Don’t get to an interview too early
Punctuality is definitely a virtue when it comes to an employee. When you go for an interview, take that one step further and be sure to arrive early for your interview. You want to be sure you have enough time to fill out an application or any paperwork that might be required of you. However, you don’t want to arrive too early. HR departments and managers have scheduled your interview for a specific time for a reason. They are planning on meeting with you at that time and spending an appropriate amount of time with you to get to know you and your background. They aren’t expecting you to arrive super early. If that is the case, you’ll just be sitting in a reception area until they are ready to meet with you. As an interviewer it is frustrating to have someone show up too early for an interview. This has happened to me in the past and I speak from experience. I’d usually be in the middle of something else thinking I had until a certain time to work on a project, or I might already be in the midst of an interview when the candidate arrived. It messes up your plans and for some managers this might be very annoying to them. You don’t want to start out on the wrong foot before you even start the interview.
A good rule of thumb - arrive about 15 minutes early. If you do happen to get to the building much earlier than that, sit in your car or find a lobby or coffee shop where you can spend the time until you go for your interview. Fifteen minutes gives you enough time to catch your breath, fill out any applications, and compose yourself in preparation for your interview. It shows your potential employer that you care enough about this interview to arrive early.