Common excuses job seekers use to avoid attending job interviews

[00:00:06] Welcome to From Dorms to Desk, job hunting tips for those early in their careers. A podcast brought to you by College Recruiter Job Search Site, which believes that every student and recent grad deserves a great career and hosted by Work Defined. Join our AI co-hosts as they dive into tips, tricks, and insights that will help you land your next part-time, seasonal, internship, or entry-level job. Let's get your career started.

[00:00:33] Okay, so you know how job interviews can be, like, super stressful, right? And sometimes things happen and you just can't make it.

[00:00:40] Yeah, absolutely. Life gets in the way.

[00:00:42] Well, today we're going to take a deep dive into an article all about this.

[00:00:46] Oh, cool.

[00:00:47] It's from College Recruiter, and get this, it's called Top 9 Excuses That People Use to Skip Job Interviews.

[00:00:53] Wow, top nine.

[00:00:55] Yeah, so we're going to look at these excuses. Some are honestly hilarious, like you can't believe people actually use them, and others are just bad, like, really bad advice.

[00:01:02] I'm intrigued.

[00:01:04] But you know what? They bring up a really good point, though.

[00:01:06] Okay.

[00:01:07] About how we present ourselves professionally, even when, like, things go wrong.

[00:01:12] Yeah, that's so important. First impressions and all that.

[00:01:15] Totally. So let's jump right in.

[00:01:16] All right, let's hear these excuses.

[00:01:18] All right, so one of the excuses is swallowing a marble.

[00:01:22] Wait, what? Swallowing a marble?

[00:01:24] Like, seriously, who comes up with this stuff?

[00:01:27] I mean, it's definitely creative. I'll give them that.

[00:01:29] Yeah.

[00:01:31] Creative, but not in a good way.

[00:01:32] No, not really.

[00:01:34] Imagine you're the interviewer, right? And someone calls and says, sorry, I can't make it. I swallowed a marble.

[00:01:40] Oh, my gosh. I'd be speechless.

[00:01:42] Yeah, it just doesn't show good judgment or problem-solving skills, you know?

[00:01:46] And those are, like, the basic things you want in any employee.

[00:01:50] For sure. And then there's the runs.

[00:01:52] Oh, no, the runs.

[00:01:53] Like, come on.

[00:01:54] That's just too much information.

[00:01:56] I agree.

[00:01:56] I agree.

[00:01:56] The article actually calls these dirty illnesses and says it's never a good idea to use them as an excuse.

[00:02:03] Yeah, makes sense.

[00:02:04] Like, even if you are genuinely sick, it just creates this, like, negative image.

[00:02:08] Right. Who wants to think about that?

[00:02:10] Especially in a professional setting.

[00:02:11] And that brings us to the big point of the article, honesty.

[00:02:14] Right.

[00:02:14] There's this quote I love. It says,

[00:02:21] I mean, that's so true. Starting a professional relationship with a lie is just asking for trouble.

[00:02:26] Yeah, because what if your new employer finds out?

[00:02:29] Like, down the line.

[00:02:30] Exactly. It could totally ruin your reputation and any trust you've built.

[00:02:33] And don't forget about those employer review websites.

[00:02:36] Oh, yeah. Those can be brutal.

[00:02:39] That kind of negative information can stay online forever.

[00:02:42] It's not worth the risk.

[00:02:44] Yes. So basically, trying to be too clever with your excuses can seriously backfire.

[00:02:49] Oh, for sure.

[00:02:50] But what happens if something really does come up? Like something you can't control?

[00:02:54] That's a good question. Because sometimes life just throws you a curveball.

[00:02:58] Exactly. So how do you balance being honest and professional when you have to cancel last minute?

[00:03:04] Hmm. That's where things get interesting.

[00:03:07] Okay, so let's dive into that.

[00:03:09] Yeah, let's see what the article suggests.

[00:03:10] Yes. So the article actually gives a couple examples that are okay. Like, they're not perfect, but they're at least more honest.

[00:03:17] Oh, really? Like what?

[00:03:18] Well, there's the classic car trouble.

[00:03:20] Oh, yeah. That's a good one.

[00:03:22] Yeah. It's believable. It happens to everyone. And you don't have to, like, go into a whole story about it.

[00:03:27] Or there's a friend was in a really bad situation and I couldn't leave them.

[00:03:31] Okay. That's a good one, too. Shows you're responsible.

[00:03:33] Exactly. It highlights good qualities, even though you're canceling.

[00:03:36] I see your point. Those are definitely better than the marble thing.

[00:03:40] Way better.

[00:03:41] But even those could be risky, right?

[00:03:43] Yeah.

[00:03:44] Like, what if the interviewer starts asking a bunch of questions about it?

[00:03:46] Yeah, that's true. It can get tricky.

[00:03:48] Yeah.

[00:03:49] That's why the article ultimately recommends just being straightforward and honest.

[00:03:52] Okay. But sometimes the truth is kind of embarrassing. You know? Like, what if you overslept or forgot about the interview?

[00:03:59] Oh, I've been there. It's the worst.

[00:04:02] Exactly. So what do you do then?

[00:04:04] Honestly, even then, it's probably better to just own up to it.

[00:04:07] Really?

[00:04:08] Yeah. Instead of trying to come up with some crazy lie that you might get caught in.

