Job Interview!! Scheduled for Same Time as School Activity W/daughter!!

Updated on June 05, 2012
S.L. asks from Lansing, MI
25 answers

Oh man, I don't know what to do. I am so torn here. I signed up to volunteer at my daughters field day at school, she is 9, and I haven't been able to do any other activities at her school in a while so this was huge! Well, I got an interview for a postion that I would absolutely LOVE! When they called to schedule I forgot that the field day is on the same day at the same time!
So what do I do. If I give my word, I keep it. Family is #1 to me, but I don't know if I can call and ask to reschedule, tell them why, and have them see me as a good mom who keeps her word, or someone who doesn't take the interivew seriously!
I just don't know what to do, I got the call on Thursday and the interview/field day is tomorrow!

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So What Happened?

Does it matter that I do have a job, however, this other job would be an amazing step in the right direction as well as more pay and higher job title!! I appreciate all of the advice, I am the worst when it comes ot over analyzying things and I am always trying to do the right thing....

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J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

Calling to change the interview tells the employer two things. That you will miss work for family stuff because it is more important. Second that if you can forget something that important what are you going to forget at work.

Not the message you want to send I think.

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S.W.

answers from Amarillo on

You may have a job but you said "this other job would be an amazing step in teh right direction as well as more pay and a highger job title!!" So you do the interview and not change the time.

Make this a learning experience that not everything goes as planned for family and sometime we have to chose and this is important to help the family. Daughter will learn that not everything in life will go the way it is planned and to become flexible to change.

Good luck on the interview. Take some clothes with you to the interview so that you can change and attend what is left the Field Day. As another poster mentioned most of the time kids are running around and playing with their friends.

The other S.

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L.D.

answers from Dallas on

Do the interview.

Also - see iof you can swap times with another mom - if interview is in the morning, do field day in the afternoon, or vice versa.

Make up missing field day with a special activity next weekend.

Edit to add: If someone I was interviewing rescheduled an interview - that would automatically be a little black mark beside their name.

6 moms found this helpful

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E.T.

answers from Albuquerque on

I would go on the interview. Family is absolutely number 1 to me too, and sometimes the best thing for my family is me getting a new job that would make me happy, provide more money, and allow career advancement. Your daughter will be disappointed that you can't make it to her field day, but she's going to be excited about the activities - not just that mom is there. Call the school and tell them you have a conflict and need to bow out.

Good luck on the interview!

PS. I think the worst thing would be attempting to reschedule the interview. You will NOT look like a serious candidate who is also committed to her family. You will look like a scatterbrain who can't keep her schedule straight. I've had people reschedule their interviews with me before, and none have ever gotten the job. Just saying.

10 moms found this helpful

L.M.

answers from New York on

DO NOT RESCHEDULE A JOB INTERVIEW. It is one thing when you are already a trusted employee to miss a day or reschedule something. They do not know you from a hole in the wall. This is your first impression. This won't make you look like a dedicated mom - it will make you look flighty and careless. Trust me.

Do the interview and go to field day after or before depending on what time. Field day is all day. A job interview is likely not. Or make hubby take a day off from his job and do field day.

8 moms found this helpful
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D..

answers from Charlotte on

Sorry - the job interview comes first. And really, you need to think of this as being "Family first" because it IS for your family that you are trying to get a job. You can go to Field Day as soon as the interview is over. You might even be able to spend some time there before the interview.

If the interviewer found out that there was anything other than sickness that made you call to change your interview, he or she would think that you were not committed to a career and wouldn't bother to hire you, in all honesty.

Dawn

8 moms found this helpful

T.K.

answers from Dallas on

Job interview.
You daughter is 9, she will understand. Just take her out for frozen yogurt afterward. She can tell you all about field day and you can tell her all about your interview.

oing to the interview does not constitute putting work 1st. It is about your daughter. Will she benefit more from mom taking her career to the next level or from you volunteering. BTW - when you volunteer, you don't spend that time with your child. You are handing out cold water or putting sunscreen on kids or setting up/cleaning up. It's not like you will be missing out on time with your child.

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

In the great picture of your life, you already know that the job interview comes first here. Your daughter will say she's disappointed before field day happens, but when she comes home from field day all she'll talk about is the great time she had and she'll be so tired she won't mind much that you weren't there.

Tell her that a job interview is a very serious commitment and must be made to fit the interviewer's schedule -- not yours. Don't go overboard apologizing to her for mistaking the times -- just say, "This is the time that works for them, and I have to do it at this time. It's a responsibility I have to keep." It's about doing what you must do to possibly make a life-changing alteration in what you do every day, all day. That's huge. Missing one field day is a blip compared to it and you have to remember that, even if it hurts you when she says "But you promised." It's not like you committed to something profoundly important to her school life here. Many other field days and other opportunities will come up but this one interview is unique and may never happen for you again.

Do the interview.

5 moms found this helpful

M.L.

answers from Chicago on

If you want this job - DO NOT call to reschedule. I understand family is first - if the family is depending on you financially - getting this job WILL be putting them first as you are doing it FOR the family. Sure, a 9 year old may not understand this NOW, but WILL when she's older. She likely may be disappointed but just set aside some time for her later and do something special. Please - DO NOT reschedule the interview (at least, if you do want it!!).

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M.P.

answers from San Francisco on

With the job market the way it is now, I would go to the interview. If you do not and you reschedule, they may take it as you are not serious about the position. You can always show up late to the field day. If you feel guilty for missing part of the activity, you can always take your duaghter out for Ice cream after and spend 1-1 time with her.

