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If you want that job – be on time!

Question: When is punctuality important at a job interview?

Answer: Always!

If you want to get off to a good start and earn some positive points at an interview, being punctual is absolutely vital.

“Punctuality is a fundamental business courtesy that demonstrates you can be trusted to deliver as promised” – David Tovey

First Impressions

It should go without saying, but it is never acceptable to be late to an interview. This is such a common standard that some employers will refuse to interview a candidate if they are late. Sadly some candidates still fail to realise that there is a basic requirement to be on time.

Look at it from the potential employers point of view. If the person who apparently is really keen to work for you walks in for an interview 10 minutes late, would you trust them to be on time and be organized throughout their employment with you? The recruitment process also takes up a lot of time for both employment agencies and employers – being late suggests that you are indifferent about the effort they are taking to help you find the job you want.

Have no doubt that potential employers have heard all the excuses:

Sorry I’m late..

“The traffic was terrible”

“The trains were running late”

“I had problems finding your offices”

Use these excuses (or the many similar ones) and all that the interviewer will be thinking is that you are not organised enough to plan your journey. They know what the traffic is like around Gloucestershire, on the roads and motorways. They know how the trains run, they also know about Google Maps and Sat Nav. Remember that they travel the same routes themselves.

“People don’t arrive late, they set out late” – David Tovey

But don’t arrive early

Arriving late is clearly not going to help you get the job you want – but being too early isn’t going to help your cause either. There are people who turn up 30 – 40 minutes early for a job interview and waltz in thinking it’s ok.

Just like when you turn up late, the recruitment manager is thinking.

Late or early – if they are thinking that about you before you have even introduced yourself – what do you think that does to your chances of getting the job offer?

Turning up too early for an interview can also make it awkward for your potential employer. The organisation might only have one meeting room, so if you turn up too early you’ll have to be seated in reception – sometimes next to another person also waiting to go into the interview for the same role as you. That can be uncomfortable for everyone.

A job interview provides the opportunity for you to shine, it’s your chance to make the right impression and the impression you make starts the moment you arrive. Those extra 30-40 minutes will count towards what the potential employer thinks of you.

What should you do?

Plan to arrive around 5 minutes early, not earlier and not later.

If you turn up too early:

When it comes to choosing between two good candidates, it can be the smallest of things that make all the difference. Don’t miss out on your finding your ideal job just because you didn’t turn up on time, it’s totally under your control. Check out our blog “Why didn’t I get the job”.

Employers and candidates tell us that First Base is their first choice for help with their recruitment requirements and their personal career progression. If you would like to know more about how the First Base team could help you, contact us on 01453 755330.

 

 

 

Why use a recruitment agency?

With record numbers of people in work (32.54m and rising according to the Office of National Statistics in January 2019), it is not surprising that employers are increasingly turning to trusted Recruitment Agencies to find the talent they need.  How clients work with their Recruitment Consultants has changed and there are more reasons than ever for businesses large and small to use a reputable agency. We have certainly seen clients now spreading the net to find the candidates they need.

 

Advantages of using a Recruitment Agency:

Candidates, not applicants

It takes effort and time to attract applicants whether they are responding to your advert, applying on spec or through your website. Inevitably a lot of time will be invested in filtering, assessing, matching and communicating with people who apply for the roles you have available. It’s at this time that the best talent is often lost due to delays and a poor applicant ‘experience’.

A good Recruitment Agency will only present you with candidates – job seekers that have already been screened and selected because they match the criteria you are looking for and are worthy of interviewing.

Save time

Recruitment is a time consuming activity. By using a Recruitment Agency you save time dealing with the application process, screening CV’s and avoiding initial interviews with people who turn out to be unsuitable. You and your own team save time on dealing with the whole recruitment process as they deal with everything from application through to providing feedback to candidates on your behalf.

Reach and Connections 

Hard pressed HR or in house teams benefit from the long established reach and networks of a trusted recruitment partner. A good Recruitment Agency can generate a shortlist for interview faster than an in house resource because they working full time on building the networks and connections where high quality candidates can be found. Recruitment Agency web sites attract people seeking a career change every day, this provides a data base of talented people that can be matched with the employment opportunities you have

Fast access to key skills

At the top of the list of reasons for using a Recruitment Agency for many companies, is short term access to the key skills they need to cover leave and demand peaks. With high employment it’s not surprising that there is pressure on recruiting temporary staff as well a permanent staff. A good Recruitment Agency will have great relationships with their bank of workers, will track their availability and be able to place them in short term roles very quickly.

Promote your employer brand 

A Recruitment Agency will position your company and promote your business to appropriate candidates. Whatever the size of your organisation, it is always helpful to have someone who understands your business, can answer questions that may arise and who is on your side to sell your company at a time when there are many more employment opportunities for good candidates.

Expert Knowledge 

With consultants that specialise in specific sectors, a Recruitment Agency provides a wealth of knowledge that helps them to understand the skills and characteristics required of a specific role. This helps them to refine their search and put forward the most appropriate candidates. Sector specialists can advise on how to attract the right candidate and what salary range is considered competitive in the local area.

Long term relationships 

A good Recruitment Agency is interested in building long term relationships with their clients. They develop a deep understanding of how you work and become a part of your team, available when you need them and ready to find the people you need to achieve your organisations goals and objectives.

Why First Base?

With a reputation for being reliable, responsive and well connected, the First Base team has matched hundreds of businesses with thousands of candidates since 1997. Do get in touch if you would like to find out more about how we can help you.

David Tovey and Tricia Hay