3 Important Timing Rules to Keep in Mind During Job Interviews

By Chelsea Babin

Interviewing for a new job comes with a lot of rules, things to keep in mind, and pressure to present yourself in the best light. One thing you shouldn’t worry about is your timing. Keep these 3 important timing rules in mind during job interviews and don’t worry as much about the rest.

1. Arrive 10-15 Minutes Early: Showing up early for an interview is standard advice but have you ever heard that you shouldn’t show up too early? The ideal time to arrive is 10-15 minutes early. This shows that you’re prompt and considerate of others time simultaneously, which will go over better than arriving late or arriving over 30 minutes early. When it comes to making the best first impression possible, arriving 10-15 minutes early is your best bet.

2. Balance the Time You Speak with the Time Your Interviewer Speaks: One timing rule that a lot of people forget is the balance of conversation from each side during an interview. The best interviews are more like a back and forth conversation rather than a question and answer session. Do your best to balance the time you speak during your interview with the time your interviewer or interviewers speak and you’ll be more likely to snag the job.

3. Send a Thank You Letter/Email ASAP: At the end of your interview, make sure to ask for contact information for everyone who you communicated with during the interview process. Then, send a thank you letter or email to each of them as soon as possible, thanking them for their time, their consideration of you for the position, and any other helpful information they provided. While a hand written thank you letter is ideal, you want this thank you to get to them as soon as possible, so an email may be a better option.

The best possible outcome of a job interview is getting a job offer you’re enthusiastic about. You’ll be more likely to get the job offer you’re after if you keep these 3 simple timing rules in mind during the interview process.