Dear Charlie,
I’m a 32 year old guy. I’ve been applying for jobs like crazy and have had a couple interviews. I haven’t been too impressed with anyone so far. I got called to interview with a company tomorrow that I was very excited about… until I read their reviews. This company has nothing but bad reviews, and there are a lot of them. I am no longer excited about this job opportunity. Should I cancel my interview?
-Cautious Job Seeker
Dear Cautious,
Having the luxury of picking and choosing between numerous job offers is hard to come by these days. You are very lucky to be in such a position. However, I can understand that you are none too eager to meet with companies that have a bad rap. I would say to go into the interview open minded, and give them a chance. Now that you’ve seen these reviews, you know not to get your hopes up. You have realistic expectations, so anything good that happens will be a surprise. Look at this interview as more of an exercise, rather than a potential job candidate meeting. Feel them out and go with your instincts. If you find that everything you read is right, then at least you know it’s not just you. If, by chance, you are comfortable and pleased with your interview, don’t be afraid to try them out. I admit it’s unlikely that a competitor was attempting to sabotage their reputation by writing all of those reviews. Every reviewer had their reason for giving them negative feedback, but to each, his own. Maybe you are just the guy they need to turn things around. You might hit it off with the owner/manager and find your niche. You don’t want to burn your bridges in the professional world, or jump to conclusions too soon. I don’t know what line of work you are in, but this is a universal concept. You never know who these people are connected to. Canceling an interview sends the message that you’re no longer looking for work. People talk. You don’t want word like that to spread unless it's true. Who knows, this little interview could lead you in the direction of something better. Do you believe everything is for a reason? If so, maybe you will meet someone important to your career (or personal life) at the interview. I think the right thing to do here is take this opportunity to practice. If you don’t feel like you need practice, then you must be the cream of the crop. However, I think everybody could use some ongoing practice, even long time professionals. It keeps you fresh. Here’s a question: do you have something better to do? Another interview lined up? Depending on how bad you need a job right now, you either have a sense of urgency to find work or you don’t. Most people in this economy do, and don’t want to pass anything up. If we always followed what the crowd did or said, nothing extraordinary would ever happen. Go and see for yourself. If you’re disappointed, then you can’t say you weren’t warned. Then again, it would be hard to be disappointed by a company whom you have low expectations of. Maybe you will learn things about yourself during this interview that you can apply to the next one. It’s good to give people a chance. If you honestly feel that this interview will be a waste of your time from start to finish, then by all means cancel. Tell them you are no longer interested in employment with their company via email. Keep it short and curt. Maybe you are in high demand and everyone is calling you off the hook. I still think that it’s productive to go, but it’s your call. I hope you find the right fit, but for now, give them the benefit of the doubt. You just never know.
