Half past late can affect career success

Broken down car, tube or bus delays, a sick pet or broken heel - unfortunately these excuses still won’t make being late acceptable if a new study is anything to go by. According to a report released last week, Brits place a high level of importance on punctuality and 62% of Brits think being late is inexcusable and employment industry experts agree that being on time is essential to securing a new role.

The study by WatchShop.com found the 44% of Brits consider being more than five minutes late as unacceptable. Tardiness creates stress for the latecomer too as 48% feel frustrated and 33% of Brits feel panicked by being late. However when it comes to being early, 34% agree that we should arrive at least 25 minutes early with a further fourteen percent claiming that you can never be too early for an appointment.

Derek Pilcher from executive jobs site TheLadders.co.uk agrees that being late is unacceptable, especially when meeting a potential employer for the first time as it shows them you are serious about the position and respectful of their time.

‘Arriving late to a job interview can be a real deal breaker for prospective employers. It doesn’t matter whether you have the credentials or experience of Steve Jobs, your tardiness will be engrained in their minds and could ultimately affect your chances.’ says Pilcher.

TheLadders.co.uk has put together five pieces of advice to avoid job interview tardiness:
- Always arrive at least five minutes early for job interviews. This will show your commitment to the role, but also give you time to settle yourself before going in to the meeting.
- Always plan for transport delays whether it be traffic or train issues you should always allow for closures or holdups. Give yourself an extra half an hour to an hour to get there, and find the offices even if it means you are there with plenty of time to spare it will save you the embarrassment of a late arrival.
- Have a back-up plan if your usual transport route is closed. Make sure you check all available options before heading out in case there are accidents/delays or closures.
- Take a map with you – don’t forget that once you get out of the tube, train, bus or car you still need to allow yourself time to actually get to the offices. Make sure you have a map of their location – you can generally find one on the company website.