When To Schedule Your Next Interview
Whether you’re on the hunt for a new job while you’re still in your current position or are starting from scratch, the hiring process can be time-consuming and overwhelming -- resumes need to be reworked, cover letters written, and interviews held -- and before you can even make it to the interview, you’ll need to spend time preparing your answers, questions of your own, and of course deciding when is the perfect time to even schedule the interview.
While it’s true some hiring managers may just suggest an interview time, others may ask for a specific list of days and times you are available or even share a calendar invite with times they have set aside, letting you choose when you want to be interviewed.
The truth is, there might not be an exact day of the week or time slot that fits for each interviewer or company, but there are a few tricks you can follow in order to stand out as the most memorable candidate of the day or to ensure your interviewer is making the most well-thought out decision. With this in mind, try these seven tips for scheduling your next interview:
Choose a time that fits your schedule and energy level
When it comes to picking the perfect time for your interview, it’s necessary to think about your own personal schedule and daily habits. This means as you work toward choosing the best possible time of day for your interview, think realistically about the amount of time it will take you to prepare for the interview and ensure that you actually will be able to meet with the interviewer at your scheduled time, rather than choosing a time that just works on paper.
In addition, think about your own energy levels throughout a typical day. For example, if you’re not much of a morning person, it wouldn’t make sense for you to schedule your interview bright and early for the sake of getting the interview over with. Likewise, if you tend to hit a mid-day slump after lunch or right before the end of the day, it wouldn’t be very beneficial to set up an interview during one of these times. Instead, base your ultimate decision on when you are the most alert and focused throughout the day.
Compromise with your interviewer
While you want to put your own schedule and needs into consideration, it’s still important to remember that you are working with another individual who could determine your future. This means you might not always get the exact spot you want and will instead most likely need to do some compromising when it comes to picking a time. In this case, take note of your interviewer’s available times and try to pick one that works for both of you with the remaining tips in mind, rather than declining the interview request or spending too much time going back and forth.
Avoid scheduling in between or right before and after prior commitments
Thanks to the increase in remote and hybrid work, more and more organizations are utilizing virtual interviews, especially for initial screening rounds. With this in mind, some candidates may think it will be easy to schedule interviews in between prior commitments because the interview is just a “quick video chat.” In reality, when candidates slip into this mindset, it can be easy to underestimate the time of other tasks or how long the interview itself will take. This can mean throwing off your own schedule or the interviewer’s schedule and result in missed interviews or arriving late. Therefore, always try to schedule interviews within a reasonable amount of time before or after other commitments.
The same goes for in-person interviews. Trying to pencil in an interview quickly in between other responsibilities can mean you rush through your interview or become distracted by the thought of missing your next obligation. Therefore, always try to plan your interview on a day you are confident will not be overshadowed by other events.
Avoid the first or last available time slot
If you are given the option to choose your exact time slot for an interview, try to stay away from the first or last available spots. By choosing the first slot, you potentially put yourself in a meeting with an interviewer that is still putting together their schedule for the rest of the day or increase your chances of being forgotten after a long day of interviews.
On the other hand, by choosing the last available time slot, you could be dismissed as a result of decision fatigue or contrast bias. Decision fatigue can occur when a hiring manager chooses a candidate out of convenience for the sake of no longer needing to think about the decision at hand, rather than actually making a well-thought out decision. Contrast bias can occur when interviewers judge a candidate by comparing them to other candidates, rather than individually looking at each candidate. In other words, a candidate can appear more or less qualified for a position when they are compared to other candidates rather than independently considered for the position and the later your interview is in the day, the more people you may be compared to.
In the event that you are not given a calendar or time-slot options to choose from, try to avoid what you think would likely be the first or last times that the interviewer has available. For example, if the company operates on a typical 9-5 schedule, steer away from setting up a meeting first thing in the morning or late in the evening. This will again help you avoid any increased chances of being overlooked or dismissed because of contrast bias, decision fatigue, or overall poor planning.
Avoid during or before typical lunch times
Scheduling an interview that conflicts with or proceeds lunch can mean scheduling a meeting with an interviewer who is distracted or lacking energy because they are too hungry to focus. These same feelings can go for you too, limiting your performance in the interview or your ability to fully focus on the questions you’re being asked. Therefore, stay away from scheduling an interview right before lunch or during typical lunch times such as 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM.
Avoid right before or after holidays
Trying to schedule an interview around a holiday can be tricky because you and the interviewer’s schedules may be limited in addition to your ability to focus. For example, if you are interviewed right before a holiday break, you or your interviewer might feel rushed through the process which can increase both of your chances of forgetting to follow-up afterward and unfortunately leave one of you as the victim of an accidental ghosting situation. On the other hand, scheduling an interview first-thing back from a holiday break can mean you or the interviewer might not be completely settled into work-mode and are still preoccupied with the holiday. Therefore, when it comes to scheduling an interview around a holiday, make sure you are choosing a day and time that are not too close to a prolonged break associated with the holiday.
Aim for the middle of the week, mid-morning
So, when is the best time to schedule an interview? Putting together all of the presented information, the ideal time to schedule an interview would typically be in the middle of the week and early in the day -- but again, not first thing in the morning or before or during lunch. Too early in the week (e.g. first thing Monday morning) or too late in the week (e.g. Friday, right before the weekend) can increase your interviewer’s chances of being less focused. Simply put, this means for optimal performance and the most convenient scheduling, plan to set your next interview for a Tuesday or Wednesday morning ideally around 10:30 AM -11:00 AM if you and your interviewer’s schedules allow it.
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