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Time-Zone Handling in PyjamaHR: How to Schedule Interviews Accurately for Global Teams and Candidates

Updated over 3 weeks ago

Executive Summary

PyjamaHR’s interview scheduling tools are designed for global teams, enabling recruiters and candidates across different time zones to coordinate seamlessly. However, accurate time-zone handling is critical to avoid confusion, missed interviews, and scheduling outside working hours. This guide explains how time zones work in PyjamaHR, common pitfalls, and best practices to ensure every interview is booked at the right local time for everyone involved.

Detailed Overview

What Is Time-Zone Handling in PyjamaHR?

Time-zone handling in PyjamaHR refers to how the platform manages, displays, and syncs interview times for users and candidates in different locations. When scheduling interviews—especially when candidates can choose their own slots—PyjamaHR must ensure that:

  • Interviewers’ availability is shown in their local time

  • Candidates see and book slots in their own local time

  • Calendar invites and email confirmations reflect the correct time zone for each participant

  • Integrations (Google/Outlook/Zoom) respect all time-zone settings

Why Is This Important?

  • Prevents interviews from being scheduled outside working hours

  • Avoids confusion and missed meetings due to time-zone mismatches

  • Supports remote and international hiring

  • Ensures professionalism and a smooth candidate experience

How Does It Work with Other PyjamaHR Features?

  • Calendar Integrations: Syncs with Google and Outlook calendars, pulling in your availability and respecting your set time zone.

  • Candidate Self-Scheduling: Lets candidates pick from available slots, automatically converting times to their local zone.

  • Email & Calendar Invites: Sends confirmations and reminders with time-zone details.

  • Team Settings: Each user can set their own working hours and default time zone.

Step-by-Step Guide: Scheduling Interviews Across Time Zones

Prerequisites

  • Ensure your profile time zone is set correctly in PyjamaHR.

  • If using calendar integrations, confirm your Google/Outlook calendar time zone matches your PyjamaHR profile.

  • Set your working hours in PyjamaHR to prevent bookings outside your preferred times.

1. Set Your Time Zone and Working Hours

  1. Go to Settings > Profile.

  2. Under Time Zone, select your local time zone (e.g., “America/New_York” for EST, “Europe/Bucharest” for GMT+2).
    - Screenshot: Profile settings page with Time Zone dropdown highlighted

  3. Set your Working Hours (e.g., 8:30 AM–6:00 PM).
    - Screenshot: Working Hours configuration panel

2. Connect Your Calendar (Google/Outlook)

  1. Go to Settings > Integrations.

  2. Click Connect next to Google or Outlook.

  3. Authorize PyjamaHR to access your calendar.

  4. Confirm your calendar’s time zone matches your PyjamaHR profile.
    - Screenshot: Calendar integration page, showing connected status and time zone

3. Schedule an Interview (Manual or Self-Scheduling)

A. Manual Scheduling

  1. On the candidate profile, click Schedule Interview.

  2. Select the interviewer(s), date, and time.

  3. Confirm the time zone shown matches your intended zone.
    - Field: “Time Zone” dropdown or label on scheduling modal

  4. Send the invite.

B. Candidate Self-Scheduling

  1. Click Send Scheduling Link.

  2. Select available days and time slots (these should respect your working hours and time zone).

  3. Send the link to the candidate.

  4. Candidate receives a booking page showing times in their local time zone.
    - Screenshot: Candidate booking page with time zone displayed

  5. When the candidate books, both parties receive a confirmation in their respective time zones.

4. Review and Confirm

  • Check the calendar invite and email confirmation for correct time and time zone.

  • If using Zoom integration, ensure the meeting link and time are correct.

Advanced Usage & Best Practices

Power User Tips

  • Always double-check your time zone after daylight saving changes.

  • For distributed teams: Each team member should verify their own time zone and working hours.

  • When scheduling across continents: Communicate explicitly about time zones in candidate emails (e.g., “All times are shown in your local time zone”).

  • Use the “Preview as Candidate” feature to see exactly what the candidate will see.

Optimization Strategies

  • Set buffer times between interviews to account for time-zone confusion.

