Most people would think arriving early for a job interview is a good thing.
But one boss in the US has sparked debate online after revealing that he rejected a candidate for showing up too early.
According to reports, the boss, who runs a small to medium sized cleaning company, shared the incident on LinkedIn while discussing a recent hiring process for an office staff role.
Candidate arrived 25 minutes early
Reported by Tantannews, the boss said he had decided not to proceed with one candidate after the person arrived 25 minutes before the scheduled interview time.
He explained that while punctuality is important, there is a difference between arriving slightly early and showing up too far ahead of time.
According to him, interview etiquette generally allows candidates to arrive around five to 15 minutes early.
However, arriving much earlier than that may come across as inconsiderate.
Boss said it made him feel rushed
The boss said that being early is a good thing, but being “super early” could suggest that the person has poor time awareness.
He also said it might give the impression that the candidate expects others to adjust to their schedule.
As his office is not very big, he added that a candidate who arrives too early may end up overhearing business calls or internal discussions.
This, he said, made him feel rushed and uncomfortable.
Debate over interview etiquette
The incident has since sparked a wider discussion over what counts as being “too early” for a job interview.
While arriving late is usually seen as a red flag, this case shows that arriving too early can also create an unexpected impression, depending on the employer.
For many job seekers, the safest move may still be to reach the area early, but only enter the office around 10 minutes before the interview.
What do you think about this? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
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