going to a job interview with a cold

The OP made a choice to go into a workplace with the sniffles, like people are expected to do all the time, and the interviewer overreacted this really isnt that big of a deal. In both cases they refused to reschedule. And Im sure the interviewers arent going to ask candidates to make a point to arrive disease-free. I can imagine an alternate universe: You chose to skip the interview because you have a cold. I got scolded for coming to an interview with a cold Im sick? Its unusual to be so strict about illnesses and they cant read your mind. The advice to call and ask the interviewer what they prefer is greatI wouldnt have thought of that myself if I ever faced this situation, so thank you, wise AAM commentariat! Im betting they have someone in that situation. Oh my god, I cant imagine cancelling an academic interview. This is especially true in lower-paid, lower-prestige occupations and among part-time, temporary, and contract workers. I would have been surprised if somebody tried to reschedule an interview because of a cold, the employer might be MORE likely to write a note saying If you cant come to an interview because of a cold we dont think youll be very reliable about getting to work.. We hope that advice is helpful and taken in the spirit in which it is given. It really depends on the severity of the cold. Some say they dont you to come in but have terrible time off policies. I replied Oh, no, you should be at home! IOW I think it was misplaced anger. I could understand the attitude if I was dripping snot everywhere and it was gross. It was, as us Trekkers say, a Kobyashi Maru situation, I think this is the most obnoxious part: You are demonstrating that you dont care. I do not think this would have improved if you started working there. And called it excessive absences, and said they thought it cancelled out my claim of being a reliable employee. I once knocked myself out for just shy of a minute while stacking hay bales (add farming to the above list of industries), barfed, shook it off, and worked a full day after that. FWIW, my last job had pretty flexible work from home policies, and a nasty cold was definitely seen as a good reason to do so for several days. Do they expect people that havent yet earned sick time (or much sick time) to take off a week to get over a cold? Six weeks in the freaking hospital last time. But for that 30-minute window, I was fine. I think you came out ahead on this one. More popular! So what about the note is specifically obnoxious or rude? Ive always noticed its expected that you work sick. I remember going to a job interview on pain medication after a dental procedure. He looked like death warmed over. He has worked with companies of all sizes, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Now OP has a new tool in her arsenal in case this situation arises again later, and she can be confident that this place isnt a good match for her. Im feeling well enough to come in, but wanted to let you know in case youd prefer to reschedule.. Not to mention that many people *are* contagious a few days before their symptoms actually show up. If you have plenty of sick leave accumulated, are a generally healthy person, and can afford to take some of it for low severity illnesses like a cold, then good for you (I am envious). Thats not always possible when you get ambushed by someone that will be in close proximity to you and is bringing in tissues and cough drops. Ugh! And who is qualified to determine whether one is over being comtagious? How can I differentiate between Jupiter and Venus in the sky? I realize that there are a couple things at play here: I wasnt long term immunocompromised and I was a kid, but nevertheless I never once have thought wow, I should be upset at this other person who had absolutely no idea what my circumstances were and Im bewildered to see so many people here saying that everyone should stay in quarantine because they might meet someone who is immunocompromised or meet someone who sees someone who is immunocompromised. THEY have proven that they cant just tell people, at our offices, we ask people to not come to work with colds. If they were that concerned, they should have reacheduled the interview on the spot. There is a such thing as cold medicine. I had the reverse happen to me. Cheers. I like Joielles script. etc. Either way. I can understand both sides, though again, the note could have been worded more professionally. This was a personal attack on the OP sent a mere 10 minutes after she left to Make A Point. Now I get up as quickly as possible to take care of the drip when it starts to happen, i can feel it coming on better than I used to. I know its bad, but I almost never take it seriously when a manager tells me to take it easy and make sure you fully recover when I call in sick. I am immune compromised and I have two colleagues with immune issues related to medications they take. OP, I feel for you. LinkedIn Cold Messages: How to Reach Out About a Job I never had a rescheduled interview go well, sad but true. Still not ok for them to write a snotty letter to her. Any reasonable company/interviewer should gladly reschedule the interview for you; if not, from personal experience, I'd walk away. I cant imagine anyone taking a whole week off work for a standard cold. Its becoming less-rare where I live in the midwest. OP was it a full box of tissues you brought in, or just a packet of tissues you took out when you needed to sneeze? Unfortunately often you sound/seem worse after you start feeling better when it is time for your to return to work and that can mislead people. T here was a time, not too long ago, when employers were in such a rush to hire workers that they were doing anything they could to make it easier for people to apply . I dont feel masks are a big deal if you dont make it a big deal. Id much rather a date say they got sick than show up to drinks sniffing and coughing and blowing their nose constantly. On a side note, companies need to start encouraging people to take care of themselves by offering feasible amounts of sick time and not guilting people for using it. I wouldnt be shocked for someone to interview if they had one. Interviewing - Colorado College Granted perhaps their medical emergency resulted in a hospitalization or worse, so I didnt send off any snippy notes about it because thats tacky