Job Interview and Being Sick

[Jacks]

I would certainly let them know you aren't feeling well before you shake hands or spend time in an enclosed space. I've done a ton of interviews and get pretty annoyed when someone doesn't warn me about an illness.

[Bill Bumface]

I interviewed for my current job during the beginning of my Christmas holidays at my past job. That was a surprisingly hungover interview. I think you'll be able to perform fine for an hour given the importance of the task, but it's courteous of you to not want to infect everyone. I hate when people come to work sick. Especially if I'm about to go on a trip.

[llwhiteoutll]

I have found that straight lemon juice works great on a sore throat. Juice a lemon or two and down it just before, but make sure to brush your teeth after since the acid is terrible if you leave it on.

[blueski]

During the last down turn I went to an interview a week after jaw surgery with a metal jaw spreader in my mouth. Spitting when I talked, sounding like Corky Thatcher. It was brutal but I got the job.

[#-3]

You go for sure, be very forward about how sick you are, while refusing to shake hands. Tell them you are willing to cut it short, reschedule or answer questions over the phone if they are more comfortable, but you understand how important a face to face meeting is and didn't want to miss the opportunity.

If you do not show up or reschedule and there are any candidates nearly as qualified you, you will 0 chance of getting the job.

[taco.vidal]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

Hey, just looking for some opinions on this.

I have a job interview scheduled for tomorrow and came down with something last night. Fever, headache, sore throat... I am expecting to still be showing symptoms tomorrow.

My first inclination is to take some medication and suck it up. I'm afraid if I call to reschedule, it will sound like an excuse to get longer to prepare. I am also afraid that they are interviewing people all week and they might just cancel or see me as creating a problem before even getting hired.

But on the other hand, who wants to be locked inside a room with a sick person for an hour or have someone bring a contagious illness into a highly populated work place....

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Depends how sick you are.

If its a sore throat, headache and some stuffiness, then take whatever over the counter stuff you normally take when you are sick (DayQuil, Advil Cold and Sinus, etc) and go to the interview. Make sure to bring your own Kleenex and bring something to drink if you need it to ease your throat when talking.

If you are very sick where you are coughing every minute or two and are needing to blow your nose every few minutes, then stay away. That interview won't go well. The interviewers won't want to be in the room with you and you're illness will be what everyone is focused on rather than your resume or the position. If you're coughing up a lung tomorrow before the interview then I would call and tell them you got sick and it got bad overnight. Try to suggest to reschedule for later in the week or inquire if you can do a phone interview or make some other arrangement.

[Amethyst]

If you can drug yourself up and pull off not seeming sick, I would go. If you are so sick, that the other person who not want to be in a room with you, then call and ask if you can re-schedule.

I think it depends on how strong your application is. When I used to interview people, if someone cancelled due to being sick and another strong candidate came along, I would probably just hire that person. If we were interviewing for a few days and you could re-schedule within that time, it wouldn't be a big deal, as long as you gave me a bit of notice (i.e. if you call in "sick" when you're due to show up, don't even bother coming back).

[blueski]

I'm sicker than hell of working but I still goes to these interviews. Doesn't seem to help.

[Peanut]

I agree with those who say it depends how sick you are. If it's a cold (even a fairly bad cold), I would drug up and go. But don't shake hands with anyone.

If you have a fever, the flu, or are puking/have other GI stuff happening, I would definitely cancel. Obviously they want motivated employees who don't call in sick for every little thing, but if I was an interviewer I wouldn't be happy with a candidate coming in who was very ill and infecting everyone in the office with their germs. That's not considerate and also doesn't really show an ability to prioritize health of yourself and others over work.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Peanut

I agree with those who say it depends how sick you are. If it's a cold (even a fairly bad cold), I would drug up and go. But don't shake hands with anyone.

If you have a fever, the flu, or are puking/have other GI stuff happening, I would definitely cancel. Obviously they want motivated employees who don't call in sick for every little thing, but if I was an interviewer I wouldn't be happy with a candidate coming in who was very ill and infecting everyone in the office with their germs. That's not considerate and also doesn't really show an ability to prioritize health of yourself and others over work.

No one is saying that the interviewer would be happy with someone coming in for an interview sick. But it's a lot less likely to hurt your chances of getting the job than simply calling in sick. Do everything you can to show up, and if it's bad enough, ask to reschedule while you are there.

[Coach]

I'd say go, and it's easy to bring up when they reach out to shake your hand.

"Sorry, I've been coming down with something and don't want to spread it to you."

Easy enough.

[polak]

It's almost a guarantee that if you call in sick, you're toast. Go and if anything ask in person if you can reschedule.

[Duruss]

Good advice in this thread. I've been to an interview while sick, I think I got the interviewer sick too; did not get that job.

Back in August I had a Monday morning interview, but the day before I had to go get a surprise infected cyst removed from my scalp. The problem started gradually after I hit my head on my dresser, what I ended up with was a weird bald spot and a fresh wound. The doctor wanted the wound to drain so he never stitched it, but since it was open I could only wash my hair, no gel.

So I went to the interview wearing a grey felt Trilby hat. I still looked nice, and quickly explained that I had, had a minor procedure done and that left a small wound and bald spot but I wanted to look presentable for the interview. At the time the interviewer said it was alright, but then again I didn't get a job offer either...

[keenan87]

sooo. how did it go FlamesAddiction?

[CaptainCrunch]

I want to know what happened, I'm hoping for the best obviously but part of me wonders if he had the spontaneous barf in the waste basket followed by a please continue with your questions moment.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

I want to know what happened, I'm hoping for the best obviously but part of me wonders if he had the spontaneous barf in the waste basket followed by a please continue with your questions moment.

Forget in the waste basket - I want to know if there was projectile vomiting over the interviewer.

[CaptainCrunch]

If you can casually handle a yak by doing it in the middle of answering a question and continuing as if nothing happened, you should get any job in the world.

You - "Yes sir, at my last company I increased sales by 20% by introducing a streamlined sales process that involved "Braccckkkk heeee heeeee frosh "increased marketing through social media and events, and "yaaaaaaakkkkkk brraaaaa wheeze wheez frosh "critical subject matters experts who can assist our prospects in making better more informed decisions"

[Jacks]

I'm picturing the Capt's childhood now.
"Yes he has a very active imagination"
"Don't worry, I'm sure the cat will be fine"

[CaptainCrunch]

You should have seen what I was like when I smoked crack.

[FlamesAddiction]

Lol....

Anyway, thanks for all the advice. I think it went reasonably well, so I am keeping my fingers crossed. Glad that I pulled through and went.

I actually think I might have been hyper alert from the meds.