Canceling a job interview
There may come a time during the job search process in which you need to cancel an interview. There are a few ways you can do this professionally, including by emailing or calling the hiring manager or company. When canceling an interview, it's important to do so in the proper way to ensure you maintain a professional relationship and do not burn any bridges. Here we explore why someone would want to cancel a job interview, steps on how to cancel an interview, and example emails you can use as a guide if you have to cancel an interview during the hiring process.
Why would you want to cancel a job interview?
Canceling a job interview isn’t always the best option and may portray you as unreliable or unprofessional if done incorrectly. However, there are a few instances in which canceling a job interview is acceptable and even recommended. The following are a few reasons in which you may need to call off an interview:
- You’ve accepted a job offer from another organization.
- You’ve changed your mind about the job and are no longer interested.
- Another obligation has come up that you consider more of a priority than the job interview.
- The position would require you to move and this is not an option for you at the present time.
- The commute to the job would be too much.
- You’ve learned new information about the organization and realized that the company doesn’t value the same morals as you.
- You’ve realized you can’t afford to change careers.
All of these reasons are appropriate circumstances that would make canceling an interview acceptable. Whether you have simply changed your mind about the job or you won’t be able to accommodate a required relocation, canceling will save both you and the hiring manager time and energy.
How to cancel an interview
The following are steps you can take when canceling a job interview:
Inform the interviewer as soon as possible
You should notify the hiring manager as soon as you decide that you want or need to cancel a job interview. Providing the hiring manager with at least a day’s advanced notice is professional and polite and allows the hiring manager to make the necessary schedule adjustments on their end. This is especially important if you want to change the job interview to a different date or time.
If you are notifying the hiring manager less than a day in advance of the interview, you should call the company and inform them that you need to cancel to ensure the information is quickly relayed to the interviewer. If you’re contacting the hiring manager more than a day in advance, it would be appropriate to send an email, especially if you’ve already communicated with them via email.
Ask to reschedule if applicable
If you still want to attend the job interview but simply can’t make it at the day and time that was originally set, be sure to mention this to the hiring manager. Apologize for the inconvenience of having to reschedule and provide the hiring manager with several dates and times that you are available for an interview. In some situations, it may be beneficial to inform the interviewer of the reason for rescheduling, such as if your pet or family member falls ill or you had a last-minute emergency arise.
Don’t feel like you have to give you a reason for canceling
While it may feel necessary or polite to provide the reason as to why you’re canceling the interview, this isn’t always the case. This is especially true if you wish to cancel the interview and not reschedule. However, you should be courteous and professional when informing the hiring manager of your cancellation and apologize for the inconvenience.
Learn more: How to Craft a Professional Response to a Job Rejection
Include the details of the interview
When canceling an interview via phone or email, be sure to include the time and date the interview was set for as well as the position you were going to be interviewed for. This allows the hiring manager to quickly identify you and your scheduled interview and make the necessary changes.
Example interview cancellation emails
The following are examples of an interview cancellation emails:
Example 1
Subject: Bridgette Wong — Interview reschedule
Dear Mr. Kenzie,
Thank you for considering me for the open position of marketing manager at DB Marketing. I am contacting you to inform you that I need to reschedule the interview we had set for September 7 at 3 p.m. My family has made a last-minute decision to visit or the day, and I am rarely able to see them so it is important to me to have the time to spend while they are in town.
My available dates and times for rescheduling include September 8 between 12 and 4 p.m. and September 9 between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
I apologize for any inconvenience this has caused and I look forward to hearing from you soon to set a new interview date.
Sincerely,
Bridgette Wong
bridgettewong@email.com
(941) 754-0987
Example 2
Subject: Cory Wright — interview cancellation
Dear Ms. Epcot,
Thank you for reaching out to me regarding the open position of sales assistant at Frankies Jewelry. Unfortunately, I need to cancel the interview we had scheduled for October 22 at 12 p.m.
While I certainly appreciate the opportunity to interview with your organization for this position, I have decided that the required move is not something I can accommodate at this time.
I apologize for any inconvenience and want to thank you for your consideration and time.
Sincerely,
Cory Wright