Job seeking is quite a painstaking endeavor. You spend hours browsing through vacancies, figuring out whether your skills and experience are suitable for them. Also, you must have a resume that will surely catch a hiring manager’s eye. There are several things to remember when working on your resume to land an interview:

• keep it short and direct;
• list only relevant experience;
• have a career snapshot;
• use modern design;
• tailor your resume for each vacancy.

You can craft your resume on your own or provide all the necessary information to a resume writing service and let the professional do it for you. With an impressive resume, it’s easier to land an interview. And after you’ve received an interview invitation, everything is great, right? Aren’t you forgetting something? Like, a proper reply to an interview invitation email?

You can’t just get an invitation to an interview and start preparing for it without replying. After all, you need to let the recruiter know you’re still interested in the vacancy and going to be present. And replying just “okay” or “see you soon” won’t work. So, let’s check out some tips and examples on how to handle an interview invitation the right way.

Be Prompt With Your Reply

The interview process is far from being fast. On average, it may take around a month from getting your resume noticed to landing a job. That’s why time matters here. So, it’s better to reply to an interview invitation email as soon as possible. Yet, remember to check your schedule and make sure you don’t have anything planned for that date.

Aside from that, you need to craft a proper reply and check it for any errors. But you should reply within hours, not within days. Mind that answering promptly allows you to make a good impression before the interview, as it displays that you are interested in and serious about the opportunity.

Make Your Reply Concise

You should be polite when replying to an interview invitation. It’s important to provide formal gratitude for the opportunity. But mind the time limitations. Hiring managers have to go through various emails, so they don’t have much time to read lengthy emails. Thus, keep your response as short and direct as possible.

If you want to inquire about more details about the position, don’t ask questions that can be addressed during the interview. For example, if you need to reschedule your appointment, don’t go into the reasons for your unavailability. A short but gracious reply shows the employer how you’re going to represent their company in the future, especially if the vacancy implies that you’ll be communicating with clients.

Formatting Matters

Mind that your email should be formatted properly. It needs to follow the basic structure of salutation, body, closure, and contact information. While it may feel that “Dear” and “Kind regards” may feel out of place in the formal email, they should be added. Politeness is an important aspect of all formal emails.

Mind including your contact information after the closing of your email. List your email address, phone number, and links to LinkedIn or other work-related social media platforms. You may also add your signature and current position.

Get Familiar With the Tools

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, online interviews were constantly growing in popularity. And there are various interview scheduling tools to get acquainted with. Google Meets, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams are best for online interviews. And Google Calendar and Calendly are used for scheduling them. You should know how they function, so you can avoid getting yourself into awkward situations like not being able to join the meeting.

Proofread the Reply

Your email must be error-free. If you follow all the above-mentioned rules and forget to check your email for errors, the impression can be ruined. So, make sure your reply doesn’t contain any grammar, punctuation, or spelling errors. There are a lot of online tools, like Grammarly, that can make it easier for you.

Tips are great, but it’s always better to have an example to follow. Invitation interview reply templates will come in handy.

Use These Templates

Replying to a Standard Interview Invitation

Subject: [Job or Company Name] Position

Hello [Name of Recruiter],

Thank you for contacting me and considering me a possible candidate for the [position]. This week, I’m available [days and hours you’re available]. Please, let me know the date and time that suits you the best.

As per your request, I’m attaching my resume to this message. If there’s any additional information that I can send you before the appointment, please let me know.

Looking forward to meeting you.

Kind regards,

[Your Name]

[Contact Information]

Requesting More Information Before the Interview

Hello [Name],

Thank you for considering me as a suitable candidate for the [job title] at [Company’s Name]. I’m interested in the position and looking forward to the interview. However, there are a few questions I’d like to ask before we proceed with arranging the interview. Could you please elaborate on the following?

[List your questions regarding the position]

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards,

[Your Name]

[Contact Information]

Negotiating the Interview Time

Subject: [Position] Interview at [Company Name]

Hello [Name of Recruiter],

I would like to express my gratitude for inviting me to an interview for the [position] at [Company’s Name]. Unfortunately, I have a scheduling conflict, which makes me unavailable on the requested day. This week, I’m available [dates and time of availability]. If none is convenient for you, please let me know the available dates the interview can be scheduled.

I’d be pleased to discuss the position via Skype/Zoom/Google Meets/Microsoft Teams.

Thank you in advance. Looking forward to meeting you.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

[Contact Information]

Final Thoughts

Now you know the main tips for replying to an interview invitation email and have several useful templates. Remember that you should reply timely, and your response must not contain any grammar, spelling, or punctuation errors. Following all the above-mentioned tips will help you provide a perfect reply to an interview invitation and make a good impression. Also you can always ask for help here.