Cancellation and Missed Interview Policy

Cancellation and Missed Interview Policies
A scheduled interview is a professional appointment made between you and the employer. For the On-Campus Interviewing Program, once the interview sign up process is completed, any changes you wish to make must be made directly with the employer contact person. This is a professional courtesy; it gives the employer the opportunity to schedule another person for that interview time slot (and not have the time wasted).

Cancellation Policy
Interview cancellations for the On-Campus Interview Program can be made in Handshake until midnight on Thursday prior to the next week's interviews. If the cancellation deadline has passed, it is your responsibility to make contact (by phone or email) with the employer contact person listed in the job posting in Handshake. It is also necessary for you to provide the employer the reason for canceling. If such contact is not made, it will be reflected that you “missed the interview” which has the below consequences. As stated, this policy also applies to those interviewing during the career fairs sponsored by Career and Professional Development.

Missed Interview Policy
If you miss an interview, or a recruiter determines your reason for not attending the interview was not valid, the result is that you will be documented as having “missed the interview." This will result in the loss of your privileges to participate in the On-Campus Interviewing Program; in other words, you will be blocked from using Handshake for future purposes. However, you will not be removed from interviews you have already scheduled; so, it is essential that you attend those interview appointments. Failure to do so will result in additional "missed interview" reports on your record.

If the employer does not receive your contact in a timely manner, and/or the employer does not consider your reason to be valid, or you simply no-show for the interview, the employer can report you as a "no-show," and you will lose your privilege to participate in OCI and Handshake. The "no-show" report is entirely at the employer's discretion.

To discuss the circumstances regarding your missed interview and your status with Handshake, you will need to set up an appointment to meet with a Virginia Tech Career and Professional Development Employer Relations staff member by calling 540-231-6241.

Rationale for the Missed Interview Policy
When conducting a job search it is critical for students to recognize that they are also preparing to become workplace professionals. Thus, it is important to conduct business with potential employers in a professional manner; including through voicemail messages, phone calls, letters, emails, resumes, and interviews. The impressions you make will be lasting ones; favorable or not-so-favorable.

Employers invest substantial time and money in their recruitment efforts and it is a privilege to have them come to our campus. When a student misses a scheduled interview, it impacts the employer, other students, and the reputation of the university. Virginia Tech places the highest values on our students and employers, so any negative impact to either causes us great concern.

The employer viewpoint, in response to a student's apology letter:
This is a letter from an employer in response to a student's apology letter for missing an interview. He granted us permission to quote him.

Mr. -----,

I, too, am sorry that you missed the interview. We interviewed 15 students on that Wednesday, and unfortunately we had to decline interviews for several students because all of the slots were full, including the one we reserved for you. The career fair requires a great deal of time, effort, and expense for our organization, and the interviews are not granted casually.

I would suggest that in the future if you are too busy, that you not reserve an interview slot with a potential employer.

Sincerely,

Daniel Rabun
Software Prototype Development Facility
(via email following the Connection Fair)