Am I being too picky?

[JennJubie]

I have a family coming this evening that is interested in starting in September. I interviewed them a little while ago, and they have decided now they want to meet again. I agreed to see them at 5, when I close. I have very, very busy evenings, and I'm really running on a tight schedule by doing this. Anyway, they just emailed me and asked if they could push our meeting back to 5:30. I told them that I would like to keep to our original meeting time. My family typically eats at 5:30, and I need to be out of the house by 6:00 myself tonight. I'm also afraid that if I allow the meeting to be pushed back, they might think that my closing time will be negotiable in the future. So... am I being too picky?

[Skysue]

Not at all. They need to know right away that your time is to be repected!

Good luck!

[Fun&care]

If you're busy, you're busy. Theres no reason why you cant just try and find another day that works.

[mimi]

Just like they would expect their time to be respected, so they should respect yours. We work from home all day so many "day" appointments must be done in the evenings.
I recently was trying to arrange an interview with a referred potential client. When I said I wasn't available on a particular evening she became snotty about the limited time frame I had for my interviews. Big red flag there, and now (to her) that spot has been taken. As desperate as I am to fill this spot, I am not looking for a headache client.

[playfelt]

I would have replied sorry, I need to leave the house for another commitment no later than 6pm so we need to keep with our original meeting time or at least be done our meeting by 5:30 so I can prepare to leave.

Alternately we can schedule your meeting for another day this week also as close to 5:00 as possible so I may feed my family dinner and start evening activities by 6:00.

When I am in interview mode it is sometimes necessary to make the time in an evening to meet with families. I am guessing the dad finishes work and gets home close to 5 and is not able to get off earlier as he thought he might or wants to come home, shower and make himself presentable too depending on his job so I get their desire for 5:30 but they should have planned and asked for that before now.

I am guessing there are a lot of detailed questions they didn't ask the first time around as they were just narrowing down the field. I would probably ask them to make a list of the most important questions they now have and send me an email so I can be prepared to address them quickly and efficiently and will also attempt to respond by email with the information they are requesting so they have my answers before coming - again making the time short if it is even going to happen at that point.

To the original question: I get that this comes across as family trying to make the rules and change things right from the start but we can not assume anything. I have had people reschedule because the baby fell asleep, or dad got home late, etc. and sometimes I was able to push it on and other times had to plan a different day. Better to get help to deal with your own family so you can do the interview probably but still hold them to the 6pm departure.

[JennJubie]

They didn't get back to me for almost two months. They were given notice a while ago that their daycare was closing. Thing is, they left getting back to me until now, and they want a start date of Sept 3.

While I understand the need for a later meeting so that Dad can attend, (or whatever the reason), I truly am very busy this week. I offered to meet with them another day if need be.

[Artsand crafts]

If I wasn't available I would give them the option of another afternoon or weekend to meet. You can give them a range for they to choose when it is mutually convenient.

[Judy Trickett]

If they really want the spot they will make it work. If I have a toothache and my dentist fits me in, last minute for 5pm I don't even THINK about calling her and asking if I can come at 5:30pm instead. We deserve to be treated with just as much respect. Stick to your guns - and your time. It has to be important enough to THEM to make it a priority.

[playfelt]

Here is a good example of having to decide what is more important to us. It is entirely possible they have scheduled let's say 3 second visits. If you cancel for tonight and attempt to reschedule you run the risk they just won't bother and go with one of the visits in the next two days. One of the reasons I try to make myself available when I have a space to interviewing as soon as someone calls even if next week would be better.

I think what is getting clouded here is that you are busy this week and had time for them last week but they didn't call and will have time for them next week but that will be too late. It isn't their fault they want to come this week. It is up to you to decide how important meeting with this family is. From the initial interview think about how interested you both seemed in each other and go from there. If you have other options and can afford to let it slide then maybe that would be best. They didn't leave themselves a lot of time so guessing they have decided on you and may even be coming to sign papers and deposit in hand.

[Momof4]

If they don't respect you before they sign the contract, well do you really think they will get better? RED FLAGS!