I f-ed up big time, aka FML

So I've been without a job for a couple of months now. Recently a good friend's company had an opening for a graphic designer (my background) and took my resume and got me an interview the next day. The interview went great, and I was told they'd want to bring me back in the next day or two to meet some higher-up people and do a second interview.

Well, since I'm jobless and have a newspaper background, of course I tend to stay up pretty late and sleep in til about 10. Well, I get up this morning and there's a message from the guy I interviewed with from 8 am saying "Rusty, we'd like you to come in at 10 and meet with Mr. Important and Mr. Very Important. Call me and let me know you got this message." Well, it was about 10:10 when I got it. I called the guy back and left a message but haven't heard back. I think my chances for this job are zip now.

FML

 

Dude,

Just tell him that you were out cross training or something. You're still in the hunt.

 

Tell him you had already left the house for the morning and that you were sorry you missed the call but that you'd like to reschedule ASAP. No biggie.

 

If they call and leave a message, they have to assume, "Hey, maybe the guy will not get this message in time to meet the two-hour window I am providing for him to make this interview on time."

 

I agree with the others here. Not sure where you messed up at all. Two hours advance is a small window.

 

Very good point. But in this age of 'Every Open Job Gets 1,000 Applications' I'm afraid they'll just take my resume, pitch it and yell 'Next!'

As far as my excuse, I just told them that my cell phone battery had died overnight and I didn't realize it until right before I left the message. Not the best excuse ever, and certainly the ones here are better, but it was the best I could come up with as I kicked myself for missing the call.

I hope they're reasonable, that they give me another chance. It seemed like a good job. I'd hate to think that I missed it simply because I slept in.

 

In general, never offer more information than you are asked -- especially when you are lying.

In this case, I would have just said I was out and just got your message.

Anyway, this isn't a 1,000 applications deal. You are already in the process and they must like you.

Let us know how it's going, sleepyhead.

 

Yes, but isn't it true that the more information you offer, the less it seems like you're lying? Or do I have that backward? Clearly I'm not a good liar...

 

No. The more elaborate the excuse (especially when you aren't asked for one) the more likely that you are lying.

 

I see. Well, to pick nits, how elaborate is a cell phone battery dying excuse?

Maybe I needed to just be completely outrageous. "My dog ate my cell phone this morning. I had to take him to the vet for emergency surgery to remove it. Turns out that inside him, the battery became disengaged from the phone so they had to actually cut him open twice to get both parts before any chemicals from the chips and stuff started leaking inside him. Now we're not sure if he's gonna make it. Please pray for him. Oh yeah, sorry I didn't get back to you in time this morning. The only reason I knew he'd swallowed the phone was because I could hear his stomach humming and saw it vibrating and realized I'd left my phone on a low table where he could get it. Can we re-schedule?"

 

You will be fine. If you are the best candidate they will wait the extra 10 minutes it took for you to call them back.

 

It's not elaborate. It's just unnecessary. Dude calls at 8 a.m. to set up a 10 a.m. meeting is just hoping.

I like the dog excuse, though. Try that and see if they will pay the vet bill as part of the interviewing expenses.