How to Cancel or Postpone a Job interview? Remember These Tips

December 5, 2020

How to Cancel a Job Interview: Every person desires, strives, and works hard to land a job for oneself. If you want to look for a job, you will have to hunt for the same, various platforms shall help you with it, and you can use your contacts to get a job.

After you apply for a job, you shall be called for an interview. It is an essential step in the recruitment process. It helps to analyze and get an insight into a person and evaluate the candidate's personality along with other aspects.

How to Cancel a Job Interview

But, you might not be able to appear for the interview due to unfavorable circumstances. There is always a high possibility of such cases. One might get sick or end up facing an emergency at home. During such situations, one might have to cancel the interview or reschedule it.

If You Don’t Want to Reschedule

Sending a message of cancellation, rescheduling, or postpone of an interview is very important. You have to be extra cautious while you draft the message. Any error can lead to an unwanted perceiving of the message.

Have an appropriate reason

You must remember to be aware and be sure of the reason for the cancellation of an interview. If you wish to cancel a job interview, you must have a valid reason to do so and you must be sure that the reason is serious enough.

The probable reasons could be a severe illness or an emergency right before an interview. The reason for cancellation is of primary importance. Do not choose any random reason for cancellation. A job interview is one of the most significant opportunities for an individual. Hence, one must be extra careful in selecting a reason.

The tone of the message

Whenever you want to cancel an interview and want to inform the company of the same, you must be very careful with the message; it is essential to mention the reason clearly and maintain a proper manner.

Always request the department and keep the same attitude while you draft the message. The message should be clear and specific, with the style being subtle yet formal.

Remember to address the authority adequately. The delivery of the message is also very essential. Be careful of how the message is delivered; the message should be written in a quick and to the point manner. One must re-read the letter before hitting the send button.

Premature notification - Call or Email the Hiring Manager

If you are aware of the severity of the situation, try to inform the company beforehand. They must be notified in advance so that they can make the necessary adjustments. It shall be beneficial for them as they might replace you with another candidate for the interview. Or, they can schedule any other meeting or engagement during that time.

It is imperative to understand the value of time. If you notice earlier, the company can easily accommodate any other engagement, and they can utilize their time well.

Sample Email for Canceling an Interview

Subject: Interview Cancellation mail

Dear Hiring Manager [Name],

Thank you very much for contacting me regarding this position available at ABC company. I like your consideration for the job, but due to some reason, I need to cancel this interview that was scheduled for Friday, February 11th at 11 AM.

I would not be available for the interview and request you to withdraw my application for that position. Again, thank you for this opportunity.

Thank You,

Your Name

If You Want to Reschedule the Interview

Once you notify them early, you can be called on any other date after a mutual discussion. That way, you also form a good impression on the interviewer.

Mention the date and time precisely

Whenever you plan to postpone an interview, mention the date and time of such postponement as it is quite imperative. Also, be sure of the date and time before you confirm it to the organization.

If you keep on postponing an interview, it will not put you under the recruiter's right impression. Therefore, if you have delayed an interview once, you must ensure that you are present on the other day.

Contact early

If you cannot appear for the interview, ensure that you inform the HR department as early as possible. Once you notify them, they can reschedule your interview quickly and can look for an alternative date and time and then confirm it with you

If you make a delay in informing them, you might miss out on the interview as well. Hence, try to get in touch with the respective department at the earliest possibility.

Sample Email for Asking to Reschedule an Interview

Subject: Reschedule Interview Question

Dear [Hiring Manager Name],

My name is ————— and my interview has scheduled for 11th March at 1:00 PM. Would it be possible to reschedule or postpone my interview? I will not be able to attend on that date, but I would very much appreciate the opportunity to talk to you about this position.

My schedule is open for the rest of this month, and I'm available whenever is most convenient for you.

Thank you very much.

You Name

An interview is a critical step in the recruitment of candidates. You must be ready with all the necessary updates and knowledge. It would be best if you were prepared to answer all kinds of questions. One must maintain etiquette and be courteous. It would be best if you always adopted a very humble attitude as it reflects an individual's personality and morals.

You might be put in a stressful situation. In such cases, you will have to be well-prepared to handle the situation appropriately. Always try to think from the organization's perspective and ensure that there is a fair and decent exchange of required information. Do not inform anything abruptly.

Hence, once you have decided to cancel or postpone an interview, remember to adopt a formal yet subtle tone and request the organization to look into it.

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