if im late to a interview would i be taken off the list right away? what happens?

Hi Dalton,

It really depends on employers. However, even if you are not taken off the list for being late, it's not a good first impression and it will impact negatively when an employer is evaluating you.

No. It’s certainly a negative. If you can demonstrate that you genuinely had a delay that could not have been anticipated, the interviewer may be willing to continue. If you realize that you are going to be late, let the interviewer know. So they are not waiting without knowing if you are going to show up

Hi Dalton,

Unfortunately, what we see time and time again in research, is that people's actions are much more predictive of their behavior than their words. So, when a candidate is late to an interview, that speaks more to me about their dependability than anything they say to me in the interview could make up for. With that in mind, do be very careful to avoid being late to your interviews. I recommend arriving early or finding a nearby coffee shop to kill some time in. This ensures you have plenty of time for last minute wardrobe fiascos or unexpected traffic.

Of course, interviewers and recruiters are human beings, too! If there is an extenuating circumstance that just couldn't be controlled for, it's best to be honest about that (ex. your car broke down on the way to the interview). But if it's something within your control (ex. you didn't expect to hit so much traffic, so you arrive late) you should expect that this will impact the company's perception of you.

Good luck!

Being late for an interview does not set a good first impression. Everyone understands things happen, however walking in late with an excuse such as "traffic was worse than I expected" or "I got lost", could leave the person conducting the interview with a negative view you. So, I recommend that you prepare in advance so you are not late.