You have searched for a job, you made it through the screenings, and you’ve landed the interview. But then, life throws a curveball at you, and you’re faced with the question: How do I reschedule my interview? To help answer this question, we’ve compiled a few tips and best practices for you to follow if you find yourself needing to reschedule a job interview.
Although it is best to avoid this situation, life happens. To lessen the negative impact on your chances of getting the job, use this as an opportunity to show your potential employer your professionalism and efficient communication skills. One of the first things to keep in mind: be professional. When communicating about your need to reschedule, make sure to stay positive and be enthusiastic about your interest in the position, and how you’re looking forward to the interview.
While communicating with your potential employer, you’ll also want to make sure your reason is valid, keep details for your rescheduling limited; there is no need to overshare. Here’s an example: If you wake up with a stomach bug, don’t just say you have to reschedule, but that you have the flu. Being honest but limiting details of your illness will be appreciated by the employer, who will not want to spread your germs around their office and will be understanding of the unavoidable circumstance.
When rescheduling an interview, it is important to connect with everyone involved (hiring managers, recruiters, etc.). Here are four tips on how to communicate this schedule change efficiently.
1. Provide as much notice as possible. Avoid making the call just before you are set to arrive. Hiring professionals would much prefer an advanced heads up so they can fill the time that had been set aside to meet with you rather than the information being sprung on them in a last-minute scenario.
2. Use multiple ways of reaching out. A phone call is always best, but if you find yourself leaving a voicemail, be sure to follow up with an email and consider also sending a text message if you have access to that information. Depending on your contact’s schedule, they might receive one message first over the other. Urgency is paramount in these situations.
3. Share 2-3 dates and times that you’re available to reschedule. To show eagerness and professionalism, make sure to send future dates/times that work with your schedule. This will avoid much back-and-forth which could lead to frustrations for everyone involved.
4. Send a follow up thank you email. Make sure to thank the person who rescheduled the interview, thank them for accommodating you and expressing your interest and excitement for your newly scheduled meeting. Again, avoid going into details or personal information about the reason for rescheduling. Short and simple is best, and this will help shine a positive light on moving forward in the process.
The interview process is a key step towards being offered a position and is an opportunity for you to get to know a company, a role, its people and test-drive if this is the right career step for you. Working through circumstances, like rescheduling an interview, can be an indicator of your professionalism and show how well you’d work with your coworkers on an everyday basis. If you find yourself in this situation, be sure to remain professional, organized, responsive, enthusiastic, and you’ll turn this unplanned event into a positive outcome in your career journey.
For more information on rescheduling an interview best practice or for career development tips, contact our experts.
Megan Culver | Senior Account Executive