The excitement of receiving an interview invitation is unmatched, but don’t rush to respond to an interview request.

To get the interview, you must ensure that your response is accurate and your availability is clear.

As a result, I’m going to walk you through how to reply to a recruiter’s or hiring manager’s request for an interview in this post along with several useful sample emails.

Make sure to read to the end since I’ll also reveal the major errors you should avoid.

How to Reply to an Interview Invitation with Availability

The easiest method to respond to an invitation for an interview is to thank the employer, state that you are interested in participating, and then outline your actual availability.

Tell them you’re looking forward to speaking with them as you close the email.

Additionally, if you are responding to a request for a phone interview, please include the best phone number to reach you at.

Inquire about the video platform they want to use (if they haven’t previously specified) if they invited you to a video interview rather than a phone one. So that you may familiarise yourself and get ready. If Skype is involved, you can enter your ID. They will schedule a meeting and send a link if the interview will be conducted through Zoom.

It’s essential to keep in mind that listing a few specific timeslots can make you appear more available if you’re looking for work while unemployed and are available pretty much at any time.

For instance, if your schedule is flexible, you could respond to the employer by stating that you are available:

Tuesday – Wednesday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm Eastern Time

Thursday – Friday, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm Eastern Time

I’m not advocating that you react to an interview request inordinately complexly. When you respond to an interview invitation, you want to make it simple for the employer to schedule your interview.

I’m simply saying that “I’m free all week” might not be the best look. Just choose a time.

I also like to include a line that reads, “If these days and hours don’t work, please let me know and I’ll adjust my schedule to find another time,” as a purely optional step.

This is the proper way to politely accept an interview.

As in the aforementioned cases, be careful to include the time zone when you reply with your availability for an interview.

The interview procedure may be slowed if you don’t mention the time zone since the interview date and time may be confused. If the company has operations elsewhere, you can be conducting a phone interview with someone in a different time zone even if you’re applying for a local position.

Don’t worry if you’re still unsure of how to write a complete interview invitation email response; I’ll offer comprehensive examples of how to write an email to reply with interview availability next.

How to Respond to an Interview Request: Email Samples

Email Sample 1: Responding to Accept a Phone Interview Request

Here is a sample template you can use to answer if the hiring manager or HR department has reacted to your job application and invited you for a phone interview.

Hello NAME,

Thanks for getting back to me. I’d love to have a phone interview and learn more about the position and what you’re looking for.

Here is my availability this week:

Tuesday – Wednesday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm Eastern Time
Thursday – Friday, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm Eastern Time
The best number to reach me: 555-182-5872

If none of these times work, please let me know and I’ll be happy to come up with some other options, too. I look forward to speaking with you
Also, if you’re able to tell me who will be calling, that’d be a big help. I always like to research and prepare ahead of time!

Best regards,
Your Name

This is an excellent approach to react to an interview request because you can schedule the interview without having to exchange emails back and forth, and you can also find out who you’ll be speaking to in advance.

Email Sample 2: Responding to Accept a Video Interview Request

Hello NAME,

Thanks so much for getting back to me. I’d love to have a video interview and learn more about the position and what you’re looking for.

Here is my availability for a video interview this week:

Tuesday – Wednesday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm Eastern Time
Thursday – Friday, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm Eastern Time
The best number to reach me: 555-182-5872

If none of these times work, please let me know and I’ll be happy to come up with some other options, too. I look forward to speaking with you.

Best regards,
Your Name

Email Sample 3: Accepting a Recruiter’s Invitation to Talk

If a recruiter contacts you but you haven’t interacted with them before, you can use the sample email as a response and indication of interest. Simply respond to their email at the same address they used to contact you.

Hello NAME,

Thank you for contacting me about this role. It sounds interesting. I’d love to hear more about the position.

Here is my availability to talk on the phone this week:

Tuesday – Wednesday, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm Eastern Time
Thursday – Friday, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm Eastern Time

The best number to reach me: 123-123-1234

Thanks, and I look forward to talking with you.

Best regards,
Your Name

Include multiple days and times in terms of availability, as was already mentioned. Add your contact information as well, if they don’t already have it.

Additionally, make sure your voicemail message sounds professional. If potential employers or recruiters call you, you don’t want them to get a message that you left while you were in high school and promptly forgot about.

Email Sample 4: Responding to and Accepting a Face-to-Face Interview Request

Then, if you’ve been asked to meet in person, use this form to schedule a time and make all the arrangements!

Hello NAME,

Thank you for getting back to me. I’d love to come in and have the interview. Is this a full-day interview? Or how many hours should I set aside?

I’m available Monday – Thursday, 7:00 am – 2:00 pm Central Time.

Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you

Best regards,
Your Name

This is the fundamental format for responding to the firm, although you are free to add other information or inquiries as necessary. For instance, it would be a good idea to ask for the names of the people you’ll be meeting with or the approximate number of people you’ll be meeting. Ask if they have directions if you need assistance finding the firm site for a face-to-face interview.

I like to address other issues once I’ve resolved the scheduling, though. For this reason, I kept the email template above really basic. By taking things slowly, you can prevent confusion and convoluted emails.

Therefore, I advise using the aforementioned sample email before asking more queries after the day and time have been decided.

How to Confirm an Interview by Email After it’s Scheduled

Last but not least, if you have an interview planned and you just want to double-check the time or that it’s still occurring, you may use the following template (send it to the same email account with which you’ve been exchanging back and forth for earlier scheduling):

Hello NAME,

I just wanted to confirm that we’re still having the interview on _ (day) at _ (time).

