How to Respond to an Interview Request?

Getting an interview invitation is your achievement, and it is the first step toward landing a job. You need to respond in a professional and formal manner. You may reply through email or phone call. Employers always appreciate prompt responses. Therefore, a same-day response would leave a good impression on your interviewer.

Respond in a Proper Format

Generally, candidates receive interview invitation via email. So, they need to reply to the email professionally. If you have received a phone call, answer personally. Call back if the incoming call from the employer goes to voicemail.

Your interview response should have the following structure:

• Professional greeting and salutation such as Dear Mr. or Ms.
• Formal gratitude to the hiring manager and acceptance of the invitation.
• Confirmation of your availability on the mentioned date, time, and venue.
• Proposing an alternative schedule if you are not available on the scheduled date.
• Request for a response about the confirmation of the proposed schedule.
• Formal closing salutation such as Yours Sincerely, Regards.
• Mention your full name and contact details.

If you have any confusion, ask questions. Also, answer any question that the employer has asked in the email.

Example Email: “Thank You for inviting me to the interview.”

Dear Mr./Ms. (Name of the Hiring Manager)

Thank you for the interview invitation at your prestigious organization (company name) for the position of (Job Title). I feel honored and look forward to meeting you.

For rescheduling: I would like to request for rescheduling the interview on [Date and Time, as per your availability]. Please let me know if this works for you. I shall be highly obliged.

It will be my pleasure to learn more about the opportunity. Once again thank you for your consideration.

Yours Sincerely,

[Your Full Name] [Your Contact Number]

Response via Phone Call/ Voicemail

Following is the example of your response via a telephone call or voice mail.

Mr./Ms. [Hiring Manager]

I am [Your name]. Thank You for inviting me to the interview. I am sorry, I could not answer your call in the first place. I confirm my availability at the date and time you mentioned. I am looking forward to attending the interview session at your company.

Have a good day/afternoon.

Since you have introduced yourself in the beginning, so do not have to say it in the end.

More Interview Response Tips

• Keep your tone formal and professional all the time.
• Once you have written the text of your email, proofread it thoroughly. Your text must be free of any grammatical error.
• Do not add abbreviations, emotions, images, or background.
• Make sure you respond or reply to the relevant person. Do not CC or include other people in an email invitation.
• Avoid attaching any document in your email unless the interviewer has specifically asked for it.
• If you have any query, do not hesitate to contact the company.

The way of communication always matters. Ideally, you should leave a good first impression. Focus on details, tone, and timing. Respond promptly, but you should not sound desperate through your style. Even if you think you have wasted a few hours after receiving an email, that’s fine, and do not worry.

Tone

Show courtesy, respect, and thorough professionalism throughout the conversation. Call the person by name who contacted you. If you are responding through email, do not include unnecessary text. Your objective is to convey that you are thankful to the employer/hiring manager for the interview invitation. If you leave a voice message, make sure your voice is clear. Speak slowly, leave your email and contact number at the start and the end. Ideally, the recipient should not listen to the message the second time for confirming the details.

Phone Voice Mail

A voice mail includes the same details as an email. However, the candidate needs to begin and end with contact details along with spellings. Following is the example:

Good Afternoon. I am Michael Henderson, spelled H-E-N-D-E-R-S-O-N. My contact number is 466-xxx-yyyy. My email is henderson23@kdkdk.com. This is a response to your call regarding the position of Assistant Manager Sales at ABC company. Thankyou for calling me for the interview.  I confirm my availability at the date and time you mentioned in your voice message.

Confirmation Follow Up

Once you have given a response and requested for rescheduling the interview. Follow it up after 48 hours if you do not get any reply. Following is an example:

“This is a follow-up email to confirm that you have received my response on [date, time]. Typically, employers appreciate a professional follow up especially if you have applied for a sales position.

Declining the invitation

If you have changed your mind and do not want to work at this position, it is best to let your employer know professionally. You would not like to waste anyone’s time. Some candidates are not sure whether to accept the invitation or decline. In such situations, attending the interview will be the right option for you. Once you attend the interview, you will learn more about the organization. You can then decide whether to pursue this position or not.

For example:

Dear Mr. Vaughn

Thank you for sending me the interview invitation for the position of Sales Manage at EFG Corporation. I have researched your company, and I know it can be a good prospect for any candidate.

The timing does not suit me. Meanwhile, I got a promotion at my current workplace. With due respect, I humbly decline your invitation.

In my professional network, I know a candidate who might be suitable for this position. Please let me know if you want further details about that person.

Best,

Michael Henderson

Final Word

Receiving an interview invitation is indeed good news for you. A prompt response to your interviewer will reflect your professionalism and courtesy. Employers and interviewers expect candidates to respond promptly. Same day response will be ideal after receiving the interview invitation. If you want to decline the invitation, let employers know about it in a humble tone and briefly explain the reason.