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You landed a job interview: Youve researched the company, reread the job listing, and practiced your talking points. But have you considered the importance of choosing the right time of day to interview? According to new research, when you interview might impact how well you do. In a study analyzing the timing and performance of Italian students in oral interviewswhich are required to pass many classes at Italian universitiesresearchers found that the time of day had a big impact on students likelihood of success. Researchers believe the study could shed light on successes and failures in other high-pressure situations, like job interviews. Researchers utilized a University of Messina database of interview-style exam results from October 2018 to February 2020. Data from more than 100,000 exams revealed that the rate of students who passed followed a bell curve that peaked between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. and was much lower in the early morning and late afternoon. The research was inspired by a study that found judges are more lenient in their sentencing at the beginning of the court session or after meal breaks, says Carmelo Vicario, a neuroscientist at the University of Messina and lead author of the new study. After seeing the data on judicial rulings, Vicario says he was interested in discovering whether the same principle might apply to other fields, including education. This was, of course, a completely different field, Vicario tells Fast Company. But we found this similarity. Since the study analyzes existing data, rather than data from controlled trials, Vicario says he isnt able to confirm exactly why the middle of the day seems to be when students are most successful. Still, the researchers have a number of theories. For starters, since younger people tend to be night owls and older people tend to prefer the morning, the middle of the day might help mitigate the clash between these chronotypes, or biological rhythms that impact how alert people are throughout the day. Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. could be a middle ground when both students and their professors are in their prime. This same mismatch between chronotypes could contribute to the difference in interview success during the hiring process for young workers being interviewed by more senior employees, adding to the bias that an estimated 36% have against Gen Z candidates, according to a recent ResumeBuilder survey. More than 80 genes regulate the circadian rhythms behind different chronotypes, and people consistently operating outside the hours that work with their circadian rhythm can experience issues with productivity, as well as health problems and work-related anxiety. To help overcome bias related to the time of day, experts have a few tips that can be applied to everything from exams to job interviews and beyond, such as offering flexible meeting hours and scheduling collaboration when both parties have high energy levels. By recognizing biological differences in how and when people work bestand making room for that diversityleaders can reduce hidden bias, unlock untapped potential, and build more productive and inclusive teams, Camilla Kring, a researcher who studies applied chronology, wrote in a recent article for Fast Company. Still, authors of the new study note that more research is needed to determine whether mismatched chronotypes are the hidden force behind varying interview success. Even this is a speculative interpretation, Vicario says, noting his hope that this work will inspire future research that helps to pin down exactly why interviews in the middle of the day tend to go better. Vicario also hopes people will consider researching the impact of timing on decision-making in other high-pressure situations. When theres a kind of pressure, the influence of the time of the day can be stronger compared to when you have a large amount of time to evaluate the details of the situation, Vicario says. Being aware [of timings impact] can make decisions fairer.
Category:
E-Commerce
President Donald Trump is visiting the Federal Reserve headquarters in Washington Thursday, a week after indicating that Fed chair Jerome Powell’s handling of an extensive renovation project on two Fed buildings could be grounds for firing.Trump has criticized Powell for months because the chair has kept the short-term interest rate the Fed controls at 4.3% this year, after cutting it three times last year. Powell says the Fed wants to see how the economy responds to Trump’s sweeping tariffs on imports, which Powell says could push up inflation.Powell’s caution has infuriated Trump, who has demanded the Fed cut borrowing costs to spur the economy and reduce the interest rates the federal government pays on its debt.The Fed has been renovating its Washington headquarters and a neighboring building. With some of the construction occurring underground and as building materials have soared in price after inflation spiked in 2021 and 2022, the estimated cost has ballooned to about $2.5 billion, from $1.9 billion.When asked last week if the costly rebuilding could be grounds to fire Powell, Trump said, “I think it is.”“When you spend $2.5 billion on, really, a renovation, I think it’s really disgraceful,” Trump said.Firing Powell would threaten the Fed’s independence, which has long been supported by most economists and Wall Street investors.
