Job interview timing is tricky. You don’t want to be late, but you don’t want to sit in the foyer for 30 minutes looking like a weirdo. What’s the ideal timing?
Waiting picture from Shutterstock
Business Insider put this question to a number of career experts, and the consensus was that 10-15 minutes was ideal. Any earlier and you’re a burden; too close to the time and you look disorganised or unenthusiastic.
That makes sense to us, but we’re curious: what would you consider the ideal timing to be? Share your thoughts in the comments.
The perfect time to show up for a job interview [Business Insider]
Comments
5 responses to “How Early Should You Show Up For A Job Interview?”
If you are unemployed at the time you should get to the building 45 minutes before the interview time. You have nothing else on so there should be no reason you can’t do that. Then once you are sure that is the correct place, go grab a coffee and something light to eat. The food will settle you and stop you being cranky, tired.
Then head to reception 10 minutes before your interview time
I get to the vicinity anywhere from 30 minutes to 10 minutes before. I then walk in and announce myself 5 minutes early.
I think it’s good to have time to find a bathroom, apply deodorant or generally just get your mind in the game before-hand. Otherwise you walk in flustered and not ready.
Echoing what the others have said, ensure you are there 5 – 10 minutes early, if you cant make it (emergencies do happen) ring and let them know.
I always would try to turn up with plenty of time to spare, then go grab a coffee somewhere nearby and go through my resume and think about the kind of questions I knew would be asked.
Recently I’ve been involved in interviewing some people, we had a no show and gave him a second chance, (I’m not sure why) and he was not successful. The successful applicant was on time, bright, keen and talented.
Remember the interview is your chance to show you are keen and the right fit, being on time and prepared can only help you.
Anyone who turns up for an interview with us more than 20 minutes early gets told to bugger off and come back for when we scheduled it.
It’s that or we go downstairs, let them in and make them wait in a foyer on our floor where there’s not even a chair and the air con doesn’t duct to. Its for their own good that they don’t spend more than 5 minutes waiting there.
Unless you are meeting with someone who only does HR, I wouldn’t show up any earlier than 5 mins.
I hate when people show up way too early for meetings, I feel guilty to make them wait, but at the same time I’ve got stuff to do.
Collect yourself and prepare outside. No need to sit at the reception and stress everyone else out.