and uncalled for. I got the stomach flu from a job interview once. They told me it was fine either way, so I dosed myself with OTC cold medicine and came in. I mean why did they even bother interviewing you if they were so bothered? I think my company is pretty employee-friendly too, and Ive never taken more than one day off per cold. Did they let the person know theyd have strangers who are probably full of unknown germs coming in for an interview? Well, I wouldnt be thrilled if a candidate showed up with an active cold, even though I understand that people of course go to work with colds all the time. They couldve responded to the info with an option to Skype instead. Id never reschedule for a cold. If at all possible, you should have rescheduled. Do I reschedule even though Im not contagious? But I wouldnt send an obnoxious note about it either. Someone who can guarantee that they will never, ever get sick or somehow prevented from coming in to work? Thats ridiculous! Where I work it wouldve been no biggie, well schedule a Skype meeting so you can listen in. And, how is an interview candidate supposed to know that they might be entering an environment where someone is immunocompromised? Id bet theres zero employee support all round. Yes! Urgh. Granted, they could have delivered their message in a much kinder way. My strategy acknowledge, apologize, assume a reasonable attitude. I have a compromised immune system. THIS!! What are the benefits of not using private military companies (PMCs) as China did. And how do you expect people who dont have sick leave to stay home? Today. In any case, though, their note was over-the-top. If there isn't a place to clean your footwear, simply minimize the damage by walking directly to your seat. Yes, I get colds (fewer over the last few months thanks to a lot of work on improving my immune system I have a long-term health condition which is probably at least partially auto-immune) but also allergies, and just generally you never know when you will need a tissue. Why did you do it on site? (in the one-stall toilet that was also the pumping room, but I digress). Not unless you want to be that offices once someone showed up to interview wearing a mask because they had the sniffles story for the rest of time. Can you please stop being so rude to OP? I realize I didnt make it very clear, I didnt feel as if I was still sick, I just had some congestion. They were in a bag and nowhere does it say they had to blow their nose repeatedly. MFG guy was sniffing and commented that he felt bad- might be catching something. There's no denying it: You've caught the flu. I wouldnt send them an email back, but Glassdoors community would certainly love to hear about the way they treat candidates. I use tissues due to my allergies more than 3x in a half hour. It sounds like you dodged a bullet, though. Strep seems enough worse than the common cold that when you reasonably think you have it, you should avoid exposing people. I wish it was popular like in Japan! By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. OP was recovering from a cold, not the plague. Colds usually resolve themselves. Both situations are a judgment call and dont usually have a substantial impact on other peoples well being. If the company has severely immune compromised people working there it is on them to mention something to candidates and vendors coming in because people get colds and rarely take more than a day or two off because those things last forever. If anything, Id worry the company would think there was something wrong with me for wanting to cancel over a cold. Two more U.S. interest-rate hikes this year is a "very reasonable" projection, San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly said, but given how fast rates have risen already and how . Other than heat. Good luck finding somewhere better to work. Its because there are two different issues: 1. Could you tell me about yourself and describe your background in brief? No one said she was a monster of selfishness. Canceling, or asking for a Skype or phone interview would have been more professional. Theyve usually bought you plane tickets if its a faculty position. Make sure your story has a great beginning, a riveting middle, and an. That sort of extended schedule is rare for a faculty interview at a community college. The interviewers dont know what was going on in OPs mind. By the day of the interview I was feeling much better but still had some mild congestion. They could have said something right then and there instead of acting nicely and scolding you afterward. update: if I quit my job when everyone else is quitting, the organization will fall apart, rude instructor comments on our food choices, husband wont wear noise-canceling headphones at home, and more, coworker is always late because she stops for coffee, my boss told me to change my ringtone, and more, updates: unhappy with changes at work, asking to unblock a website, and more. Especially at clinics. Carol D. Leonnig. First, their note was super rude. Sure, that works for some people, for some types of coughs. Cercis, I love my neti pot and use it often but after reading your post.yikes! So I slunk in, did the interview, and got the job! I think the best thing to do in a situation like this is to call a day or two before the scheduled interview and explain the situation. My kid was on chemo off and on for almost ten years, so I totally understand the need to keep away from actively sick/contagious people. Id feel silly calling them to advise them that Id just recovered from a cold. Im really harsh on people spreading germs around ordinarily, but i think theres more chance of you losing out on a job because you asked to reschedule than because you turned up with a cold. In my mind, they were over the top. I did that once when I was really new to the job hunting thing. There are plenty of organizations whose reaction would have been more like Reschedule? How To Call About a Job (With Steps, Tips and Examples) If you dont want interviewers to come in sick, you should tell them so. Although if you get the job, you have to remember you told them you have allergies in case it comes up in conversation. Show that you're attentive by making eye contact with the interviewer, nodding and smiling as he or she describes situations or asks questions, and paraphrasing questions in your response. Yeah, it was