How to Smartly Accept Emailed Interview Invitations

By Susan P. Joyce

Excellent! You've been invited to a job interview, and that invitation is a great sign! But, not a guarantee or a job offer.

Some employers invite candidates to job interviews via a telephone call, which can be very awkward, depending on the timing and phone number used (if you are employed, a call to your work phone number from another employer can be very, VERY awkward).

Usually, you will receive the invitation to interview for a job by email, typically from the recruiter or someone on the HR staff.

The message will be sent to the email address that you used on the application or resume or made visible on your LinkedIn Profile.

If you are employed, do NOT use your work contact information for your job search!

Using your work phone number can be a quick way to lose your job if a recruiter's phone call is overheard by someone at work. Your email may be monitored by the IT staff protecting the security of your employer’s network and computers, with the same risk of job loss.

Read To Be Hired, You Must Be Reachable for details on how to leverage LinkedIn to be reachable without putting your job or your privacy at risk.

Contents of a Typical Emailed Invitation

The emailed invitation you receive should provide the details about the interview:

• Employer name, job title, and location of the job.
• Location of the job interview (which may be virtual via Zoom/Skype or different from the location of the job).
• Type of interview, which may include any of these different options:
  
  
  • Telephone.
  • Video like Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, WebEx, GoToMeeting , Google Meet, or other video platform.
  • In person.
• Name(s) and job title(s) of the person (or people) who will be interviewing you.
• Other information like video URL and password or driving directions and parking details may be provided.
• A few date and time options, offering you the ability to choose the one which best fits your schedule.

If their message does not contain all the information you need, request the missing information in the message you send in response.

Reply Promptly and Carefully to Accept the Invitation

Show your interest in the job and your professionalism in your prompt reply to the email.

To respond:

1. Choose the “Reply All” option if others in the employer’s organization were copied on the message. This will keep everyone on the employer’s side informed.
   
   Exception: If the message tells you to send your response to a specific email address, be sure to comply. You will be demonstrating that you read messages carefully and can follow directions.
2. Use the sender’s name in the salutation (see below).
3. Thank them for the invitation to interview.
4. Include that you are "very interested in learning more about this opportunity."
5. Clarify or confirm the type of interview. especially if it will be a video interview using a platform like Zoom or Skype.
6. If they have invited you to interview at a specific date and time, confirm if that time works for you or offer more than one alternatives date and/or time.
   
   Generally, agreeing to their date and time is the best strategy, if what they have offered works for you. With video interviewing when working from home, we all usually have more flexibility in scheduling.
7. If they have offered you more than one date and time for the interview, choose the best date and time for you.
   
   When choosing the date and time, consider the following:
   
   
   • If possible choose mornings over afternoons, preferably mid-morning. When possible, avoid late afternoons.
   • Avoid Mondays and Fridays when possible because people are usually distracted.
   • Sooner (within a day or two of the date offered) rather than later is usually best.
     
     
   If they have not indicated a date and time, you can suggest one or two that you prefer, or you can ask for more information (next).
8. Ask for all of the details that may not have been included in the invitation (names and job titles of the interviewers, technology or location of the interview, etc.). Knowing these details are essential for your success.
   
   If it will be a video interview, you will need the URL and the login information. Use your personal computer, if possible, rather than your smart phone. If you are employed, avoid using any of your employer's equipment and technology, including WiFi.
9. If the interview is in person, ask if they would like you to bring anything else with you to the interview.
   
   Many employers seem to be impressed by job candidates who bring work samples to an interview. Consider bringing those to this interview even if they don't state that they want to see anything other than your resume at the interview.
   
   Be VERY careful not to put your current employer's confidential information at risk, particularly if you are interviewing with a competitor.
10. Professional closing and signature with your non-work contact information and your LinkedIn Profile URL (linkedin.com/in/your-name/).

Sample Message Accepting the Interview Invitation and Asking for More Details

If you do not know these important details, send this first message to collect those details --

Respond promptly when they reply to your message. See the sample below as an example of an interview confirmation message, if they have provided answers to all of your questions and the schedule works for you.

Sample Message Confirming Date and Time

An invitation may provide complete information would give the date and time for the interview and answer the questions you may have asked. Or, you may have sent the message above and received a response with the information you requested.

When you agree with the chosen date and time, send a short and simple message, like this:

TO: [person who sent you the invitation or the addressee specified in their message]

CC: [others who were copied on the invitation message]

Subject: [job title and interview date] OR [RE: subject from the responding message]

Dear [Name of the addressee, like Mr. Jones]:

Confirming the interview on [date] at [time] at [location] to speak with [names] about [job title].

I look forward to speaking with you [and other names, if appropriate] and am very interested to learn more about this opportunity. Please let me know if you would like any additional information about me.

Best regards,
[your full name]
[best phone number for your job search]
[your LinkedIn profile URL]

Then, Prepare for the Job Interview

Now that you have an interview scheduled, focus on being well-prepared for the interview. Read The Winning Difference: Pre-Interview Preparation for Your Job Interview for more details on being well prepared for your interview.

The Bottom Line

Usually, accepting an interview opportunity is the smartest thing to do, even if you are not officially in a job search. However, if you decide that this isn't the right time (or right employer), you can gracefully turn down a job interview invitation without burning any bridges -- Why and How to Turn Down an Interview Invitation.

More About Job Interviews

• Ace Your Video Interview
• 12 Keys to One-Way Video Interview Success
• 10 Keys to Success in One-Way Video Interviews
• Smart Answers to Interview Questions
• Guide to Writing Thank You Notes After an Interview with Sample Thank You Notes (and Emails)