The Power of Promptness in First Impression

Don't Contaminate Your First Impression by Being Late

Before you are even introduced to the interviewers, your promptness will speak loudly about who you are.

When you are late for an interview, several impressions attach themselves to you like unwelcome spiritual barnacles. Interviewers imagine you to be disorganized, irresponsible, rude. For many interviewers, the sin of being late is unpardonable. There are several I know who will immediately turn away candidates who are late, and others who will grant the candidate a courtesy interview but will never hire someone who is late for the interview.

The hole you dig for yourself by being late is often so deep no amount of apologizing will dig you out of it. The negative first impression is so strong and smelly, it contaminates your entire interview.

If You're Late...

If you are late, you are telling the person you’re meeting

• "I don’t plan well"
• "I am disorganized"
• "I am unpredictable and unreliable"
• "I don’t respect your time"
• "My time is more important that your time"
• "Please don’t hire me because I’ll let you down"

When you’re trying hard to get a job, these are the last things you want to say to the person who could offer you one.

If You're On Time...

• "Your time is important to me"
• "I respect you"
• "I value this opportunity"
• "Hire me, because I am eager and reliable"
• You can count on me"

Tips to Kill the Risk of Being Late

1. Make sure you know where you’re going. Ask for directions if necessary. Don’t be afraid of looking stupid by asking for directions. Being late is much worse.
2. Make sure you know how long it takes to get there. I just can’t stress this enough. The most impressive candidates actually drive to the interview location before the interview to make sure they know the traffic patterns, location, and how long it takes. If you’ve done this, try to let the interviewer know somehow that you did this during your interview. It marks you as "eager and responsible."
3. Plan at least 15 minutes of slack time for the unexpected. It is incredibly wise to plan for the traffic jam, just in case. I have found that timeliness does not happen without a plan for it.
4. Arrive at least 20 minutes early. Don’t wait in the lobby that entire time, however. Enter the lobby about 5 minutes before your appointment time. Sit in your car or in some comfortable spot for the rest of the time. Pray, meditate, relax. Get your head prepared to make a strong first impression. It doesn’t help your first impression if you rush into the lobby at the last minute, still on time, but pouring sweat because you were jogging up the hill from the parking lot to be on time.

A Personal Example

Out of the 60 or so candidates I personally interviewed, about 10 were late for their interviews, and about 10 were arriving significantly early (more than 30 minutes early).

The ten who were late all offered excuses: The bus was slower than expected, child-care didn’t arrive on time, wrong turn coming up the hill, etc. Not one of these candidates made it to Round 2 to meet the hiring manager. As a Recruiting Manager, I refuse to risk my professional reputation on a candidate that isn’t serious about the position. The conclusion I reach about candidates who are late: They aren’t serious about the job.

Don’t tune me out if you’re an executive or middle manager! Lateness is not confined to junior-level administrative employees. And don’t think because you’re a computer geek that these rules don’t apply. If you break this foundational law of business, you can kiss your interview goodbye. Wise job seekers will heed this advice, and it will put you ahead of at least 15% of the pack if you plan to be on time.