Back-to-back interviews can lead to delays, stress, and missed context. Buffer time creates intentional gaps between interviews, giving interviewers time to prepare, wrap up notes, and transition between meetings.
Add buffer time to a scheduling link
Navigate to your scheduling links by clicking your initials in the top right-hand corner of any page of Greenhouse. Click Scheduling links on the left side panel.
Create a new link, or edit an existing one.
To add buffer time, click the checkbox for Add buffer time around meetings. From the dropdown, select how many minutes of buffer time you need before or after the interview, or both.
In order to prevent back-to-back meetings, the selected buffer time will be applied to any meeting booked with the link. Only time slots that can accomodate this buffer time will be shown on the calendar when the recipient is scheduling using the link.
Add buffer time to a self-schedule request
Buffer time can also be added to a self-schedule request to protect interviewers from back-to-back meetings.
When sending a self-schedule request, scroll to the Add buffer time around this interview checkbox underneath the calendar settings.
Choose how much buffer time you need before, after, or on either end of the interview.
The candidate will only be able to select times from the calendar that account for buffer time.
Buffer time in automated scheduling
Once buffer time has been configured on the interview plan, it’s applied throughout the automated scheduling experience. Suggested times reflect the buffer set before and after each interview, helping you avoid back-to-back scheduling.
Edit the interview plan
Navigate to the job’s interview plan and locate the interview you want to update. Hover over the interview, then click the pencil icon to edit it.
Scroll to the Additional settings section and select Add buffer time to this interview.
Choose how much time to set aside before and after the interview, then click Save.
You can also add buffer time when creating a job.
When you copy a job or create one from a template, any configured buffer time is automatically applied to the new job.
Seeing suggestions and viewing the calendar
When buffer time is enabled, suggested times automatically account for the buffer set on the interview.
If a suggested time doesn’t fully accommodate buffer time or overlaps with another interview’s buffer, it’s flagged so you can review it before scheduling.
On the calendar, events appear extended to reflect the buffer time before and after the interview. This helps you understand the full time commitment at a glance. Buffer time does not create separate events on an interviewer’s external calendar.
When buffer time overlaps with another event on the calendar, the buffer may not be visible. Instead, the name of the existing event will be shown. This helps prioritize visibility into scheduled events while still indicating that buffer time can’t be fully applied.
When you move an interview on the calendar, its buffer time moves with it. Previously scheduled interviews keep their original buffer time. These also appear on the calendar view for visibility.
Note: Buffer time may be flagged as a conflict, but it doesn’t block scheduling. You can still drag and drop an interview over another interview’s buffer time.