If you are applying for jobs in which you are qualified for, you should soon start to receive interview request calls. When receiving these calls, you will notice a variance. Some companies provide you with an exact date and time. Others provide you with the option to choose your interview date and time. If this is the case, which time slot should you pick? What is the best time slot for a job interview?
The answer to this question isn't a simple one. After all, some personal factors need to be taken into consideration. The answer will depend on the individual in question. Moreover, you'll notice that different options, such as first thing in the morning or the last job interview of the day, have their own sets of pros and cons.
Early Morning Job Interviews
If you are given the option to interview for the job between the hours of 8am and 11am, you are looking at an early morning job interview. You will be one of the first applicants in the door to undergone this procedure.
First and foremost, are you an early morning person? If you regularly sleep until 10am each morning and aren't fully awake until an hour later, this may hurt your chances of making a good impression. Unless you are a person who is able to get a good nights sleep, rise early in the morning, and be fully awake, a later time slot for a job interview is advised.
One of the benefits of being able to land an early morning job interview is the fact that you are one of the first applicants through the door. The hiring many will be excited about what the day brings. Being one of the first applicants also enables you to provide answers without having them compared to the 15 job seekers before you. The hiring manager will accept your answers and move onto the next question.
Later Afternoon Job Interviews
As mentioned above, if should avoid early morning interviews if you aren't a morning person. But, what if you aren't an afternoon person? Are you sluggish and ready for a nap as soon as the clock strikes 1pm? Remember, you want to bring your best to an interview and that means opting (if you have the choice) for a time slot in which you can perform your best.
One of the benefits of being able to land a time slot in the afternoon is that you are one of the last applicants. Although your answers will be compared against the others provided throughout the day, you didn't have the tough task of setting the standard. Moreover, since you are one of the last of the day, your answers and the impression you create will be fresh in the mind of the hiring manager when it comes time to review the day's applicants.
So there you have it! You now know some of the pros and cons for opting for both an early morning and a later afternoon job interview. If you do have the choice to select your own time slot, it is recommended that you take these factors into consideration.
Good luck!