  • Limit candidate self-scheduling to specific days/times to avoid accidental bookings outside your hours.

  • Regularly audit your calendar integration to ensure events are syncing correctly.

Integration Do’s and Don’ts

  • Do: Sync your calendar before sending scheduling links.

  • Don’t: Assume the default time zone is correct—always check.

  • Do: Use the “Time Zone” dropdown when scheduling manually.

  • Don’t: Rely on browser/device time zone settings alone.

Troubleshooting & Common Issues

1. Interview Scheduled in the Wrong Time Zone

Symptoms:
- Interview appears at the wrong time on your calendar or in confirmation emails.
- Candidate books a slot at 10:00 AM, but it shows as 5:00 AM for you.

Solutions:
- Double-check your profile’s time zone and working hours.
- Ensure your calendar integration is active and set to the correct time zone.
- If using Outlook, note that some users have reported issues with availability not syncing correctly—contact support if this persists.

2. Confirmation Emails Show Incorrect Time Zone

Symptoms:
- Calendar invite is correct, but email confirmation shows “Asia/Kolkata” or another unexpected zone.

Solutions:
- This may be a known bug—report it to support with screenshots.
- As a workaround, confirm the time in your calendar, not just the email.

3. Candidate Can Book Outside Your Working Hours

Symptoms:
- Candidates are able to book interviews at 6:30 AM even though your working hours start at 8:30 AM.

Solutions:
- Revisit your working hours settings.
- If the issue persists, contact support—this may be a system bug.

4. Time Zone Defaults to India/Asia

Symptoms:
- Scheduling defaults to “Asia/Kolkata” or “India Time” regardless of your settings.

Solutions:
- Check your profile and organization default time zone.
- If the problem continues, escalate to support with detailed examples.

5. Calendar Availability Not Syncing (Especially with Outlook)

Symptoms:
- Candidates can book slots when you are already busy in Outlook.
- Your availability in PyjamaHR does not match your Outlook calendar.

Solutions:
- Reconnect your Outlook calendar.
- If the issue persists, contact support—this is a known area of improvement.

Comprehensive FAQ

1. Why are interviews showing up in the wrong time zone?
Check your profile and calendar integration time zone settings. If correct, report the issue with screenshots.

2. How do I set my time zone in PyjamaHR?
Go to Settings > Profile > Time Zone.

3. Can I set different time zones for different team members?
Yes, each user can set their own time zone in their profile.

4. How does candidate self-scheduling handle time zones?
Candidates see available slots in their local time zone, based on their device/browser.

5. Why can candidates book outside my working hours?
Ensure your working hours are set correctly. If the issue persists, it may be a bug—contact support.

6. My calendar invite is correct, but the email confirmation is wrong. What should I do?
Rely on the calendar invite for the correct time. Report the email issue to support.

7. Why does the system default to India time?
This may be due to a system default or a bug. Check your settings and contact support if needed.

8. How do I prevent double-booking if I use Outlook?
Ensure your Outlook calendar is properly integrated. If issues persist, contact support.

9. Can I change the time zone after scheduling an interview?
You must reschedule the interview with the correct time zone.

10. What should I do if a candidate reports the wrong time in their invite?
Ask for a screenshot and report the issue to support for investigation.

11. How do I check what the candidate will see?
Use the “Preview as Candidate” feature before sending the invite.

12. Does PyjamaHR handle daylight saving time changes?
Yes, but always double-check after DST transitions.

Related Features & Next Steps

  • Calendar Integrations: [See our guide on Connecting Google/Outlook Calendars]

  • Working Hours Setup: [How to Set Your Working Hours in PyjamaHR]

  • Candidate Self-Scheduling: [How to Enable and Use Candidate Self-Scheduling]

  • Interview Feedback Forms: [Managing Interview Feedback in PyjamaHR]

  • Troubleshooting Calendar Sync Issues: [Calendar Sync Troubleshooting Guide]

If you encounter persistent time-zone issues, please contact PyjamaHR Support with detailed examples and screenshots. We are committed to resolving these issues quickly and improving your global hiring experience.

This article is based on real customer feedback and support conversations to address the most common and critical time-zone handling challenges in PyjamaHR.

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