Interview Tip: Schedule an Interview Early in the Day

Posted by in Career Advice


One of the most frequent questions I'm asked is, “How can I make the best impression at my next interview?” It's a great question and the answer isn't really a straightforward one. The very best way to make a great impression during an interview is to prepare answers to the most commonly asked interview questions, including the behavioral questions like, “Tell me about a time when...” and, it helps to dress professionally and arrive a little early - if that isn't possible, just don't be late. These are the easiest and most obvious answers. But, what if you're already doing all of those things. What else can you do to maximize your chances of getting a job offer?

 

Surprisingly, many experts suggest that it's better to schedule your interview earlier in the day. When I first heard this theory, I thought it was just plain silly. However, the more I researched it, the more I began to see that it was simply genius. It's such a small thing, but now I think that being first in line is almost as important as asking the right questions. Here's why:

 

Interviewers compare applicants differently at different times of the day – If there are several interviews scheduled on one day, it's likely that the interviewer will give a higher preference to the people they see first. As the day goes on, they can suffer from something called “decision fatigue”, which causes them to judge applicants more harshly due to a combination of hunger, anger and tiredness. The funny thing is, the interviewer may not even be aware that they are doing it. To prove the point, an Israeli university study followed 1,100 court decisions over the course of a year. They found that prisoners who came before the parole board earlier in the day received parole about 70% of the time, while those who arrived later in the day had a less than 10% chance of being granted parole, which is a huge difference.

 

They may not want to give higher scores later in the day- Interviewers are only human and as such, they suffer from the same sort of biases that we all do. When they are interviewing many applicants over the course of a few days, they may judge a qualified applicant lower if they've already had several great applicants that day. Although it's completely possible that there are many well-qualified candidates, if the interviewer feels that they are giving too many people high scores, they will be less likely to give the next applicant a high score, even if it's deserved. Also, if they see 3 or 4 great candidates in a row, they become concerned that they are not being picky enough. When the next candidate walks through the door, they are going to have lower scores before they even say a word.

 

Hiring managers may have already picked someone – When a hiring manager has several interviews scheduled, they may find someone who they think is perfect for the job before they have interviewed everyone. Because they are already “in love” with one applicant, they may simply go through the motions on the rest of the interviews. Since they've already picked someone, the people who come in afterward don't get an objective review. Then, if the person they want doesn't accept the job for whatever reason, they will be more likely to offer the job to someone who interviewed before that person rather than after.

 

There are so many reasons why it helps to schedule your interview for early in the day that it simply doesn't make sense not to. It's a small thing to do and if it increases your chances of getting a job offer, even just a little, it's worth doing.

 

Do you plan your interviews for the morning or do you prefer to take an afternoon appointment? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

 

Image source: MorgueFile

 

