Being ‘punctual’ doesn’t mean being (too) early

JR BECHTLE & Co. | June 2026 | Blogs

Being ‘punctual’ doesn’t mean being (too) early

For some time now I’ve considered sharing reflections on the recruiting field drawn from my close to 30 years in this sometimes crazy but never boring business. My hope is that the one or the other of these reflections, in the form of anecdotes – humorous and serious – will give rise to ideas and tips that will be of use to those seeking new roles as well as those interviewing those persons.

This reflection relates to a question we’re often asked about, and if not, we make sure to address it before candidates meet on their own with our clients. It can be summarized by the apparent conflict between ‘being on time’ and ‘being early’ for an interview.

Our firm works mainly with firms and people based in or coming from German-speaking Europe. These are places known for adhering to tight standards when it comes to punctuality. What many people don’t realize is that punctuality, from the Latin word ‘punctum’ meaning point, refers to hitting a certain point in time, not being early per se.

I once had a client call me and tell me, with clear annoyance in his voice, that he can see the candidate he’s supposed to meet milling about in front of the company’s door before opening time. “Does he not know that we’re not meeting for another 45 minutes?” A bad start that didn’t get any better once the door was opened for him.

Another situation, this one a bit more humorous, was when a candidate arrived at the interviewing company 30 minutes early, against my explicit instructions. Had he waited somewhere ‘off-site’, that would have been fine. But instead he wandered around the building to eventually take a squat at a picnic table for employees where he proceeded to contentedly munch on a McMuffin and hash browns followed by a smoke. Unbeknownst to him he was seated directly next to the meeting-room for his upcoming interview in which the client and myself were sitting and watching. The tinted one-way glass gave us a spectacular up-close view of the feast. This wasn’t the decisive factor for him not getting the job but at some level the first impression of the outdoors breakfast had an impact.

Moral of the story: Being punctual doesn’t mean being (too) early and certainly doesn’t mean being late. Fair is to arrive ca. 5-10 minutes before the meeting-time which allows yourself to be announced and meeting partner to not fill pressure to begin earlier than planned. Under no circumstances hang out next to the building for a meal and a smoke.

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