“There is no bigger red flag to a hiring manager than a candidate who can’t manage their time, especially for roles where deadline management skills are essential,” the report says, noting that being late is worse than getting the company’s name wrong. he added. Alternatively, dressing too casually will give the hiring manager “maximum discomfort.”
Pre-pandemic, when video interviews weren’t as common, most interviewers were happy to give candidates a 15-minute grace period to join the conversation late, says a 27-year recruiter. Jeff Hyman, who has worked there, told CNBC Make It.
Now, 15 minutes has been reduced to five minutes for both in-person interviews and phone or video interviews, Hyman says.
“People just have less patience for excuses,” he explains. “Tardiness is a very unpleasant behavior, as it shows rudeness, a big ego, or incompetence and lack of planning.”
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Regarding how early you should arrive for your interview, we recommend arriving 5 minutes early for in-person interviews and 10 minutes early for video interviews in case there are any technical issues. “You don’t want to seem overly enthusiastic or desperate by sitting in the waiting room for 20 minutes,” he added.
Don’t panic if you’re late for your interview. Hyman says a quick and heartfelt apology can help you bounce back and win the other person’s heart.
“Sometimes things happen in life. Most people will understand if you have a valid reason to be late, like a tire coming off while you’re driving or your internet unexpectedly cutting out.” he says. “It’s far less productive to not acknowledge the elephant in the room at all.”
But Hyman added that there’s no need to give a lengthy explanation as to why you’re late. “You don’t want to dig yourself into a hole by cutting into the precious time you have left in the interview,” he explains.
Instead, he recommends a simple and sincere apology, such as: “I’m really sorry that I’m late because something happened, but I value your time and I’m very interested in this opportunity. What information can I share?” Can you help me decide if it’s suitable for me? ”
Also, be prepared that even if you apologize, the interviewer may overlook your tardiness. “All you can do is convince them that you’re really sorry for being late and walk them out of the room for the rest of the interview,” Hyman says. “Then let the chips fall where they may.”
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