Interviews are one of the most important stages of any recruitment process. A recruiter may have gone through a large pool of candidates, multiple resumes, and rounds of checks to come down to a narrow set of potential contenders. It is then the interview round that helps the recruiter finalize whether or not the candidate is actually worth the job role.
Now, just as much important is the interview, equally critical is the day and time the interview is scheduled for. The day of the week, and the time of the day are two very important features that decide upon the success of an interview. If you’re confused about how this can be possible, we’ll help you learn why and how.
The right times to schedule interviews
Morning between 9AM & 11AM
Morning is always a good time to schedule an interview as both the recruiter and candidate are fresh and active. The energy on both sides will result in a fruitful interview, giving the recruiter better assessing abilities about the quality of the applicants’ performances during the meeting.
Afternoon between 3PM & 5 PM
If mornings are not the right way to do it, another good option is the post noon time. Between 3 to 5 PM, most of the chores for the day have been settled, leaving enough time and concentration levels for focusing on the meeting.
Tuesdays & Wednesdays
After a weekend break of Saturday & Sunday, Monday seems to be either the busiest or laziest day of the entire week, which makes it a complete NO for scheduling and interview. Thursday and Friday are again not-so-good days as they’ll be the days when you’re trying to meet up your week’s targets, or planning up for next week chores, or any special weekend adjustments. This makes Tuesday and Wednesday the best choices, when you’re all settled in with the week’s duties and have levels of stamina and productivity at the peak.
The wrong times to schedule interviews
Pre- or Post-lunch period
Before lunch, one would want to finish up the current job, with the mind racing over the hunger pangs and eyes on the watch. After lunch, one is too lazy to start off with a fresh new task. Both these times are thus a distraction. It is thus best to avoid scheduling interviews both when the stomach is empty or full.
After 5 PM
After 5 PM, firstly, both the recruiter and candidate have lost most of their energy. Moreover, the recruiter is all busy closing up the chores for the day, and planning for the day ahead. Or, they’ll have to stay up late for other work because of the interview. In any case, it doesn’t sound appealing.
Before and after weekends/holidays
Mondays, as we said, are the laziest and busiest days of every week. Fridays are not the right tone for setting up an interview, as we’re all busy finishing off the week’s duties or planning for the week ahead. Similarly, a few days before or after a holiday or vacation, are also a bad idea. Before the vacation, your mind feels less engaged, prepping up for the future plan. After the vacation, you’re reviewing what has been left incomplete, and trying to settle down for your regular duties. This state of mind in any of these scenarios can disrupt the entire interview process.
Final thoughts
The above favourable and unfavourable time periods for scheduling an interview can come in handy to conduct successful interviews. Scheduling interviews is in fact a tricky task! But, WalkWater Talent Advisors knows the task too well to fail at any given time. This is why they always top the list of leadership hiring companies in India, because they never fail to connect the right kinds of candidates to the right kinds of jobs within their client companies!
