being late for an interview
how do you handle a candidate who is late for their interview? does this mean they are frequently late for other things and will possibly be late for the position they are interviewing for? is it best to give them the benefit of the doubt and still interview them or completely drop them as a candidate? it seems to me like there could be more than one answer to this question.
Heidi,
If my time permitted, I would still do the interview.I would expect an explanation from the candidate regarding the reason for his/her tardiness and that would be an indication of whether this is a pattern of behavior. I might even throw in a question during our conversation to determine if it is a pattern. One question might be "When was the last time that you were late for a meeting? How did you handle that situation? How have you changed your behavior to prevent that from happening again?" Or "You have an appointment with the CEO to discuss a new project. Your bus is running late. What do you do?" Now if the candidate's attitude indicates that he/she really doesn't think this is a big problem, I would do the interview but would not consider him/her for the position.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Generally speaking, if a candidate is late for an interview, I do not interview them. I am a very punctual person and hold employees to the same standards. If you can not show up on time for the interview, then I do not want you on my team. why would i add a potentially weak link?
That being said, if a candidate calls ahead and has a valid reason for being late, such as some type of emergency, they are ill, or anything beyond their control, then I will still conduct the interview if time permits. If not, then I will gladly give them another shot and reschedule.
Jason,
That is a fair position to take. You are establishing a culture of punctuality and yet being understanding if there have been circumstances beyond the candidate's control.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
Our location can be a little hard to find. I make sure candidates are comfortable with directions and have the front desk contact info should they run into trouble finding us. That said, I strongly value punctuality and pay attention to whether or not the candidate is pro-active about making sure he/she knows how to get here on time before offering my information.
Wendy,
If a candidate arrives late for the interview, do you still conduct the interview? There are those in this class who have said that they would not. To be late for an important appointment like an interview says something about the candidate which might not be acceptable for the position being filled. Are there times, though, where being late is acceptable? For example, if the candidate is tardy because of an unavoidable traffic problem, does that justify tardiness. I, too, value punctuality but want to be fair to the candidate as well.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
A candidate should allow enough time to be on-time. I will still interview them but take into consideration that they were late and did not properly prepare. With that said, they might be late for work as well; therefore need to allow ample time to arrive at work as well.
Lynne,
You are on target with your response. The only additional point that I would make is that the hiring manager needs to address the tardiness of the candidate so that person knows the company's expectations should he/she be offered the position. Failure to do so condones the behavior and will only need to be dealt with more explicitly later.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I agree with you that if a candidate is late and didn't call before to let you know they were running late that they should not interview.
I have run recently run into a situation that I have unfortunately had no shows. It is always crazy to me when someone that needs a job doesn't even show up to the interview. I even go over the salary range on the call before I set the interview in hopes that the set interview will be more solid, but I still have several NS every time I conduct interviews. Is there a question that you can suggest to ask in the pre-interview phone call that could help to solidify that the candidate is serious and will actually show to the interview?
Susan,
I have not found a specific question that will get the information/commitment that you are looking for. Some questions that I haved used, however, include: What are you looking for in your next position? What is important to you? That will give you a sense of what is important and whether or not the position you have to offer can meet those expectations. I have also done a followup comment regarding salary which is "Does that meet your needs/expectations?" No shows are such a frustration when we are attempting to get grads placed. The Career Services folks go through all of the preparation with a student and then they fail to show for the interview. Not only is it unprofessional, it is also discourteous. Another suggestion to reduce no shows is to contact the candidate the day before to remind them of the appointment, much like a dentist or doctor does. That might prompt them to tell you if they are no longer interested in the position.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I agree that the candidate should allow enough time. I know in our Career Services department our students have been given the advice to get familiar with the area they are interviewing in. This way they know the location as well as the time they need to allow to get there. With this knowledge they can be prepared for the unexpected. I also agree if they don't call to say they are running late they shouldn't be interviewed.
Melissa,
That is great advice for the students or for anyone, for that matter. It does take time to do a practice run, but it increases your comfort level just knowing where you are going and how you will get there. It allows you to arrive calm and not scattered and in a tizzy because you had difficulty finding the office. On the question of whether to grant an interview to someone who arrives late, I can be forgiving if the circumstances were beyond the candidate's control; e.g. The highway was closed because of an accident.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I think if a candidate has a reasonable explanation for being late they should still be interviewed, but they should still call ahead. It is very unprofessional to show up late to an interview without giving notice.
Michael,
It is still important to acknowledge the candidate's tardiness so they understand that this is unacceptable behavior and will not be tolerated on the job. Some circumstances are unavoidable, but if it is simply poor planning and execution on the candidate's part, then it is a judgement call for the hiring manager. Are the candidate's skills and experience so outstanding that you are willing to look the other way when it comes to punctuality?
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I am apt to get some understanding and clarity for why a person is late for our meeting. It seems a perfect opportunity for a candidate to demonstrate how they handle a mistake or difficult situation. At different times during the interview I find laying out expectations and letting candidates know that if they are hired I will be expecting the behaviors/qualities they are describing. Allowing candidates enough time to give thoughtful answers is important to me as well. So, I am apt to carry on with the interview if there is time available.
Andrea,
Good response, Andrea. Each situation is different and may require a different response. A candidate who comes in late with both an apology and a valid excuse will most likely be given consideration vs. one who does not. It does provide an opportunity to make it clear what the expectations are regarding punctuality. It really does become a teachable moment.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I totally agree with you. If they call ahead and have a valid reason then I wouild also give them another chance. If they are late without calling in then I feel that the interview isn't a priority for them and I would be wasting my time.
Roberta,
Each case needs to be determined based on its own merits. There are some situations that are the result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I want to believe that this is a rare situation but that is probably naive on my part.
Dr. Patricia Kapper
I once worked for a school that had a zero tolerance policy relating to interviewees arriving late. At first, I thought this was harsh and could lead to the school missing out on some great candidates, but I quickly learned that for every interviewee I turned away for being late, there was another that arrived early. Although no longer with that particular school, this is a practice that I have carried with me and I coach my managers to adhere to the same zero tolerance for late arrival candidates.
I feel that if your late for an interview that it may reflect on your job performance as well as being on time.
