You probably already know that being late for an interview will create major concern for the hiring manager. But, if the unforgivable happens, can you recover from it? The next steps are all up to you. Here are some things you can do to help the hiring manager see that you being late to the interview will not impact your ability to perform the job.
Call as Soon as You Know
With almost everyone having access to smartphones today, there really isn’t any excuse to not let the interviewer know you’re on your way but late. No matter what the reason, be courteous and make that call with an estimated arrival time so they aren’t waiting around for you.
Ask for Forgiveness
When you arrive, don’t just say you’re sorry but ask for forgiveness. Don’t beg, simply explain what happened and acknowledge that your interviewer’s time is important. You want them to know that you understand you were disrespectful by being late. Even if the circumstances were out of your control, take responsibility for it.
Don’t Be Negative
When you arrive, don’t automatically launch into all the negative reasons why you were late. Even if there were several accidents on the way, your plumbing burst, and your dog ate your resume, leave that out of the conversation. Avoid these negative pieces of information.
Focus on the Positive
Instead, focus on the positive things about your experience and how you will take this and learn from it instead. For example, if you got lost on the way let the interviewer know that you will focus on making sure you do research ahead of time to avoid confusion again.
Don’t Blow It Off
Finally, no matter what happened, don’t just act like it didn’t. Blowing it off or acting as if it was a non-issue will appear disrespectful to the interviewer. They wasted time they could have been doing another task by waiting for you and you’re lucky the decided to still meet with you, so acknowledge that and be grateful.
Be Kind to Everyone
One step that people tend to forget, whether their late or not, is to treat the other people you meet in the office kindly. This is especially true for the receptionist or the first person to greet you when you do arrive. They may be asked their opinion and if you’re short with them, they’ll let the hiring manager know.
Are you ready for your next interview? Contact the recruiters at Harvard Resource Solutions, now hiring for jobs in Southeast MI.
