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I was caught in a situation once where the employer who wished to interview
me, wanted to schedule the meeting within an hour of when he called to set
up the interview...I simply advised the interviewer of my current work
environment, and explained that I could make the meeting but it would have
to be in my current unwashed-filthy-stinking-steel-handling state.
------------------------
Hah!
On the way to an interview (which resulted in me becoming a technical
writer), my 1970 VW bug broke down. It was 120 degrees F (in Phoenix, AZ,
USA). It was noon. There was no shade in sight.
I managed to patch the car together with the string, duct tape, and wire
that I kept in the back seat for that very purpose. By the time I had
completed the repairs, I was hot, greasy, absolutely drenched with sweat,
and late for the interview (pre-cell-phone days). I might mention, for
those who are not acquainted with the VW Bug, that the 1970 version Beetle
did not have air conditioning. So I arrived at the interview still late,
still hot, and only partially drenched with sweat. The parts of me exposed
to the hot, arid air were dry; those that were touching some part of the
car, such as the seat, were still wet. They were full-sized seats, mind
you. So my front side was dry, and my back side was, well, not.
I plunged through the front doors of the office hoping to find a restroom to
bathe in before meeting my interviewer. Just my luck, he was there in the
lobby waiting for me.
I ended up with that job. After my explanation of what happened, he gave me
some time to get cleaned up, then interviewed me in a well-ventilated area.
Afterwards, we went out and admired my repair job and exchanged tips on
getting around burnt-out fuses on VW bugs. Turns out he owned a few
himself....
