They’re Not Sweating The Details

I am working as a programmer in the American South. This is a hot, humid place, and I am not a fan of the weather here. I am preparing to interview for a job in a government building.

Secretary: “Okay, here’s the address. There’s onsite parking, so you should be fine.”

Me: “Great! I’ll see you then!”

The day of the interview arrives, and I drive to the address in the email. That’s when I discover that there isn’t actually onsite parking if you don’t have a parking permit at the building. Okay, not a huge problem; I’ll just park down the street.

But the nearest parking that isn’t full is a ten-minute hike away. (Stupid holiday weekend.) I am in a suit and heels, carrying a computer bag. It’s easily 90+ degrees (32+ C) out and humid as all get out. I strip off my blazer and start walking.

I get to the building and ask the security guard in the lobby where the office I need to go to is.

Security Guard: “Ma’am, I need you to take a seat and drink this first.”

She hands me a bottle of water.

Me: “No! I’m now late for my interview!”

Security Guard: “That interview won’t mean anything if you die of heat exhaustion! Drink! Now, where is this office supposed to be?”

Me: *Through gulps of water* “Here, in this building. Here’s the email with the address.”

Security Guard: “Yeah, this is the address, but this isn’t where you need to be. That office is in the high-rise four blocks that way. There’s no onsite visitor parking there, either.”

Me: “What?!”

Security Guard: “I’ll call the main lobby and let them know you’re coming. But it’s easily fifteen minutes away by foot.”

Me: “I don’t think I have a choice.”

I ended up roughly thirty minutes late for my interview, and I showed them the email when I explained. They were the right location, but literally everything in the email was wrong. The address, the parking information, and even the phone number provided were wrong, so I couldn’t have called them to explain on my way over. Even the secretary wasn’t a name they knew. It was bizarre. 

I didn’t get the job, but that had more to do with them advertising a very different code base than I had experience with and them not knowing what they were using. But at least I helped them with that.