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M.R.

answers from Chicago on

Job interview. Hands down.

Don't give the company a reason to move your candidacy to the bottom of the list. A potential employer may think, "okay when else is she going to want to bail on work to be with her kids, go to this appointment, insert other reason...".

If you were taking the job just to earn some fun money or for personal fulfillment, then re-schedule. If this is a move that will keep your career moving in the right direction, then you need to do everything in your power to get to that interview and shine like the star that you are.

4 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Honestly? The kids are running around during Field Day so much they barely know their parents are there.
Do the interview then change and go to school/field day.
Doing the interview afterward might be tough if you have to dress appropriately for it.
You'll be there for part of it which would not break your word.
If you reschedule, many interviewers would mark it against you.
Supporting your family is still putting your family first.
Do yourself a favor and make sure you have a calendar where you track all your appointments/activities/events so the situation doesn't repeat itself.

4 moms found this helpful

R.B.

answers from La Crosse on

I would say go to the job interview.

Is there any way that you can meet up with your daughters class after the interview? You would miss part of it.. but at least you would be there for some of it.

That would be the best win win here... if you can't do both, then I would say the interview becomes the priority here, even though your daughter will be disappointed, hopefully she will understand.

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S.Y.

answers from Chicago on

I would say if you call to reschedule the interview...just go ahead and cancel it...cause I can not see any way that you would get the job.

3 moms found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Can dad go instead to field day? How about a grandparent, Aunt, Uncle?. If not, just explain to your daughter that you have to go to this interview, but she gets to pick where you will all go for dinner that night.

Maybe call another parent and ask them if they can take photos of your daughter that day.. and then send that person a thank you and a $20. Gift card.

These things happen, but in the long run, your daughter is going to be fine..

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K..

answers from Phoenix on

An interview will probably last around 1/2 an hour or so, an hour max. Don't cancel it. Go to to the interview & head straight to the field day - problem solved!

Ultimately, the interview/potential new job is in your whole family's best interest.

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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

Both? Whoa, I must have been living my life wrong. I see so many people saying the job interview first. Sorry, but my children are grown and I put them first and if you want to work somewhere, the best is to tell the truth-that your family is very important. If starting out with an interview doesn't let them know, then you will face this struggle every time your child is sick (that is never planned out), or other school functions take place and you are postponing the inevitable. They will still find out you like your family. I may not be rich but I will never regret putting my family first.

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B.P.

answers from Cleveland on

how important is the job? if it is super important that comes first, take your daughter to do SOMETHING after the interview to make up for it her pick but for me itd have to be the job

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M.K.

answers from Columbus on

This is a tough one on many levels - depending on what type of job it is, if you call to reschedule the interview, they'll think "well, it's starting already"! But then if you call the school and tell them you need to cancel, you'll get a bad response there as well.

If this were me, and I've been in similar situations, I would go thru with the interview. Jobs are hard to find these days and you may not get another opportunity.

Maybe when you call the school, you could offer to make a few calls to get a replacement.

If you do go for the interview, I would make a point of taking your daughter out for ice cream or something special - just mommy and me time!!

Good luck!!

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R.M.

answers from Sacramento on

Go to the interview. And for people--or the person--who said going to the interview would be wrong, I say your children need to know that their parents are people too, with needs, wants, responsibilities, dreams. It's ok and they will understand.

1 mom found this helpful
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S.S.

answers from Chicago on

I think in the grand scheme of things you do the job interview what can it take an hour or two? field day is generally an all day event. no one parent has to be there for the whole time. And no you don't reschedule the interview. they will think your a flake lol. if you can't even remember that your on for the field day how can you be expected to take care of all the duties of this job? not my opinion just an opinion that could happen from a perspective employer

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M.C.

answers from Washington DC on

I would go to the job interview, and then try to make it to field day later.

For my son's school they actually have two sessions for field day. Morning for half the school and after lunch for the other. So each section actually runs about 2 - 2 1/2 hours.

If this were me, I would tell my son what happened and let him know that I will try to make it to field day, but that I needed to do this. Then at the interview I would let them know that I had another scheduled appt. and would need to be done by 10:30a, but that if more time was needed I could return that afternoon or tomorrow.

If you don't want to miss field day, you could call the interviewer and tell them that you just realized that you can a schedule conflict with an appt. for your daughter that can't be rescheduled. I wouldn't mention that it was for field day.

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H.M.

answers from Dallas on

I would call and let them know the situation and see if you can reschedule let them know you understand it it's not possible but you really want to keep your word to your daughter.

Good luck and God Bless!!!

1 mom found this helpful
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C.W.

answers from Phoenix on

Call and ask if you can reschedule the interview that you looked at your calendar and realized there was something scheduled. This has happened to me and there was no problem.

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K.B.

answers from San Francisco on

You don't have to explain it, you can just say "there is a scheduling conflict, and one possible solution is to change the interview. I am so excited to interview for this position, and I hate to wait, but would it be feasible to move it?" And ultimately, I think if you do tell them what the conflict is and they don't like that you are trying to put your daughter first by rescheduling, then would you really want to work for them anyway? How they treat you about this will inform how they'll treat you throughout. If they are understanding and accommodating, then they will be later when you have a sick kid or a special performance. If they are impatient or hard, they will be later when you need understanding. Moving it one day shouldn't be a big deal.

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