What to Do if You Get Sick When You Have a Job Interview

Going to a job interview is stressful and taxing at the best of times since you want to put your best foot forward and impress the recruiters, managers, and others in the room. A picture containing person

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Unfortunately, though, there might come a time when no matter how healthy you are or how well you take care of yourself, you come down with sickness right before the big meet and greet. If that happens, it’s vital to know the best way to handle things.

Let People Know ASAP

You need to let the recruiters or other relevant contacts know as soon as possible that you’ll be unable to attend your interview. The more notice you give people, the less frustrated they’re likely to be and the more understanding and accepting.

Call interviewers or a company representative wherever possible or text message or email if that’s your only option. When you cancel, ask if there’s any way you can reschedule the interview to another date. By checking on this, you show you’re still keen to be considered for the role.

Consider a Virtual Interview

Since more and more people are familiar and comfortable with virtual interview processes these days, and many companies have to use this digital means to hire staff members anyway, it’s worth seeing if you can go down this route yourself.

This option may not work if you’re so sick that you can barely string two sentences together, but if you’re unwell with something contagious that you don’t want to spread around but don’t feel too horrible, an online chat can be the perfect solution. Interviewing online means you can keep your interview slot and don’t have to worry about losing out on the role due to time constraints on the firm’s behalf.

Visit a Doctor

If you’re worried about people believing that you’re genuinely sick and therefore unable to attend the interview versus just being hungover or unreliable, you might want to visit a doctor. Book an in-person appointment or choose an online physician service such as Plushcare.com to get a documented doctor’s note from a medical practitioner.

Send this to interviewers so they can verify that you’re unwell and not just trying to get out of a potentially uncomfortable situation. Make sure the note you get is dated appropriately and contains enough information to show you shouldn’t see people in person.

Send a Thank You Note

It’s not a nice feeling knowing you’ve had to cancel an interview and could be viewed unfavorably as a result. Don’t bother wasting energy blaming yourself or feeling guilty, though, as we can’t help it if we get sick at inopportune times. Instead, take the time to write the interviewers a thank you note for their understanding and for agreeing to see you at a later date.

This shows your ability to go the extra mile, communicate effectively, and build relationships, which will likely help you generate a more favorable impression with recruiters and managers at the firm you wish to work for.

Spend the Extra Time Preparing

When you have to reschedule your interview, try to look on the bright side – that is, at least it means you get more time to prepare. You may be unwell, but hopefully, you’ll have the ability to spend your illness downtime doing more research on the firm you’re applying to work for, the people who will interview you, the corporate culture of the company, and the like.

Practice answering common interview questions, too, and do some mental preparations by way of visualizing, meditating, deep breathing, etc., to help you learn how to control your nerves when the interview occurs.

Do Everything You Can to Impress When You Attend the Interview

Once it does come time for you to attend the rescheduled interview, do everything you can to impress those you’re meeting with. It’s wise to acknowledge what happened and why you couldn’t meet at the original day and time. Thank the interviewers again for being understanding. Have a positive attitude and try to exude low-key confidence that you’re the right person for the role. A group of people sitting around a table

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Be authentic, sincere, and humble, and recruiters and business managers are sure to forget all about your previous cancellation. In fact, showing grace in awkward situations can help you stand out more since things often don’t go to plan in the workplace, and employers want someone who can roll with the punches.

No one wants to face a situation where they have to postpone an interview at the last minute. This less-than-ideal occurrence does happen, though, so take the above steps to move forward, and you’re sure to give yourself the best possible chance of success.