[00:04:12] That makes sense.

[00:04:13] Because even if it's embarrassing, admitting you made a mistake shows yourself aware and that you take responsibility.

[00:04:19] And those are good qualities to have.

[00:04:20] Right. Exactly.

[00:04:21] Okay. So let's say you're in that situation. You absolutely can't make the interview. What would you do? Like, what's the most professional way to handle it?

[00:04:31] Hmm. That's the big question, isn't it? And there's no one right answer. But here's what I would suggest. First, contact the interviewer as soon as you realize you can't make it.

[00:04:40] Okay. So don't wait until the last minute.

[00:04:42] No, definitely not. And don't just skip the interview without saying anything.

[00:04:46] Yeah. Ghosting is not a good look.

[00:04:48] Not at all.

[00:04:49] Okay. So reach out as soon as possible by email or phone and just briefly explain the situation.

[00:04:54] Okay.

[00:04:54] Keep it simple and professional. Like, instead of saying, I had a family emergency, which is super vague.

[00:05:01] Yeah.

[00:05:01] You could say, I'm so sorry, but due to an unexpected and urgent situation at home, I'm unable to make the interview today.

[00:05:08] Ooh, that's much better.

[00:05:09] Yeah. It's honest, but you don't have to overshare.

[00:05:12] I like that.

[00:05:13] And most importantly, apologize for having to reschedule and ask if you can find another time to meet.

[00:05:18] Oh, that's a good point. It shows you're still interested.

[00:05:20] Exactly.

[00:05:21] Yeah.

[00:05:21] And even if they can't reschedule, you've at least been respectful of their time.

[00:05:25] So it's all about communication, even when it's bad news.

[00:05:28] Exactly.

[00:05:28] Yeah.

[00:05:29] And, you know, even if you don't get a second chance, you've maintained your integrity.

[00:05:33] That's true.

[00:05:34] Yeah.

[00:05:34] It's better than lying and getting the job and then having it blow up later.

[00:05:37] Exactly. Sometimes we get so focused on getting the job that we forget about the bigger picture.

[00:05:43] Yeah, you're right. It's about building a reputation.

[00:05:45] Exactly.

[00:05:46] Yeah.

[00:05:46] And honesty and professionalism will take you a lot further in the long run.

[00:05:51] So true.

[00:05:52] Okay. So let's recap what we've learned from these job interview excuses.

[00:05:56] Okay.

[00:05:57] Honesty is key.

[00:05:58] Absolutely.

[00:05:59] Don't try to be too clever or disrespectful.

[00:06:02] Keep it real.

[00:06:03] And if you have to cancel, communicate clearly and honestly as soon as possible.

[00:06:08] And don't forget to apologize.

[00:06:10] You might be surprised how understanding people can be.

[00:06:12] You never know.

[00:06:13] And remember, even if it doesn't work out, there are always other opportunities.

[00:06:17] That's right. Sometimes a missed interview can lead to something even better.

[00:06:22] Okay. So that's some great advice. You know, it's funny when you think about all those crazy excuses.

[00:06:26] It really makes you appreciate just being honest.

[00:06:28] Exactly. Like it's not worth risking your reputation over.

[00:06:32] Yeah. You want to build that trust from the start.

[00:06:33] Yeah, totally.

[00:06:34] Yeah.

[00:06:35] So I guess that's a big takeaway from all this, right? Even when things go wrong, just be upfront and honest.

[00:06:41] Absolutely. Because even if you don't get that specific job, you've still made a good impression.

[00:06:45] Yeah. And you never know who they might know or what other opportunities might come up.

[00:06:50] Exactly. Networking is everything.

[00:06:52] So to wrap up our deep dive into the world of job interview, excuses, what's the one thing you want our listeners to remember?

[00:07:00] Hmm. I think it's that honesty and clear communication are key, even when you have to deliver bad news.

[00:07:07] Yeah. That's so important. It shows respect for the interviewer and for yourself.

[00:07:11] And remember that question we talked about earlier. What would you do if you couldn't make an interview?

[00:07:16] Yeah. It's a good one to think about.

[00:07:18] Maybe even talk it over with a friend or mentor.

[00:07:20] Yeah. Get some different perspectives.

[00:07:22] It can really help.

[00:07:22] Okay. So for everyone out there navigating the crazy world of job interviews.

[00:07:26] Good luck out there.

[00:07:27] And remember, honesty is the best policy.

[00:07:30] Always.

[00:07:30] And if you enjoyed this deep dive into job interview excuses, be sure to subscribe and share with your friends.

[00:07:36] Yeah. They might need a laugh or some good advice.

[00:07:38] Until next time, keep learning, keep exploring, and keep diving deep.

[00:07:43] See you next time.

[00:07:46] This has been From Dorms to Desks, job hunting tips for those early in their careers.

[00:07:51] A podcast brought to you by College Recruiter Job Search Site, which believes that every student and recent grad deserves a great career.

[00:07:58] Each episode, we dive into tips, tricks, and insights that will help you land your next part-time, seasonal, internship, or entry-level job.

[00:08:06] Subscribe to this podcast for free now so you don't miss an episode and visit www.collegerecruiter.com to find your next great job.

[00:08:15] Thank you.

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