If you’re lucky, a company may acknowledge their original receipt of your job application. But very often, a company will only contact you if they are serious about inviting you to a phone or in-person interview. Here’s information on how job interviews are scheduled, different types of interview invitations, examples, and how to respond to the invitation.
How Interviews Are Scheduled
If you’ve successfully caught their attention with your initial cover letter and resume, the hiring manager will typically reach out through email or phone to set up an interview time. Sometimes the company will specify an exact time. More often, though, the person emailing will suggest a few potential times, or ask the applicant to share convenient times for the interview.
Interview Invitation Email Examples
Here is an example of an interview invitation letter specifying a date and time for the applicant to interview, an invitation for a video interview, and an example of an invitation requesting that the applicant select an interview slot online.
Invitation to Interview With a Date and Time
This is a job interview invitation letter example. Download the job interview invitation letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.
Interview Invitation for a Video Interview
Interview Invitation With a Request to Sign Up Online
The following is an example of a letter stating the job applicant has been selected for an interview. In this case, the candidate is advised to go online to schedule the interview. Dear Jane Applicant, Thank you for applying for the position of office administrator with ABC Company in Minneapolis, MN. We would like to invite you to come to our office to interview for the position. Your interview has been scheduled for 1 pm on May 10, 2022, at 123 Main Street, Minneapolis, MN 55199. Please call me at 651-555-6666 or email me at johnsmith@abccompany.com if you have any questions or need to reschedule. Sincerely, John Smith
John SmithRegional ManagerABC Company123 Main Street, Minneapolis, MN 55199651-555-6666johnsmith@abccompany.com Dear Samantha, We have received your application for the marketing coordinator position at XYZ Company. Thank you very much for your interest in our organization. I would like to schedule a video call to discuss the position with you. Could you let me know your availability for early next week? When we have a time scheduled, I’ll send you a calendar invitation to confirm the details with instructions for participating in the call. Best, Tobias CramerRecruiting ManagerXYZ Companytobias.cramer@xyzcompany.com555-555-1212
How to Respond to an Invitation for an Interview
Once you’ve received this invitation, what should you do next? Start by giving yourself a moment to celebrate your accomplishment! Many jobs have tons of applicants, so it’s a big deal to make it to the interview stage. Dear Mark Donato, Thank you for submitting an online application for the position of shift manager at French Bread Deli in Springfield, MA. We have looked over your application and would like to invite you to interview with our company as soon as possible. Please visit the “Jobs” page on our website, www.frenchbreaddeli.com. Click on “Schedule Interview” in the top left corner of the page to schedule an interview in the upcoming weeks. You will be prompted for a password – type in “Mai Oui.” You will then be taken to our scheduling page, where you can select and reserve an interview time. These slots fill quickly, so we recommend that you schedule as soon as possible to receive your preferred time. If you have any difficulties scheduling an interview, feel free to email me at mtaylor@frenchbreaddeli.com. Best, Madeline Taylor
Madeline Taylor ManagerFrench Bread Deli100 Main StreetSpringfield, MA, 01106555-555-5555mtaylor@frenchbreaddeli.com Once you’ve spent some time feeling proud of yourself, respond to the email.
Confirm the Details
Confirm whether you can make the interview time mentioned in the email. If you can’t attend an interview at the suggested time or date, simply state that the time doesn’t work for you, and offer some alternatives. (There’s no need to go into detail about why you can’t make the original time.)
Respond Professionally
In your note, aim to match the tone of the person who emailed you about the interview; as a general rule, it’s preferable to be formal rather than casual, using an appropriate business letter salutation and a conservative tone. Always proofread your email carefully before you hit send to avoid typos and grammatical errors. Now that the interview is scheduled, it’s time to prepare for the interview.
