A colleague of mine shared a story about a candidate this week who was 30 minutes late to a 2nd interview with the hiring manager. Prior to this incident, the candidate was at the top of the list for the job. Due to tardiness, the candidate was declined a 2nd interview. It just didn't make a good impression on the employer.
This may seem obvious to some but unfortunately it seems to happen too often. Never, never, never be late to a job interview. In most cases, this will guarantee you won't get the job.
Avoid this situation with these simple steps:
- Get directions using Mapquest or Google Maps.
- Drive to the interview location a day in advance. Time the drive, look for parking and make note of any challenges you may have (bridges, rush hour, walking distance from parking, etc). This preparatory drive will give you confidence on interview day.
- Plan to arrive to the interview at least a half-hour to an hour early. You don't have to go in for the interview this early but this way you'll leave extra time in case something comes up.
- If you ARE running late, call as soon as you know you may be late and let the interviewer know. Don't wait until 15 minutes past the interview time. Defintely call BEFORE the scheduled interview time.
Most interviewers note the time a candiate arrived for an interview and take it into account when making a decision. Being early shows you are prepared and you are serious about the opportunity.