Thank you, and I look forward to talking with you!

Best regards,
Your Name

How to Decline an Interview Invitation

Simply write a quick email explaining that you are no longer available or are not interested in this specific position if you do not want to go through the interview process.

Sample email to decline an interview request/invitation:

Hello NAME,

Thanks for getting back to me. I appreciate the invitation to interview. Unfortunately, I’m no longer available and will need to decline. Best of luck in filling the role, and if I think of anyone who might be a good fit, I’ll let them know about it.

Best regards,
Your Name

If the recruiter or hiring manager is someone you believe you’ll want to get in touch with in the future, you can also make the offer to keep in touch.

And it’s okay if you want to give a justification for rejecting. You’re not required to, though. Go ahead and explain that you took another job, the job isn’t precisely what you’re searching for any longer, etc. if you feel like doing so.

If you know someone who is qualified, you can also offer to recommend a friend or colleague, as shown in the email template above.

How to Change your Scheduled Interview Time

Don’t become upset if you’ve previously accepted an invitation to an interview but later find that there’s a conflict and need to ask for a change. What you should do is:

Find the most recent interview confirmation email and swiftly reply with an apology, an explanation of the circumstance, and a courteous request to reschedule if at all feasible.

Include updated availability hours and dates for interviews.

The hiring manager should be able to reschedule your interview if you are courteous and sorry for the inconvenience. Hiring managers are aware that you have duties outside of the job search and hiring process.

If you are pleasant and offer a few potential interview dates, you won’t likely lose the chance to speak with the hiring manager.

A potential employer might not appreciate your communication if it is sent at the last minute. It’s not ideal, for instance, to email the business at 11 p.m. the evening before your interview if it’s tomorrow morning.

Even so, things come up, and if you have to reschedule an interview invitation, using the advice above will give you the best chance of coming across well.

Email Subject Line when Responding to an Interview Invitation

Keep the subject line the employer used for each interview request or invitation you get, then hit “reply” to react.

You don’t want to remove the information from the employer’s line because it frequently contains crucial information like the position and possibly the name of the organization.

Employers will be able to see your availability and easily recognize your response thanks to this.

Questions to Ask When Responding to Interview Requests

Next, while using the aforementioned templates, consider including the following questions in your email or message. If you have any questions about any of these subjects, simply ask them at the end:

Ask this when you respond if you’re not sure how the job interview will be conducted (phone, video, in-person, etc.).

Check this as well if you are unsure of who you will be speaking with or meeting with. Don’t worry; the templates I’ll give in the section after this will help with this.

Additionally, enquire if you are unsure about the precise opportunity for which you are being considered. To accomplish this, it is simplest to only get a copy of the job description. Include the following in your response: “Can you email me a copy of the job description in advance? I enjoy doing my homework and getting ready.

Mistakes to Avoid When You Reply to Accept an Interview

If you read the aforementioned advice, you should be aware of how to answer an interview request in order to secure an appointment promptly and leave a lasting impression.

I want to make sure you are aware of the major errors you must avoid while doing this, though.

Don’t wait too long to accept the interview invitation, first. If at all possible, please try to reply within 24 to 48 hours. While you don’t have to check your email all the time, you also shouldn’t keep the business waiting for a week.

Don’t reply without at least mentioning one time or day that would be suitable for an interview. This is a fantastic chance for you to show that you take the initiative and have excellent communication skills. So, to make it easier for them to schedule the interview, I’d suggest offering a variety of days and times.

Next, make sure to proofread every email! Even while a typo or mistake in your email is unlikely to prevent you from getting the job (unless it’s an extremely serious error), it does not seem good.

Therefore, make sure your email is error-free before sending it! From top to bottom and bottom to top, proofread the text. That clever technique will enable you to find additional mistakes.

Finally, failing to prepare for the interview is the biggest error of all! Finding a good job to apply for, submit your paperwork and résumé, setting up an interview, etc., all need a lot of work. Right?

So don’t let other job hunters out-prepare you and waste your hard work and the opportunity! I’ll provide you with my top advice and sources in the part after this so you can outperform your rivals.

Changes in Interview Scheduling Occur… Don’t Worry

If the company moves forward with the timing of their invitation to interview, it’s not necessarily a bad indicator. Because of their busy schedules, hiring managers and recruiters occasionally have minor emergencies.

Therefore, if they do ask for a change, just try your best to come up with a new time that works.

Don’t be hesitant to mention what works for YOU as well, though. Thank you for letting me know about the scheduling difficulty today. It’s quite acceptable to respond in this way. That is not an issue. I’m sorry, but I can’t accommodate the new time you offered for Monday. Could we schedule something for Monday from 3 to 5 p.m. or Tuesday from 12 to 5 p.m.? Don’t be scared to say that a specific day or time doesn’t work for you.

After Scheduling Your Interview: Get Ready to Impress

Here are some measures to help you be ready after you’ve scheduled a time for your interview:

Investigate the business first.

Practice answering the typical inquiries made by employers.

Improve your body language as well. It’s important to consider your appearance and voice as well as what you say during the interview. This can help you stand out from other job candidates!

Additionally, you can use the time leading up to the interview to ask any other questions you may have, such as how to locate the company’s office or who you will be speaking with (recruiter or hiring manager, etc.)

Finally, keep an eye on your email account in the days and hours before the interview in case of someone contacts you about any alterations.