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I had an emergency and my interview is in few days. Does it look bad if i reschedule?

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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Profile picture of Franco
Franco
Coach
24 hrs ago
Ex BCG Principal & Global Interviewer (10+ Years) | 100+ MBB Offers | 95% Success Rate

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

Profile picture of Mauro
Mauro
Coach
22 hrs ago
Ex Bain AP | +200 interviews | 15years experience | Top MBB coach

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.

Profile picture of Alessa
Alessa
Coach
7 hrs ago
10% off 1st session | Ex-McKinsey Consultant & Interviewer | PEI | MBB Prep | Ex-BCG

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

Profile picture of Cristian
6 hrs ago
Professional MBB coach | Published success rates: 63% MBB only & 88% overall | ex-McKinsey consultant and faculty

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