Leslie replied

Question

Leslie looked at the caller ID on her phone and quickly realized that it was Bob from the Slicko Sales Company calling. She was trying to stay calm, but her excitement was building with each ring of the phone. After two interviews with Bob, she was hoping and assuming that he was now calling to offer her the sales job.

“Hello,” Leslie said as she answered the phone. She tried to sound calm and confident.

“Hey, Leslie, how are you doing?” Bob began the conversation.

“Great,” Leslie replied while thinking how exciting it would be to finally be able to tell all her friends and family that she landed a job.

“Good to hear it,” Bob responded. “I really enjoyed interviewing you for the Slicko Sales Company. Unfortunately, we just don’t have any positions right now, so we’re not hiring. But I was wondering, since we seemed to hit it off so well in the interview, if you’d like to go out with me sometime?”

Answer 1

1. Yes—Leslie may have felt an attraction during the interview and would like to explore the relationship further.

Consequence: While Bob may be telling Leslie the truth, one has to wonder why he would interview Leslie twice for a position that didn’t exist. Was he screening her for a job or for a date? The old adage “where there’s smoke, there’s fire” may apply here and Leslie might want to consider Bob’s trustworthiness before the relationship goes too far.

2. No—Leslie declines Bob’s offer to go out.

Consequence: While that may put an end to Bob from Leslie’s perspective, does she have any obligation to other interviewees who may get similar phone calls? If the interviews occurred on a college campus, Leslie might want to say something to the college administrator in charge of recruiting. A date “recruiter” is not what the college or the company has in mind. Depending on the circumstances, Leslie may want to contact Bob’s sales manager.