Yesterday, the videoconference interivew that I had been stressing over for a week to arrange got cancelled at the 11th hour. Our candidate was rear-ended by a car at a stoplight while driving into Atlanta. She called us immediately [*note: this is why I should leave the office during lunch time*] and I had to go about contacting the two locations of the conference as well as the person who was traveling to interview her.
I contacted people in this order:
1 - the office in Atlanta where she was heading. I left a voicemail for my contact there.
2 - the office in St. Louis where the hiring authority was headed. I left a message with the reception to pass on to my contact there, as well as the hiring authority.
3 - the hiring authority's work number on the off-chance he hadn't left yet. He had.
4 - the hiring authority's receptionist to see if she'd give me his cellular phone number. She did.
5 - the hirting authority via cell phone.
6 - My boss, who was still out for lunch.
My contact in St. Louis called me back on his cell phone (he was at lunch), completely understanding of the candidate's situation (her car was totalled) and asssuring me that there would be no problem rescheduling.
My contact in Atlanta called me back about an hour later informing me that my candidate was a "No-show." I asked "Didn't I leave you a message about that?" to which he informed me that he hadn't checked his messages yet. He wondered what happened and I informed him that the candidate had an accident.
His response: "How many times have I heard that?"
Okay, had this been one of my peers I would have snapped at him. Instead I kept my mouth shut.
Him: "Not to be glib, but really--how many times have you had a candidate tell you that?"
Me: "That they've been in an accident? Not a single time."
I didn't bother to tell him that the candidate, normally a very articulate and confident woman, had called in with a quavering voice on the verge of tears sounding genuinely confused. I'm talking about a woman who has been the TOP salesperson for every company she has ever worked for.
I told him that I would reschedule with him whenever I had more information.
From the tone of his voice, I took offense for his accusation that a) our candidate was lying or b) that I'm not intelligent enough to be able to discern when a candidate is lying.
I also took offense to the fact that he insinuating that I didn't do my job by a) getting the candidate where she was supposed to be or b) notifying him to inform of change.
I can't stand people. I try so hard to be pleasant, as you all know it's not in my general constitution to be so, and people make it so hard. I don't get paid enough to be a Stepford Secretary.
Posted by Tiffany at January 8, 2005 03:47 PM | TrackBack