I'm currently finishing up the final semester of my undergraduate degree, and I'm planning on doing my serious job-hunting after I've finished up my semester. Last week I received a cold-call email (from someone who I would later find out is an HR manager) asking if I'd be interested in working as a Finance Associate at a domestic company.
I emailed back and asked for more details, which the manager provided me, as well as a link to a formal application form (which had not existed on the website before – I checked their website out as soon as they emailed me the first time and there were no job listings or details about a Finance Associate). I have no experience whatsoever in finance work and there's nothing on my résumé to indicate that I have experience in finance.
Once of the fields in the application form was to indicate when I'd be available for an interview. I provided a range of dates and times under the impression that they would contact me to arrange a time to meet. Instead, I received an email saying they would call me for an interview during the time I indicated on the application. I emailed back immediately saying that I had an appointment during that time and could we arrange a different day…they called anyways, and when I didn't answer (as I was in an appointment), someone from the company's call centre called me back later (outside of my indicated availability!) to ask if I was available for an interview right then. I said no, and that I had emailed them that morning about the interview time.
This is where I started seeing some red flags. I'm very naïve when it comes to applying for jobs, though – I worry that I have screwed myself over with the latest phone call (I panicked and was rather unprofessional), but I don't even know if this is a legit job offer, or if it's a scam, or what. I'm not desperate for this job – I haven't started applying in earnest yet and, quite frankly, there are other companies I'd rather work for, I think.
Is this some scam or shady offer? And, if I somehow do still go to an interview, what questions should I ask them?