5 Templates: How to Respond to an Interview Invitation

Got an interview invitation from a potential employer? Are you interested but have no clue about how to respond?

Fret not. In this article, we will take a look at several different ways to respond to an interview invitation for a potential job.

But, before we talk about how to respond to an interview invitation, we’ll give you a few tips to help you make the best impression, before the interview even begins. Let’s go!

How to Respond to an Interview Invitation: Tips for Success

01Use the sender’s name in the salutation.

02Always thank the sender for the interview invitation.

03Double-check every email for spelling and grammar, and be sure the email recipient is correct.

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04Be courteous and polite in your response.

05Ask for any information that was not relayed in the invitation, like names and job titles of the interviewers, or the location of the interview.

06Ask if the interviewer would like you to bring samples of your previous work or portfolio if it’s applicable.

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07Close your email in a professional way and include your contact information and the URL for your LinkedIn profile.

08Respond to the invitation promptly. A quick reply is courteous and indicates interest.

09If you were offered more than one date or time to do the interview, choose the best option for you. Help the interviewer cut down on back and forth by also listing your second preference.

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When Choosing a Date for the Interview, Consider the Following:

Choose mornings— specifically mid-mornings—over afternoons if possible. People are more attentive in the mornings

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Avoid Mondays and Fridays, if possible. People are more likely to be distracted on these days. Mondays are the start of many people’s workweek, and people are generally busy catching up on what they missed over the weekend. On Fridays, everyone is winding down and looking forward to the weekend

Sooner is usually better than later. Being perceived as tardy on your first interview is never a good sign. First impressions last. Also, if you are thought of as tardy or high maintenance before you get the job, your interviewer will wonder—and not in a good way—about how you would behave on the clock. Set the bar high with your first opportunity.

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If no date and time combinations have been suggested, offer one or two that will work for you. An extra day or two to go over potential interview questions can be helpful. It may calm your nerves, reinforce your current knowledge, or even give you the possibility to learn new information, so give yourself enough lead time for the interview dates.

Now let’s look at five different scenarios and how to respond to an interview invitation.

01- How to Respond to an Interview Invitation When You Want to Say, “Thank You” for the Interview

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Here is an example of an appropriate response to landing an interview. A message like this should be sent after you’ve settled on the interview schedule and when you are ready to say, “Thank you for the arrangement.”

Dear Mr. Thomas

I am writing this email to follow up on a call I received from your secretary to schedule an interview at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday the ninth (9th) of January 2020 at the head office.

Thank you for getting back to me and presenting me with this opportunity. I am confident that I am the ideal candidate for this job. I look forward to meeting with you and working through the application process.

Please let me know if there is any additional information you would like for me to provide or if there are any documents or certificates you would like me to bring on the day of the interview.

Best regards,
Steven Grand Rogers
[email protected]

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02- How to Respond to an Interview Invitation When You Missed the Phone Call, but Want to Confirm the Suggested Interview Date

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If your potential employer makes a call to schedule an interview, but you miss the call, and they leave a voice mail in which they suggest a date, this is how to respond to an interview invitation.

Dear Mrs. Jones.

This email is in response to the voice message left at 10:45 a.m. today. I’m sorry I missed your call.

Your secretary invited me to an interview at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, the 8th of January. The time and date suggested works well for me, and I look forward to meeting you.

If you encounter any further problems while trying to contact me, my email is [email protected], and an alternative cell number for me is 212-804-7105.

Thank you for your consideration, and I hope you have a lovely day.

Best regards,
Anthony Edward Stark

03- How to Respond to an Interview Invitation When You Missed the Phone Call, but the Suggested Date Doesn’t Work for You

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When you miss a call from a prospective employer attempting to schedule an interview, and the schedule they suggested doesn’t fit yours, respond with something like this:

Dear Mrs. Reynolds,

I received an interview invitation for 10 a.m. on December 19, 2019 at your office, via voice message. However, due to prior engagements, I will not be able to make it on that day.

If possible, 10 am on December 18th, or December 23rd would work well for me. I’m looking forward to hearing from you and rescheduling this interview.

Thank you for your consideration. I do hope we stay in contact. You can connect with me via email at [email protected] or via cell at 212-898-XXXX.

Best regards,
Bruce Wayne
[email protected]

04- How to Respond to an Interview Invitation When You’ve Agreed to a Date, but You Have to Reschedule

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Now, in this example, you have already agreed to the interview schedule, however, something happened, and you need to reschedule with the company and change the date.

Below is an example of how to go about that professionally.

Dear Mr. Smith,

I have an interview scheduled at 10:30 am on the 7th of March at your main office, which I am thrilled about. However, a situation has arisen, and I will have to be out of state from the 5th of March to the 8th of March.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If it’s possible, could we please reschedule our interview for Monday the 9th of March? I would be very grateful.

Please contact me at 212-367-XXXX or [email protected] at your earliest convenience to let me know if rescheduling would be possible.

Best regards,
Clark Joseph Kent

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05- How to Respond to an Interview Invitation When You Have Been Allowed to Reschedule, and You Wish to Thank Them

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In the event that the company did reschedule, the email below is one way you can say, thank you.

Dear Mr. Johnson,

In regards to rescheduling my interview, I would like to convey my deepest and most sincere gratitude. I appreciate it tremendously.

I will double my efforts to ensure that the opportunity given to me is not wasted. I look forward to this interview and to working together soon.

Best regards,
Bartholomew Henry Allen
[email protected]

Lastly

Now that you know how to respond to an interview invitation for five different scenarios, answering via email will be that much easier.

Just be sure to keep those initial tips in mind, and it will work each and every time.