re-considered at some point in the future, simply say that you sincerely regret due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts would prevent you from attending the interview, but add that you are still very interested in the position and would like to reschedule. Something along that line. Maybe word it better. Make it brief but strong and to the point. Yet with still expressing your sincere regrets.

Never tell a potential employer you are sick or ill.
At least not until you have the position.
Then call in sick on your first day. They really love that...

 

[inf1nity]

Unless you have something serious in addition to fever, you should have attended the interview. It would have shown your commitment and determination to not be beaten by small illnesses.

I once applied for a small job of a clerk in an insurance company. On the day of the interview, I got 102 degree fever. I still went. They noticed that my eyes were red and asked me what the reason was. I told them that I had fever. They asked why i came. I told them I wanted the job and wasn't gonna let a small illness stop me.


I got the job.

 

[Braznor]

As an update:

The person to whom I sent my email merely resent me the mail for attending the interview. So it is safe to guess my apologetic letter went unread.

 

[Braznor]

No no no.
That sounds like such a cop-out BS excuse.
And makes you sound flaky.
If you have no desire with following thru in the future and this is your last communication, then whatever. Just blow them off.
But if you still want to be interviewed and re-considered at some point in the future, simply say that you sincerely regret due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts would prevent you from attending the interview, but add that you are still very interested in the position and would like to reschedule. Something along that line. Maybe word it better. Make it brief but strong and to the point. Yet with still expressing your sincere regrets.

Never tell a potential employer you are sick or ill.
At least not until you have the position.
Then call in sick on your first day. They really love that...

I didn't want to lie when I'm really ill.

 

[Raghu]

Unless you have something serious in addition to fever, you should have attended the interview. It would have shown your commitment and determination to not be beaten by small illnesses.

I once applied for a small job of a clerk in an insurance company. On the day of the interview, I got 102 degree fever. I still went. They noticed that my eyes were red and asked me what the reason was. I told them that I had fever. They asked why i came. I told them I wanted the job and wasn't gonna let a small illness stop me.


I got the job.

Everyone at the insurance company got fever and the company went bankrupt?

 

[DrPizza]

"sudden health complication" sounds more like a complication of a pre-existing illness, rather than you're simply sick. If I read your response to them, I'd be thinking, "oh great. Here's someone who is going to be out sick for a few days every couple of weeks." Thus, I think your phrasing just eliminated you from potential candidates. And, if I found out that you were simply sick, and that it's not a complication of something else, your poor communication of it has just set you back a little bit compared to other candidates I might be interviewing.

A better email might have stated, "I rarely seem to get sick, however I have come down with a <temperature> fever, along with coughing and sneezing indicative of something contagious. My doctor advised bed rest for a couple of days. If you wish, I can still come in at the scheduled time for my interview, or would you prefer to reschedule for a day or two later? I am sorry for any inconvenience.

 

[KLin]

Talk about way overkill. I had to reschedule the interview for my current job because I came down with bronchitis.

I emailed the HR maanger and told her I had bronchitis. She said that's fine, hope you feel better, rescheduled it, got the job.

 

[Squeetard]

You are done OP. Not getting hired.

 

[brandonb]

Email???

Why aren't you calling them?

 

[It's Not Lupus]

Good luck with the chemotherapy with your health complication.

 

[Markbnj]

I'm not from the U.S.

I got that part at "Respected Madam." Given that you're in a culture where you address people as "Respected Madam" there is no possible way I could offer advice. I would say something like "Just call her and reschedule" and you would say something like "I can't just call her! She'll make sure my entire family never works again," and then I would feel bad for awhile.

 

[alkemyst]

In the US, this reply would not fly and probably get you off any list in the future for most asshat HR folks as it sounds canned.

Outside of the US, it's possibly OK.

 

[crashtech]

Yeah, I think the sort of reply which would be acceptable would depend heavily upon cultural norms. There may be some value in being more specific about the illness not being chronic, or being the norm, for that matter.