Advice please re. interview

maryroberts

I have an interview later this week, for a job which would be ideal for me. Initially I sent the company a speculative letter with my CV and was surprised to receive a call a few weeks later saying they had a vacancy and they would like to offer me an interview.

I've just found the job advertised online and one of the requirements is a full driving licence. I do have a licence but do not have a car and haven't driven for many years. I really don't want driving to be any part of my job as I'm not confident.

The main part of the job is office based, which is exactly what I want. My CV doesn't mention a driving licence so they are just presuming that I drive.

The question is - do I phone them tomorrow and tell them my concerns so as not to waste their time or mine at the interview?

Or do I attend the interview and discuss it then? Maybe there is a small chance that they can overlook the driving part, but I suppose there will be other candidates lined up who are prepared to drive.

Advice please!

SnowyOwl_2

Do not pass up the interview!

Only mention the driving if they mention it first. If they don't mention it at all then at the end when they invite you to ask some questions then ask if there is any driving involved in the job.

You do have a driving licence so it's not like you have misled them, or that they have made an erronous assumption. There might be some other reason regarding the driving licence, best to discuss it with them rather than withdraw.

maryroberts

Thanks SnowyOwl. The thing is that it's the sort of job which does involve taking clients for viewings (without giving too much info!). I was hoping that I would be the one doing all the office work while someone else did the viewings. I suppose that the least they could expect was me to be available in case no one else could go and do the viewings. But I don't want to mislead them.

heretolearn_2

I'd not go under those circumstances. You won't get the job and you'll annoy them by being a timewaster. they are asking because you need to drive for the job. Turning up at the interview and saying 'ha! You didn't say we had to be prepared to drive, just do we have a licence, and I do, so I'm not lying, so you should give me the job anyway even though I can't do part of it that was perfectly clear' as the other poster seems to be suggesting (sort of) is ridiculous behaviour. And will seriously pee them off. And stop them ever considering you again.

I'd call and say that you don't drive and ask is it definitely essential for this job. If it is, politely turn down the interview but say you'd be very keen to hear from them if a completely office-based job came up in future, and wish them luck in finding a good candidate this time round. Or they might say, well actually, we could make it work so you don't have to go out, and then you can go to the interview with a clean sheet and not making them feel mislead.

jc808

can you not do a few hours with an instructor to get your confidence back?

ktothema

maryroberts wrote: »

I have an interview later this week, for a job which would be ideal for me. Initially I sent the company a speculative letter with my CV and was surprised to receive a call a few weeks later saying they had a vacancy and they would like to offer me an interview.

I've just found the job advertised online and one of the requirements is a full driving licence. I do have a licence but do not have a car and haven't driven for many years. I really don't want driving to be any part of my job as I'm not confident.

The main part of the job is office based, which is exactly what I want. My CV doesn't mention a driving licence so they are just presuming that I drive.

The question is - do I phone them tomorrow and tell them my concerns so as not to waste their time or mine at the interview?

Or do I attend the interview and discuss it then? Maybe there is a small chance that they can overlook the driving part, but I suppose there will be other candidates lined up who are prepared to drive.

Advice please!

Have the company not sent you a job description? It's possible they have several similar jobs on the go, some requiring driving and others not. I'd be inclined to attend the interview as they hadn't mentioned that specifically to me. Also, as you're in a position where you can drive you could offer, as jc808 says, to undertake some extra lessons to bolster your confidence.

martinthebandit

jc808 wrote: »

can you not do a few hours with an instructor to get your confidence back?

is the right answer

DVardysShadow

martinthebandit wrote: »

is the right answer

Not if OP does not want to drive.

maryroberts

Thanks for all your replies.

I'd love to be able to drive but it's not that easy for me. I suppose I have some sort of phobia really, so I really don't want to drive as part of my job. I know it's stupid of me, seeing as I have a full licence and passed my test first time, over 20 years ago. But that's an entirely separate issue which I need to sort out in my own time.

Just to let you know that I did phone the company earlier today - I thought it was the right thing to do. I explained that I was a little concerned about the driving, and how important was it to the job? They said that it was essential but I think they genuinely appreciated my honesty and not wasting their time on an interview.

They will consider me for a possible future job in another branch which does not require driving, so all is not lost.