This Is The Perfect Time To Schedule Your Job Interview
Overwhelmed with excitement, you may be inclined to say something along the lines of, "I can come in whenever you'd like me to," or, "How's tomorrow?"
But if you have the luxury of choosing the day and time to meet, you should be strategic about your selection.
Glassdoor reports that certain times of day, and certain days of the week, are better than others.
According to its blog, after reviewing an Accountemps 2008 survey and Andrew Bradbury's book, "Successful Presentation Skills," writer Kate Parham determined that the best time to give a presentation is Tuesday morning around 10:30 a.m.
"Considering that the 'best' presentation times and interview times are likely similar, then Tuesday morning could be a great time to set up your interview," writes career expert Rusty Rueff.
People are shown to be most productive on Tuesdays and won't feel rushed by the time they meet you. It's also late enough in the day that your interviewer has had time to check their email, have a cup of coffee, and get ready for your arrival.
If that time slot isn't an option, think about when the interviewer would likely be in the best mood and most focused.
Here are some tips for selecting an interview time:
Avoid early morning meetings.
Rueff says mornings are great for holding someone's attention, but you may want to avoid the first meeting of the morning because the interviewer may be preoccupied with "home stuff and all the things that need to happen throughout the day." You should especially avoid first thing Monday morning, if possible, he says.
Avoid the last meeting of the workday.
You also don't want to be someone's last meeting of the workday, because there's a good chance the interviewer's attention might not solely be on you. They could be thinking about priorities that they have after work, such as dinner plans, kids' homework, etc., says Rueff. "And, don't even think about the end of the day on a Friday."
Avoid pre- or post-lunch meetings.
Just before lunch or after lunch can also problematic.
"Before lunch can leave you with a good interview being cut short, and after lunch can find you waiting and waiting," Rueff explains. Plus, if you catch the interviewer before lunch when they're hungry, they may not be in the best of moods.
Avoid long weekend and holiday bookends.
Rueff says the day before or first day back after a three-day weekend or holiday is not ideal. The interviewer may be busy trying to get things done to make up for their time off - or distracted by their weekend or holiday plans.