You can do all the preparation in the world but, if your interviewers are distracted, tired, and unfocused you may not have a great interview. The good news is most people’s productivity is predictable. For example, several studies have shown that Tuesdays are the most productive days of the week for most professionals. So when should you schedule your interview? Avoid these 3 times.

1. First Meeting Of The Day:

Typically people are more alert and focused in the morning but, if you schedule your interview either right when the office opens or before, you may be setting yourself up for a bad interview experience. Having a meeting first thing in the morning can often result in interviewers being preoccupied by thoughts of home life or what they need to get done for the day. Instead, make sure there’s at least a 30-minute buffer between when the office opens and when your interview is scheduled, that way you get the coveted early morning slot where focus is at its peak and preoccupation has been dealt with.

2. Just Before or Just After Lunch:

If you schedule your interview just before lunch, you run the risk of being rushed out because your interviewers are too hungry to focus. If you schedule your interview just after lunch, you run the risk of having an interview with someone who ate a heavy lunch and is now tired or unfocused. Although it can’t always be easy to predict when someone is going to take their lunch, avoiding midday interviews (after 11:30 and before 1:30) may help you ensure that your interview isn’t filled with thoughts of lunch.

3. Last Meeting Late In the Week:

The last meeting of the workday can sometimes be the only time you have available, and that’s okay, if it’s on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. By the end of the workday at the end of the week, many people are filled with thoughts of weekend plans and things they want to do when they get home. You could also run into a time crunch in this slot if your interviewer has somewhere to be by a certain time, which may limit the chances you have to really impress them with your experience and know-how.

What you say in your interview, both with your body language and your words, is the most important part of the process and you should come prepared. However, don’t forget that your interview can be impacted by when you choose to schedule it. Avoid the aforementioned worst times to schedule your interview and try to find some time in the mid morning or mid afternoon early in the week where you can go in and knock their socks off!

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