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  • Melissa Kennedy
    Melissa Kennedy
    Thanks for sharing, Eddy. If you're a morning person, an early morning interview just makes sense. However, if you have previous obligations that prevent you from scheduling an early morning appointment, don't sweat it. Just go whenever you can make the appointment. Although the early interview can give you an edge, that edge goes away if you are uncomfortable, worried, distracted and in a hurry.
  • Eddy R
    Eddy R
    Early interview works, better chances. Interviewers mind is clear and fresh in the early am. Personally, it has work for me. Besides I'm a early person. Always ask politely to schedule you first in the morning, try it, it works.
  • Eloise H
    Eloise H
    There have been times when I have scheduled interviews in the mid- afternoon because I had another work assignmentbetween 9 and 1:30.  These were not successful, and I am still looking for work.  
  • wilbert j
    wilbert j
    I like it very much
  • Bob J
    Bob J
    Lol, several interviews scheduled on one day.  Each one of my interviews takes ALL day.  Start at 8am, done by 5pm.  If you are in a STEM field you know these things can be grueling.
  •  mary ma
    mary ma
    I love mornings!  I'm always awake early and dress quickly so that I'm not late and I'm prepared for the interview.  I'm happy to go in and meet with the interviewer & then there is time to wait to meet other executives.
  • Alberto Robles R
    Alberto Robles R
    sorry my english is very bad, I want to say so this theory about  the interviw early , is Iam Ok with you in all concepts , and let me say you: Thanks so much!I'm study this idiom less a year  ago.
  • Melissa Kennedy
    Melissa Kennedy
    Thanks so much for the great comments. Angela, you have some great points. 10 am is a good time because everyone is awake and started on their day. As to bringing your mother with you - I don't think it's a bad idea, as long as you don't bring her in there with you. If she waits in the car or in some other discrete location, the interviewer probably won't even notice. That being said, it's not a good idea to have her wait in the lobby. Of course, there may be some picky hiring managers who can see that your mom is in the car and they might not like that. However, if they are that picky about your family, they probably aren't people you would enjoy working for, since obviously your family is important to you. Just remember that it's not always about finding someone who will give you a job. It's more about finding a job that is a good fit for you, for who you are and what your values are. So, don't worry about it.Edward, I hadn't thought about the connection between food and willingness to trust and be positive. There is definitely a correlation. It's the difference between meeting a new person over drinks or over lunch or dinner. How involved the meal is has a direct influence on how involved or important the meeting is. I also really like your attitude. As with anything in a job search, the goal is to do what little things you can, as much as you can. There are many things you have no control over, but when you have a choice, do what will increase your odds of getting a job offer.
  • Gloria J
    Gloria J
    Always in the morning. This is when I am at my best.
  • Ken D
    Ken D
    I prefer mornings because I'm fresh and thinking most clearly then.  Also, I think it's easier to build rapport with the interviewer when we're both fresh rather than later in the day when our minds are clouded by fatigue and thinking about what we're going to do in the evening.
  • Angela S
    Angela S
    I think 10am is the best time to pick for an interview when given the choice. It gives the interviewer(s) a chance to get settled in for the day at the office, yet it's not too close to lunch that you have to worry about the interviewer's thoughts wandering to food. Bonus, that time of day typically avoids having to sit in rush hour traffic. You are nervous enough as it us, you don't need to add road rage to the mix.As far as day, I like Tuesday or Wednesday best, with Thursday a close next choice. Monday no one wants to be at work because it's the first day back from the weekend, and Friday is going to be a different feel because it will typically be casual dress day. One of the things you need to pay attention to is will your style of wardrobe fit in seamlessly with everyone else? An almost impossible task on a Friday, since you might not be able to tell if jeans are allowed every day.I tend to like Wednesday best because that day my mom does not work and would be able to accompany me to the interview. All the books say it's a no-no to arrive with someone else, but I'm telling you, it is extremely helpful to have someone there to smooth out your bundle of nerves during those last few moments of getting ready to get out if the car and walk into the building and you also have that second set of eyes (that you trust) in case you have fuzz on the back if your clothes or that piece of dandruff that you couldn't see in the mirror when you did your final once-over in the visor mirror. Added bonus, you have someone to talk to about the interview immediately afterwards. Unless the job potential is only 5 minutes away, there is a very good chance your mind won't be as fresh with the details and your enthusiasm probably will have lessened by the time you reach your intended party you want to share your news with.These are my tips, but then again I've been unemployed for going in two years now, so maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. Obviously I'm doing something wrong somewhere...
  • Kim W
    Kim W
    I have a job that i work in the early part of the day. Therefore i can't set interview in the early of the day. So I suggest you put your best foot forward me the moment you enter the door. Answer all questions accurately and correctly without wavering.
  • Pamela H
    Pamela H
    SOME GREAT TIPS!!
  • Elaine P
    Elaine P
    It can work both ways.  Being a 'morning' person, I always wanted to be the first candidate interviewed.  Then, I started finding out the last ones in had been hired, for the same reasons listed above: interviewer 'fatigue' and fatigue with the whole process.  I also found this to be true in apartment leasing.  When a referral service sends prospective tenants around and your property is first on the list, you will never sign them up.  After looking at places all day, the prospective tenant ends up living at the last place seen.
  • Edward L
    Edward L
    Indeed, it is quite true.  The timing of an interview makes a difference.  Maybe not a huge one, but enough where it is worthwhile to take into consideration.  What is debatable is that a morning interview bias exists simply due to the time of day, and only in the morning.So, what else happens in the morning that pairs nicely to bias that is well proven?  Well, it is used (abused?) on a daily basis by salespeople and individuals alike to cast their goods in a positive light to help seal the deal.  What is in this magical spell?  Food.  Yes, food... and not necessarily even good food!From the classic dinner over contract negotiations to the all important first date, this tool in the arsenal of the individual is used daily to great effect.  It can confidently be assumed that when you travel to certain car dealerships, the free doughnuts and coffee aren't there because they want to feed the world out of the kindness of their hearts!  No my friends, they have learned of a secret weapon to help open your heart... and your pocketbook.So, where does the line between the proven pliability of the chow line cross into decision fatigue and order bias?We have wandered into an area where theory, fact, and concrete action all slam into one another in a psychologist's nightmare 3 car pile-up of human interaction.  Decisions must be made which can make or break a job offer based on what little control we have.  Let's be honest: most of us simply do not have the luxury of negotiating a job offer over dinner and fine wineRealistically, it is rare that an interviewee can choose the day (much less the order) an interview will take place compared to other applicants.  They simply aren't going to give you that information.  So, do you take the earliest available appointment to put yourself as close to the front of the line as possible?  Or do you take the earliest day where the first appointment of the day is available?  What about right after lunch, a prime-time to sell your skills to a potential employer?Confusing, yes, but there is a method to the madness.  Directly to Melissa Kennedy's point, "...if it increases your chances of getting a job offer... it is worth doing."  So what to do?Take the earliest date available right after breakfast first thing in the A.M. or immediately after lunch.  If both times are open, first thing in the morning is the way to go.Let's face it, if a hiring manager has already picked someone and is simply wasting the time of all other applicants, there is not a thing you can do about it.  Is it professional?  No, of course not, but it is human nature.Since you can't control that, deal with the things you can (just like everything else when it comes to the hiring process).  Namely, the dates and times you are offered to give yourself every edge that's available.  It may make the difference between accepting a job or accepting yet another fruitless interview.

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