My apartment been flooded and now I need to move out and handle the situation. Does it look bad to ask to push my interview date? It's such short notice and it's in a few days but i'm worried that rescheduling looks bad on paper. Should I just stick it through and interview still?
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Hi Franco, thank you so much for your response! I have rescheduled it and the recruiter was very kind about it after explaining my situation. Thank you for helping me out!
Thank you for your response! I thought about this too and was told in general you just want to be energized and mentally ready too for the day of. Luckily, everything worked out and I was able to reschedule. Thank you!
Hi Cristian, they were able to reschedule me to a later date! Seems like they weren't do all -in-one day batch. Thank you for your help!
Hi Alessa! Thank you for the response! I was luckily able to reschedule after much thought and the recruiter was super kind and understanding about it. Thank you for your input!
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I had an emergency and my interview is in few days. Does it look bad if i reschedule?
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I’m sorry you’re dealing with this situation.
If it will affect your ability to perform at your best, you should reschedule without hesitation. It is a legitimate emergency, and HR teams are used to handling these requests, so it won’t reflect negatively on you.
It’s better to interview when you can give it your full attention rather than while stressed and distracted.
Good luck, and I hope everything gets resolved quickly.
Franco
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That's genuinely stressful, so go easy on yourself.
The answer: no, rescheduling does not look bad. A flooded apartment is exactly the kind of real emergency recruiters deal with all the time. They're human. Nobody holds "my home flooded" against you. The only thing that looks bad is going silent or making something up.
How to do it cleanly:
- Tell them quickly. The sooner you ask, the more it reads as responsible, not flaky.
- Keep it short: "I've had a flooding emergency at home and need to relocate over the next few days. I want to give this my full focus, so could we move it to [date]?"
- Propose a specific window. Shows you're organized and still keen.
- Add one line reaffirming your interest.
The real question underneath: can you actually perform if you push through? If you'll be moving boxes and dealing with insurance, you won't be sharp, and a flat interview hurts you more than a clean reschedule ever would.
Asking to move it is the mature, low-risk move. Send the note, sort your home out, walk in clear-headed.
In your situation, I would seriously consider rescheduling.
An apartment flooding and having to move out is a legitimate emergency, not a weak excuse or a sign of poor planning.
The real question is: will you be able to show up mentally prepared and perform at your best in a few days?
If the answer is no, then interviewing just to avoid the appearance of rescheduling may be the riskier choice.
In my experience, consulting firms are generally quite reasonable about genuine personal emergencies, especially if you communicate early, you're professional about it and you don't ask for a huge delay.
One reschedule due to a real emergency is unlikely to hurt your candidacy.
On the other hand, a poor interview because you're distracted, exhausted, or dealing with contractors and insurance calls can absolutely hurt your chances.
Hi there,
No, it doesn't look bad.
Be transparent with the recruiter, explain the situation, and ask if it's possible to get more time.
There are instances where indeed an extension is not possible because that office is running all the interviews in batches - e.g., they're planning on interviewing all consultants by a certain date.
However, that's rather an exception than a rule, so check in with them if it's possible to get some extra time.
Hope it works out!
Best,
Cristian
hey! Sorry to hear that!
It’s completely fine to reschedule, and it won’t hurt you. Real emergencies happen, and recruiters see this all the time. A flooded apartment is a legitimate reason, and no good firm will penalize you for handling something serious in your life.
What does look bad is showing up distracted, exhausted, or unprepared because you tried to push through. A short, calm message explaining that you had an unexpected emergency at home and need to move the interview by a few days is perfectly acceptable. Keep it simple and professional.
Alessa
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