I feel the same - although I'm sure they simply wouldn't be allowed to take a potential interview away from us for voicing concerns or having logistical and financial reasons for not being able to attend an offered interview it does worry me. On Tuesday Ami told me that she would let everyone know about interviews for my first choice council that evening - it's now past close of business on Thursday and I haven't heard anything. I can only presume I wasn't considered. However as she told me I had to let her know about my first interview by 3:30 that day I'm currently a bit high and dry. I guess all I can do is keep my fingers crossed. Once again I do not envy her position!
Congratulations on being through to the interview stage!
Firstly, I'm sure that the vast majority of people through to this stage are as chuffed as you are about the fact (I know I am!), and are indeed aware of the odds they have beaten to get this far.
I can only speak for myself when I say I'm going to do as much embracing as my current job/bank balance will allow me to do - for the most part, the problems people on this thread have had with interviews aren't to do with not wanting to go to that specific council, but more to do with time off/money/the fairly reasonable worry that they're going to miss out on a council that, based on their preferences, they think they will prefer.
I absolutely take your point on potentially ending up somewhere a bit different but loving it all the same, but I think the point that most people are trying to make is that there seems very little need to put down council preferences if interviews are being given out on the basis of first available dates. I'm sure, though it wasn't explicitly stated, that most candidates (like me) presumed that our preferences would be taken into account and we would hopefully be allocated a preferred interview first. It was then a bit of a blow to find out this wasn't the case, especially when one has spent time researching councils to place in one's preferred spots
Once again congratulations on getting two interviews so far - and, dare I say it, it must be a little easier to remind us all how lucky we are when you're in possession of an interview date for your first choice
I hope I don't sound bitter - I'm a bit stressed currently waiting to find out if I have my first choice interview: I have to book some new flights if I want to attend, and I can visualise prices climbing by the day - I just wanted to say that I'm about 99% sure that everyone, whether they're mentioning grievances/problems/anything else is aware that they are lucky to be this far into the process