It’s the moment you’ve been waiting for. You just got a brand new email and it’s from a hiring manager. They received your resume and they’re excited to offer you an interview.
You might be eager to reply to it pronto, but do you know how to get it right? You need to make the right impression on the hiring manager at every turn, after all. Luckily, we have you covered. At Resume.io, we have the advice you need to succeed in your job search. In the following guide, we will be covering these topics:
- What an interview request is and what it looks like
- How to respond to an interview request (with three key examples)
- Tips to help you write the perfect reply.
What is an interview request email?
Before you can respond to an interview request, you need to know what it is. This email is exactly what you might expect: a formal piece of communication inviting you to attend an interview. The style and tone of the message will depend greatly on the business at hand.
Regardless of the wording, this email usually includes the time, date, and location of the suggested interview. The hiring manager may also include a deadline for you to respond to the interview request email. That helps them to stay on top of which candidates accept.
What does an interview request look like?
If you’ve never received a formal interview request by email before, you might not be sure what they look like. No worries. We’ve got you here. These messages can be either short or long, depending on how much information the hiring manager decides to give you at this stage. As a general rule, you can expect the following elements in your interview request:
Thank you or congratulations
First up, congratulations are in order. If you get a formal interview request, it means that you’ve passed the first stage of the hiring process. As such, the hiring manager may well say thank you for your application or congratulate you on making it so far. This is a small formality but it makes the email flow well and gives you a good impression of the company.
The position and the company
At this point, you may find that the hiring manager reiterates the position title and the company in question. If you have recently sent out many different applications for varying roles, this information can be extremely helpful. Often enough, these details will be in a bold typeface so that you can see them at a mere glance of the interview request email.
The interview and its format
Before you go to the interview, you need to know what the format will be. That is, whether it’s online or IRL, how formal it is, and how long it will take. These are all details that the hiring manager will likely mention when they send you an interview request. Of course, if they leave anything out, you can always respond and ask them for some clarification here.
Want to know more about how to ace your next interview? Preparation is everything. Read our definitive guide here and get the inside scoop!
Where and when it will take place
When the hiring manager has covered the main points, the next thing they need to include is the finer details. The interview request email should cover when the interview will take place (or whether it is online) plus the date and the time of the event. If you need to turn up early to the interview, you might find that the hiring manager will say so in the email.
The interviewer’s name and position
While the hiring manager won’t always include this detail, you might find that they specify who the interviewer will be and their position. Should those details land in your lap, you have a golden opportunity. Don’t waste it. It’s time to put on your detective hat and do some digging. Learning about your interviewer may help you to get ahead of the competition. Have a quick Google search, check out their LinkedIn, and look at the staff page on the company site.
A final call to action (CTA)
Toward the end of the interview request, there is typically a call to action (CTA). This is a short line explaining what you need to do next. For example, you may need to respond to the email and confirm that you are planning to attend the interview by a certain date. Make sure you read the message in full before you start writing your interview response email.
Interview request email example
We’ve already outlined what you can expect from an interview request email, but how does all of the above come together? If you’re scratching your head, take a look at this example:
Subject: Initial Job Interview for Marketing Ops Role
Dear Jayne Smith,
Thank you for your interest in the Marketing Ops role at the Blue Cow Agency.
After reviewing your application, we would like to invite you to attend an initial interview to further discuss the position. This is an opportunity for us to explore how your expertise and skill-set may be a match for the current vacancy.
This will be a formal chat with Mark Davies, head of marketing, and will last no longer than 30 minutes. You do not need to bring anything with you.
Your slot will be at 1:30 PM on April 10th at 15 Lime Street, New York. We ask that you arrive at the office 10 minutes ahead of your scheduled slot to sign in at reception.
Please let us know whether you are able to attend by April 5th. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to respond directly to this email.
Kind regards,
Michelle Smart
How to respond to an interview request by email: 3 examples
Next up, let’s talk about how to respond to an interview request. It’s important that you are prompt in replying to this message. The last thing you want to do is leave the hiring manager hanging. Here we take a look at three example replies you can use for inspiration.
1. Email confirming your attendance
Let’s say that you can make the time and date of the interview and the hiring manager has been clear about everything. The good news is that you can keep things plain and simple. Here’s how to respond to an interview invitation if you are attending and have no questions.
Subject: Re: Initial Job Interview for Marketing Ops Role
Dear Michelle Smart,
Firstly, I want to thank you for considering my application for the Marketing Ops role.