one of those small travel ones. Yeah. A former public high school football coach in Washington state who famously lost his job for leading prayers on the field after games will be reinstated by the spring of next year, court documents . "What do you know about our company?" Why They're Asking This question helps interviewers gauge your levels of preparation and interest. And if you werent willing to work sick, no matter what, thats what was considered inconsiderate. Maybe it was an off day, maybe they DO have someone with a compromised immune system for whatever reason in the office. Im sorry for that. An explanation of why you are qualified for the position. Your advice was not necessary, was not asked for, and is overwhelmingly rude and condescending. Apologies for the derail but seriously WHAT THE FUDGE. I thought the interview went well. Its just part of life. Decision about a potential candidate for the team who I knew had misbehaved once, Junior engineer initiating counselling sessions to offer unsolicited advice to senior employees. Thank you for the feedback. Explains the sympathy for the employer. I recently had baby #2 and it has been drilled into me at every ped appointment to keep the little one away from sick people, especially during this time of year to avoid the flu, not to mention outbreaks of measles (?!?!) Im not trying to minimize your husbands condition and the importance of keeping him healthy, but you are absolutely exposed to lots of germs every day, regardless of whether you refuse to interview someone with the sniffles. People told stories about it like he was a hero of legend. What to Do After a Final-Round Job Interview - Harvard Business Review you do know that fully half of millennials are over 30, and definitely old enough to remember phone-line-based modems, right? Obviously no way to predict though! Would I still get the same snotty (haha) reply? A yes search being one where youre already stable and have flexibility and can afford to be picky, so youre looking at jobs that make you say Oh, yes, Id love to work there; while a no search is one where youre in dire straits already and are going Oh no, I need a job, like, yesterday.. Im pretty sure I never said that and would appreciate it if you did not put such words in my mouth. One of your examples is not like the others. Sorry you had to deal with people freaking out at you. Im done. This is pretty pointless speculation, but I wonder if one of the team members has an immunocompromised loved one and didnt feel comfortable speaking up while the OP was standing right therebut then unleashed a rage when OP was gone, which soured the rest of the team on her. The last industry I worked in, we had one guy who flew out for a three-day client meeting, went to nonstop meetings, client meetings, evening events and drinks all with a 103 fever and influenza so bad he could barely stand. I was going to say that asking to reschedule drops you like a hot potato. Choose garments wisely Making sure you look great when you show up for your interview involves a lot more than just clothes, but your outfit is the best place to start, since the garments you. It sounds like those things were probably in the LWs bag. Im not sure what was up with that. What makes it worse is the fact that a lot of employers mot definitely DO expect people to come in when sick, and its not credible that these people dont know this. I have had norovirus and that stuff is no joke, and if anyone showed up at my office with it (or something similar) I would tell them to turn around and go home. They also showed poor problem solving skills. I was a temp for several years before I got this job and I got lucky the one time I was sick badly enough to need to take time off, I was working for a very kind supervisor who was happy to fake my timesheet so that I could go home and rest without sacrificing several days worth of pay. I would not want to work in such an environment. Otherwise, if you do go through with it, Id do everything I could to mask itdayquil (if thats an option for you), a hot tea prior toanything that can make you pep up a bit before you go in. Bill Gates's private office reportedly asked some female job candidates about their sexual histories including what kind of pornography they liked, whether they ever had extramarital affairs . Does that make the billions of people a year who catch colds through no fault of their own immature, immoral, undesirable potential murderers? I actually threw up on public transport when I left work early (it came on suddenly). To be clear, I dont think it would be reasonable to go to an interview with raging pneumonia or a stomach bug, but colds are a fact of life that we all face and that most employers dont respect as a reason to call out for, despite all the evidence on productivity and the risk to other employees. But we are not aware of the issues that the manager could have in their own life. Good heavens! Reading the note they sent you, Im sure if you would have asked to reschedule the interview, or declined full stop, due to your cold, they would have also sent you a snarky note about that. Read no resentment into this, not one scrap!) The question is, what do you do? And food service jobsare even lower on the totem pole than 9-5 jobs. Also many viruses are contagious before the symptoms start, so youre never able to promise the immuno compromised interviewer that you dont bring any diseases with you. Making fun of millennials is very 2018. But I never once questioned whether I was a bad mother for surely exposing her to germs, because I was too busy putting a roof over our heads and parenting AND teaching other peoples (wonderful, deserving! It makes such a difference! The interview was scheduled about two weeks in advance. I would add the caution to only use a cold medicine that you have had success with in the past. In TikZ, is there a (convenient) way to draw two arrow heads pointing inward with two vertical bars and whitespace between (see sketch)? Im of the opinion that the OP should have stayed away from the tissues and cough drops (maybe just brought in a small bottle of water) and if she could not have done that, then maybe it would have been best to postpone the interview. Right! Yes. Ive heard MANY people say if you have to reschedule an interview for any reason, youre a slacker.
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