Rescheduling An Interview: What You Should Know

You have searched for a job, you made it through the screenings, and you’ve landed the interview; maybe you are in the second round of interviews. But then life throws a curveball, and a critical moment comes into play: should I reschedule my interview? Here are some factors you’ll want to consider before making your decision.

Rescheduling an interview can lead to negative outcomes and damage your credibility as a candidate. Recruiters and leaders often jump to a few initial conclusions when they hear you need to reschedule an interview. The first is that you lack interest in the job. Throughout the interview process, there are a limited number of interactions you get to experience with human resources and the managers with whom you are hoping to work. Scheduling interviews typically takes a rather concentrated effort to accommodate everyone involved. Disregarding this shows a lack of respect for this planning and everyone’s time. There’s no guarantee you can reschedule in a timely manner, and it may put another candidate in a better light at a time when you’re trying to showcase yourself and your talents to the company.

Another flag that races through these leaders' minds is the possibility that you lack sound problem-solving skills. Conflicts and unexpected circumstances arise in all aspects of life; change is inevitable, right? As a future employee, this  could indicate that personal matters will override work priorities. From a workflow perspective, situations, issues, and surprises will interrupt your day. Will you be able to manage this, reprioritize, tackle these issues, and then get back on track with your work and your day?

Do your best to avoid this situation altogether. When you schedule your interview, stay organized and plan ahead. Know your schedule before committing to a date and time. If you need to accommodate someone else’s schedule, let the recruiter know you need to confirm before being 100% certain. They will appreciate that you own your schedule and can showcase your organizational skills. Once the interview is confirmed, have back-up plans in place. If you have children, speak with your spouse, partner, relative, or a close friend who could be at the ready to cover you in case they get sick. Make sure you’ve scheduled for a date and time when your workload is least hectic, and you’re least likely to be pulled into a meeting.

Of course, as mentioned earlier, life happens, and if you find yourself in a completely unavoidable situation, make the call. You’re working with people in this process who will understand if your reason is valid. Should you need to reschedule, keep the following in mind:

The interview process is an opportunity for you to get to know a company, a role, its people, and test-drive if this is the right next step for you, and vice versa. Working through circumstances like this during the process can indicate how well you’d work together day-to-day. If you find yourself in this situation, be sure to remain professional, organized, tactful, and positive, and this will be recognized.