How to handle interview when less than 100% healthy?
I had an interview yesterday for a company I’d really like to work with. I’d been through three phone interviews and had really felt like the position was a perfect fit. I like the team, they got along with me, the work was something I feel passionate about, and it seems like a great next step.
The only problem has been I’ve been battling a cold all week, and totally lost my voice on Wednesday. It all worked out, I babied it all day Wednesday to complete the last phone interview, and they were understanding about my worn out vocal cords.
So they got in touch to schedule an on-site interview for Friday. I told them I was excited for the interview, but still getting over the cold, so was wondering if we could do it next week. Long story short, the people they wanted me to talk to were leaving town and Friday was really the only chance for a face to face with those folks. If I absolutely couldn’t go, they’d interview the other candidates Friday and I could find a time to go in and video conference with the employees they wanted me to talk to while they were traveling in a car/plane/hotel room. Not really ideal.
The cold is pretty much gone, I just have a cough, and laryngitis to some extent that makes me sound like Vin Diesel going through puberty. So I scheduled the interview and had it yesterday. I took some cough medicine and decongestants, had two bottles of water, some cough drops for just before, and was ready to rock.
First half of the interview went great, but was in a conference room with no/poor AC. It was probably mid 80’s in there and about an hour in the room started spinning, I started feeling loopy, and the cough returned. I asked for a quick break, drank some water, and kept trucking. The rest is kind of a blur of me giving semi-generic answers where I’m economical with my words between sips of water and wondering if that floor would be cool on my face if I just layed down. I don’t feel like I really conveyed my technical chops to the tech team. It’s a tech position, so that’s a problem.
When it was over I made some hasty goodbyes and headed out, happy to be out of the hot room.
Questions:
1) Should I acknowledge the cold/situation with the recruiter somehow? I started to write a quick “thank you with a side of sorry about the cold” email, but it all comes out sounding like excuses. I just feel like I missed a bit of an opportunity here because I really wasn’t 100%.
2) If I don’t get the job, should I explain I’d love to interview for similar positions sometime when I’m not loopy off cough syrup? They’re a growing company, and will be hiring more funkdaddys in the future. My concern would be this just sounds like sour grapes.
3) Any other tips or stories from similar situations?
Thanks for your help smart jellies. Hope you’re all doing well.
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