Category:
E-Commerce
Chipotle Mexican Grill announced its second-quarter financial results on Wednesday, July 23, and the news isnt great. The fast casual restaurant chain failed to reach its quarterly sales estimates and reduced its targeted annual sales growth. Chipotle reported net income of $436.1 million (32 cents per diluted share), a decrease from $455.7 million (33 cents per diluted share) year-over-year (YOY). In premarket trading, Chipotles stock price (NYSE:CMG) has plummeted over 12% since the market closed Wednesday night. While Chipotle reported a 3% increase YOY in total revenue, it credited the $3.1 billion sum to the opening of 61 new restaurants. In reality, restaurants saw comparable sales drop 4%, thanks to smaller bills. Wall Street had predicted a 2.9% decrease, according to consensus estimates cited by CNBC. What’s eating American diners? In a post-earnings investors meeting, Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright blamed ongoing volatility in consumer environment trends. Much of what were experiencing right now is due to macro and the consumer. The low-income consumer is looking for value as a price point at present, Boatwright stated. Tariffs are also a factor, with Chipotle estimating a 0.5% rise in cost of sales. Chipotles decline is part of a broader trend. Fast food restaurants saw a 0.9% decrease in traffic YOY during quarter two, according to a report published this month by Revenue Management Solutions (RMS). At the same time, prices at these quick-service restaurants increased by 1.3% YOYthough this is less than quarter ones 3.1% increase. Meanwhile, the average bill at Chipotle increased by 0.9%.
Category:
E-Commerce
Investors in Tesla cant seem to catch a break. Yesterday, Elon Musks electric vehicle company reported its Q2 2025 resultsand they werent good. Today, the stock (Nasdaq: TSLA) is down significantly because of it. Heres what you need to know about TSLAs latest movement. TSLA shares hit in early trading As of the time of this writing, TSLA shares are currently down over 6%, or $20 per share, to $312.56 in premarket trading. That drop comes after the company reported its second-quarter results for its fiscal 2025 yesterday. The company reported that it produced 410,244 vehicles during the quarter, over 396,000 of which were its popular models 3 and Y. During the same period, Tesla delivered 384,122 vehicles, its models 3 and Y accounting for over 373,000 of those deliveries. But what seems to have concerned investors the most about the companys Q2 results is its revenue number. For the quarter, Tesla reported revenue of $22.5 billion. That was a 12% decline from the $25.5 billion that the company posted in the same quarter a year earlier. It was also worse than the $22.74 billion in revenue that many analysts were expecting. Even worse was that this revenue decline was the second quarterly revenue drop in a row, and it came after Tesla launched refreshed versions of its popular Model Y SUV. 3 factors weighing Tesla down Tesla is facing several problems, which are both impacting its revenue and making investors nervous for the future. The main problem is that Teslas revenues are declining. This decline can be attributed to multiple factors, the first being Musk himself. Ever since CEO Elon Musk leapt headfirst into politics earlier this year, Teslas brand has taken a popularity hit. Musks leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)and the extreme cuts it implemented after President Trumps inaugurationwas deeply unpopular with progressives, who have historically been the ones attracted to Teslas electric vehicles. This alienation of a large part of Teslas customer base hasnt done the company any favors as far as sales are concerned. But Musk isnt directly to blame for all of the problems Tesla is facing. The second factor hurting the company is increased competition from electric vehicles produced by competitors around the world. Car manufacturers of all stripes, from America to Europe to Asia, are releasing EVs that are often much more affordable than Teslas, giving customers cheaper options to choose from. A third factor that is likely weighing on investors minds is the upcoming expiration of the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit in the United States. This EV credit was killed in Trumps Big Beautiful Bill Act, which Elon Musk vehemently opposed. The credit expires on September 30, and investors are nervous about how the loss of the credit will impact sales of Teslas pricy EVs. TSLA shares have had a rough 2025 After Teslas disappointing Q2 2025 earnings yesterday, the stock is down over 6% in premarket trading this morning as of the time of this writing. However, thats not the worst news when it comes to Teslas stock price. After hitting an all-time high of $488.54 per share in December 2024, TSLA shares have declined sharply. As of yesterdays close at $332 per share, Teslas shares have declined 17.6% this year. Teslas additional 6% decline is only compounding those losses and shows that investors are still jittery about where the companys sales go from here.
