How To Confirm an Interview Time in 4 Steps (With Tips)

A job interview is an integral part of the hiring process, presenting an opportunity for you to market your credentials and make a positive impression. The hiring manager may schedule a date and time for you to meet with them, and it can be important for you to confirm the appointment before it takes place. Knowing what to say when communicating with an employer about your scheduled interview can allow you to maintain professionalism while receiving the information you need. In this article, we explain the significance of making a confirmation, show how to confirm an interview time and offer tips for initiating contact. Related: How Long Should You Prepare for an Interview? (With Tips)

Why is it important to confirm an interview time?

It's important to confirm an interview time to ensure you know exactly when to arrive. Whether the meeting is in person, over the phone or during a virtual conference call, you can identify how much time you have to prepare for it and plan your attendance accordingly. For example, if you verify that the appointment is at 10 a.m., and you live 30 minutes away from the office, then you can anticipate leaving your home at 9:15 a.m. in case you need extra minutes to find the building or navigate through traffic. Confirmation of the interview time can also inform the prospective employer to expect you at that time. When you enter the building or join the call, the interviewer is ready to start the conversation on schedule with no delay. It can be beneficial to ask for confirmation over email, which also provides a written record of the meeting that you agreed to attend. You can anticipate how long the interview may take to help coordinate your schedule for the rest of the day and brace yourself for discussing your qualifications at that moment that you and the employer specified. Related: How To Prepare for an Interview

How to confirm an interview time

Here's a list of steps to follow to verify the time for a job interview:

1. Identify the recipient of the email

Address the recipient by name at the top of the email to personalize your message. Include an opening salutation to represent the email's formality, which can demonstrate your professionalism as a job candidate. Before you ask to confirm the interview time, check the email address of the recipient to ensure you're acknowledging the right person. You can also verify that you've spelled their name correctly and mentioned their job title. For instance, if you're initiating contact with a professor at a university, then you might include the title "Dr." before their last name.

2. Mention the name of the job

In the first line of the email, state who you are and why you're sending the email. Explain that you're a job candidate who received an invitation to meet with the employer. You can also mention the title of the position you applied to so the hiring manager can identify the appointment that they scheduled. After introducing yourself, express your appreciation for the company selecting you to advance in the hiring process. Here's an example: My name is Janet Dotty, and I'm pursuing the social media coordinator position. Thank you for the opportunity to attend the interview.

3. Include the interview setting

Besides the time, you can also verify the setting of the interview and the identity of the interviewer, if you know the person. Mention the date and time for the interview and where you're expecting to travel to participate in it. Here's another example statement: I'm looking forward to meeting with Mr. John Rutherford at Gordon and Carlson at 2816 Law Street on December 1 at 10:30 a.m. Related: Best Times for an Interview Slot

4. Reinforce your excitement

In the last lines of the email, show your enthusiasm for attending the interview. You can indicate to the hiring manager that you're looking forward to visiting the building or meeting with the employees and learning more about the responsibilities of your desired role. Your eagerness can reflect positively on you as a job candidate. The initiative you took to send the email can also demonstrate that you're serious about your quest for a new role, specifically the role at the company you're planning to visit for the interview. You can exemplify your excitement in one or two sentences to conclude the message. Here's an example: I'm looking forward to Wednesday's meeting to hear more about what the role has to offer. I'm also thankful for the chance to explain what I can offer the company as a social media coordinator. Related: How To Schedule the Best Time To Interview

Tips for confirming an interview time

Consider using the following tips when crafting an email to send to the hiring manager:

Reference the correct information. Make sure you reference the exact name and date that the interviewer specified to you when they first invited you to the appointment. It can avoid confusion and show you were paying attention.
Request additional contact. After mentioning that you're looking forward to meeting with the employer, include a call to action that shows you're available to speak again if necessary. For example, you can write that the interviewer can contact you if they need you to complete any paperwork or perform any tasks related to the hiring process before you arrive at your scheduled time.
**Sign your name.** Once you've communicated all the details, end the message with your name at the bottom, reminding the employer of who you are. Preface your name with a closing salutation, such as "sincerely" or "best regards."
Keep the message brief. A concise message can help the hiring manager discern the purpose of your message quickly and clearly, which also helps them send a prompt response that offers the confirmation you were seeking. Limit the content of the email to a few sentences that introduce yourself and describe the meeting.