I am pleased to have received your interview invitation and can confirm that I will be attending. I look forward to seeing you at 1:30 PM on April 10th at your Lime Street office.
Please let me know if there are any more details you need from me or whether I need to prepare anything ahead of the scheduled interview.
Kind regards,
Jayne Smith
2. Email asking for further information
Do you need some more details about the interview? It may be that you can attend the interview but the hiring manager left out some information that you need. Don’t be afraid to ask those all-important questions. It’s better to ask them now and find out what you need to know than to guess and get things wrong. Here’s an example of how to do just that.
Subject: Re: Initial Job Interview for Marketing Ops Role
Dear Michelle Smart,
Thank you for your consideration of my application for the Marketing Ops role.
I am thrilled at the opportunity to further discuss my experience with your team. As such, I can confirm that I will be attending the interview at 1:30 PM on April 10th at Lime Street.
Ahead of that, I would like to ask what format the interview will take and approximately how long it will last. I want to ensure that I am fully prepared before the meeting.
Looking forward to discussing this opportunity further.
Kind regards,
Jayne Smith
3. Email requesting to reschedule
We all have busy schedules. If you have something in your diary that you simply cannot move, you can request to reschedule your job interview. Keep in mind that you should only do this if there is no other option available. While hiring managers won’t necessarily penalize you for rescheduling, you always want to show that you are eager to land the job.
However, if you have something important booked in, you can keep things short and sweet. You don’t have to go into detail about why you can’t make the interview. Simply state the facts, be polite, and ask if there’s any flexibility. You should also make it crystal clear that you are interested in the role and apologize for the inconvenience. Here’s a quick example.
Subject: Re: Initial Job Interview for Marketing Ops Role
Dear Michelle Smart,
I’m pleased to hear from you. Firstly, I want to thank you for considering my application for the Marketing Ops role.
Unfortunately, I am unable to attend the proposed interview at 1:30 PM on April 10th due to a prior commitment that cannot be changed.
As such, I would like to request a rescheduled interview slot. I appreciate that you have a busy schedule and want to thank you for your understanding in advance. I am available at any other time during the week starting April 9th and can work around your needs.
I would like to emphasize my interest in this vacancy and look forward to the chance to discuss it with your team further at an interview.
Kind regards,
Jayne Smith
Top tips on how to accept an interview email
By this point, you should feel confident in how to respond to an interview invitation. The above examples can serve as creative inspiration when you’re writing your response. Before you hit that “send” button, there are some final things that you need to remember. Here are six tips that you should consider when you are writing this message to a hiring manager.
Show a little appreciation first
Ahead of getting into the meat of your email, you should show some appreciation. Let the hiring manager know that you are grateful for this opportunity. You don’t need to gush about how thankful you are. Simply add a quick one-liner that thanks them for the opportunity. You might be surprised how many candidates fail to do this small yet impactful thing.
Confirm whether you can attend
Next up, you need to deal with the main issue. Will you be attending the proposed interview? Make sure that this information is toward the top of your email response as it is the main thing that the reader wants to know. Be clear about whether the date, time, and location works for you. It is often helpful to repeat these finer details back to the hiring manager.
Mirror the hiring manager’s tone
You want to make the right impression here. Choosing the right words and tone could make all of the difference. If you’re not sure where to start, it’s a smart idea to mirror the hiring manager’s writing tone. Use the same terminology that they use when you are responding to them. This trick will help you to get off on the right footing with the hiring team.
Be flexible if rescheduling
Diary clashes happen to the best of us. If there is no way that you can make the proposed interview, now is the time to speak up. Show that you are interested in the role by being flexible with your schedule. You can specify a selection of other times and dates that would work for you in your email, for example.
Ask any questions you need
You don’t want to leave anything to chance! If you have a question about your upcoming interview, it’s well worth asking it in your follow-up email. The hiring manager is certain to appreciate the fact that you are taking this process seriously. Be polite in the message but go ahead and query anything that is not obvious from the email you received.
Always proofread your email
When you are finished with your interview response email, there’s one final thing you need to do. Spelling errors and grammatical problems will let you down. You don’t want to give the hiring manager the impression that you’re prone to mistakes. For that reason, take the time to read through the email and check it. You can also use Grammarly to proofread it for you.
Key takeaways
- When you receive an interview request email, make sure you respond quickly and make it clear whether you can attend the interview.
- Try to match the hiring manager’s tone of voice. Using the same language that they do may help you build a rapport with them.
- Should you need to reschedule the interview, be polite and flexible when asking.
- Always make sure you proofread your email before you send it to the hiring manager.