Category:
E-Commerce
Chris Guillebeau spent years racing against time, visiting all 193 countries before he turned 35, hosting annual gatherings of thousands, and writing bestsellers like The $100 Startup. But his latest book, Time Anxiety, tackles something different: our collective panic about never having enough hours in the day. The book challenges productivity culture’s relentless optimization, offering counterintuitive solutions like embracing “granny hobbies” and creating reverse bucket lists. For Guillebeau, who admits he’s “very forward-minded” and constantly asking What’s next? these insights emerged from his own struggles with time pressure. Fast Company spoke with Guillebeau about why excellence isn’t always the goal, what he learned from visiting every country, and how to find meaning when you can’t control your legacy. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. You introduce this concept of the reverse bucket list. Why is looking backward as important as looking forward? I am a very forward-minded person. Im always like, What’s next? It’s like, Oh, the book is out. What’s the next book? And its like, well, I just spent two years writing this book. Maybe I should live in that zone for a little bit. The reverse bucket list is just like it soundswhat have I done that is interesting or notable, whether to other people or not? I think its helpful to just celebrate or even observe some of those things. You can do it as a big picture, like a life bucket list, or you can just be like, whats your list of things that youve gotten done today? For those of us who tend to be thinking more about the future, perhaps reflecting on what we’ve been able to do thus far can actually bring us to a centering point. You visited every country in the world before age 35. What surprised you about that experience? I first got into that idea because Im kind of compulsive, and I am a list maker. I was an aid worker in West Africa in my early twenties, and Id been to maybe 70 countries. I was like, how many are there, and what would it take to do that? Some of my favorite discoveries were the Baltics and the Balkans. Places like Lithuania and Montenegro ended up being really peaceful spots where I had great experiences and met interesting people. I definitely wouldn’t have gone to either of those places if it wasn’t for having this objective. There was something about combining a love of travel with a love of goal setting and list making that made it really work for me. The book mentions someone who flew to different European cities every Wednesday, only to fly right back without visiting. What’s the lesson there? This Dutch guy would go to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam every Wednesday for 20 years and fly somewhere within EuropeStockholm or Barcelonaspend a couple of hours in the terminal, then fly back. That was his happy place, his Zen. A lot of people are gonna say, Oh, that’s so dumb. He’s doing all this travel without ever traveling anywhere. But the point is, that’s something that made him feel alive. It gave him a little milestone to anchor the rest of his life with. There’s some weird thing like that for everybody. The whole point is to figure out what that looks like to you. You advocate for granny hobbies and tactile breaks. Why are these important in our digital age? There’s actually research behind having a hobby that’s hands-on but thumbs-downmeaning not digital, not scrolling. It could be knitting, baking, gardening. These are things that are really easy to pick up, and you can leave them for a while and come back. The research shows this actually can reduce anxiety and contribute to peace of mind. And its low pressure. If your knitting project goes awry, oh well. Its not like you forgot to use BCC and emailed a hundred people by mistake. These hobbies get us operating on a different time scheduleyou’re not racing against a digital deadline, but working more slowly to hand-make something. Your three-quarter-ass rule seems to challenge conventional wisdom about aiming for consistent excellence. Why do we need permission to not do our best? I used to run an event series, and the team would spend forever talking about tiny details. Someone finally said, We don’t want to half-ass it, but do we really need to put our full ass behind this thing? Can we just three-quarter-ass it? You cant actually do your best at everything. Its not possible. Life is about choice and selection. You want to maybe pick a couple of things to be excellent at, and for everything else, there are ways of not doing things or doing them adequately. Excellence is not always the standard. Sometimes done is better than perfect, especially for those of us who get stuck because we want things to be perfect and don’t even know where to begin. How has writing this book changed your own relationship with time? I used to think a lot about legacy: What do we leave behind? But I’ve distanced myself from that because legacy is something we can’t really control. Most things we do are forgotten. People who leave legacies aren’t on some 60-year strategic plan. They’re just doing things that ultimately have a positive impact. So I’ve shifted to focusing more on living well. What does it mean to live well? Hopefully that involves contribution and service. I want to make some part of the world a little better, and thats achievable. Its measurable for those who want to measure it, and even if you dont, its intuitively knowable.
Category:
E-Commerce
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