How to Promote Your Attendance Record as a Candidate

There are a lot of important traits that look great on a cover letter and in an interview. One of the main things employers look for is a strong attendance record. They want to know you’ll consistently show up on time and not require a lot of hand-holding. Here are some ways to promote your attendance and punctuality record to make you a more desirable candidate in the eyes of recruiters.

Focus on Soft Skills

Of course there will be the requisite hard skills required when applying for a job. However, it’s also important to present your soft skills, which are the intangibles that can’t necessarily be measured in a traditional sense. Here’s how to address this.

On Your Cover Letter

Be sure to include a section on your cover letter that touches on your strong attendance and punctuality record. Let it be known you’re reliable and you’re not the type to create unnecessary complications for an employer.

For instance, you might point out you’ve missed very few days at previous jobs. Explain that being punctual is tremendously important and you pride yourself on hardly ever being late. Try to be as specific as possible. There’s no need to go into great detail (a cover letter should be brief), but let hiring managers know how reliable you are.

Interview

You’ll often hear interviewers ask questions like, “Why should I hire you over the competition?” or “What makes you unique?”

This is the perfect time to chime in on your attendance and punctuality. One option is to briefly highlight your attendance record. For instance, mention you only missed a handful of days while working several years for a previous employer because of illness. You might also mention how you were rarely late and how serious you take punctuality.

It’s also a good idea to throw in some key examples of how you have achieved this (e.g., always leaving ahead of time, having a plan B for heavy traffic, etc.). Don’t gloat about it, but let it be known you’re extremely dependable.

Having a great attendance record puts you at a major advantage over many other candidates and is something many employers pay close attention to. After all, “Unscheduled absenteeism is a chronic problem for U.S. employers, conservatively costing $3,600 per hourly employee per year, and $2,650 per salaried employee per year.” Effectively highlighting your ability to be on time can be just what it takes to get you over the hump and land the job you want.

Looking for job opportunities in your area? Contact Encadria Staffing Solutions to see what’s available.

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