With In-Person Interviews, the Early Bird Seriously Does Not Get the Worm

Be considerate of others' schedules when arriving for an interview.

By LAUREN MOORMAN1851 Franchise Contributor

SPONSOREDUpdated 8:08AM • 11/09/15

There are two types of people in this world: people who show up on time and people who show up late. Some people may fall into either category here and there, but most people have a fairly consistent sense of time.

I used to force myself to get everywhere early because of how much I hate when people are late. Unfortunately, all that did was allow me 10 extra minutes to sit there, feel really good about being on time, and then stew when the other party was late. Since then, I’ve been very careful about planning to arrive places not ten minutes early, not ten minutes late but exactly on time. With Google Maps offering real-time traffic updates, Waze to get you where you need to go the fastest way possible, weather apps that predict when you might get stuck in the rain or snow and calendar apps to remind you of an appointment, is there really any excuse for being late anymore?

I’ll step down from my soapbox because, surprisingly, chronic lateness is not the actual topic of this column. But man, do I hate it.

This column is about something that I think can be equally egregious: showing up too early. As I’ve been in charge of hiring at No Limit Agency*, I’ve noticed a common theme that has emerged: candidates arriving 20 to 30 (sometimes even 40!) minutes early for an interview.

What interview candidates may not know is that my schedule is booked nearly solid some days. A meeting going even ten minutes past schedule can throw off the entire day. I realize not every interview candidate knows the ins and outs of my daily schedule, but I think people blindly think that showing up early to an interview is impressive.

For me, it’s not.

See, we have a security system that sends me an email whenever a guest checks in at the front desk. We don’t have a receptionist, so whenever I see that email come through I know it’s only a matter of minutes until the person is in our lobby and I have to be the one to greet them. Or, if I’m on a call or in a meeting, I have to IM someone that sits near the front door to greet them, which isn’t really fair to that person – or the person that I’m meeting with because this becomes a distraction. See what I mean?!

Let’s consider this an open letter to all potential No Limit Agency interviewees—don’t be more than five minutes early. This shows me that you’re on time and have prioritized this interview, which I appreciate. There are plenty of other ways to impress me besides your ability to show up 30 minutes before an appointment. Spend that 30 minutes researching our company. Check out our work. Think about how your work experience might be in line with the type of work that we do. Read some of the fun profiles we have about our team members on our website. Look at our Facebook page; I recently dressed up as Hulk Hogan for Halloween. Bring that up, and trust me, I’ll laugh and make a mental note in your favor.

Hiring people is hard, and to use one of Nick Powills’ favorite phrases—there is no silver bullet. I don’t claim to know everything and I’m learning more every day. I love bringing hard-working, excited people in to meet with me to see if we’re a fit for each other. I just want you to show up on time.

*This brand is a paid partner of 1851 Franchise. For more information on paid partnerships please click here.