While many of the tasks you perform when screening and hiring job candidates are becoming automated, there’s no reason you can’t personalize them. Interview confirmation emails are one HR function that you can easily add to an applicant tracking system’s (ATS) task management dashboard. Here’s how to ensure that this important step in candidate outreach reflects your company’s culture and values, while making the applicant feel valuable.
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What are interview confirmation emails?
Interview confirmation emails are a message that lets the candidate know of an upcoming interview and allows them to respond to confirm their participation. It may also be your initial interview invitation. Candidates can also send email confirmation emails, letting you know (as the hiring manager) of their continued interest in the interview process.
Companies that send out interview confirmation emails, instead of making phone calls or sending letters, may get a better response from candidates since email is a preferred method of job search communication.
What should be included in the interview confirmation emails?
When drafting an email, remind the candidate what position they are applying for, as well as your company name and contact information. It’s possible that they have applied for many jobs, and you don’t want to confuse them by not being upfront about the position they will interview for.
Include any details relevant to the interview, including the when, where, and what to bring. If there will be a test or assessment component, make that clear. You should also set some expectation of how long the interview may last, so that the candidate can plan their day out and leave ample time for your interview.
Finally, the email should include the next steps for questions, comments, or concerns. Who can they email about parking questions? Is there a contact that can address any security clearance issues? Include a point of contact for both before the interview date and a number they can call once they are on-premise for the interview or in the video conference call. They may need help on the day of the interview.
When should you send an email confirming an interview?
Ideally, the interview confirmation email should go out as soon as you know the interview date and time. This helps the candidate plan ahead and ensure they are available. For example, some candidates may need to plan transportation or childcare.
It can also let the candidate know of your interest as soon as possible. This is important when the candidate may be in high demand or considering other jobs. By emailing about the interview, even if it isn’t for another week or more, you are letting them know that you’re interested. This can help them make informed decisions about another job offer and help you get better hires in a competitive market.
Interview confirmation email template
It can be easier to draft an interview request email when you have a template to follow. Here are two examples you can modify with your own words to make an impression:
Template 1 (for in-person interviews)
Dear [Applicant first and last name],
We have received your application for [Job Title] and are excited to invite you to the next step in the process with an in-person interview with our department manager, [manager name]. The interview will take place on [date] at [time]. You can come to our [full address] location and [include additional information, such as directions for parking, security clearance, etc.] to be seen.
We expect the interview to last no more than [estimated duration]. Please come with any questions you have about the job position. We look forward to getting to know you better!
In the meantime, if you have any scheduling conflicts or questions, please direct them to [name and contact information].
Best Regards,
[Name and phone number]
Template 2 (for virtual interviews)
Many companies prefer to interview over video chat, Zoom, or another virtual software solution. If you plan to use this tech for the interview, consider this template:
Dear [Applicant first and last name],
We have received your application for [Job Title] and are excited to invite you to the next step in the process with a virtual interview with our department manager [manager name]. The interview will take place on [date] at [time] at the following link:
[insert link to Zoom, Skype, or another chat platform]
Please take a few minutes now to install the software needed to conduct the interview. We recommend that you use a desktop or laptop computer with external headphones and a microphone for better sound quality.
[If you are doing a phone interview, replace the web conferencing section with a description of how the phone call process will work.]
We expect the interview to last no more than [estimated duration]. Please come with any questions you have about the job position. We look forward to getting to know you better!
In the meantime, if you have any scheduling conflicts or difficulties in setting up your device, please direct them to [name and contact information]. We will be happy to help make sure the interview is a success.
Best Regards,
[Name and phone number]
Complete email example
Here is how a sample email will look to your applicant.
Dear Samantha Jones,
We have received your application for Customer Service Agent II and are excited to invite you to the next step in the process for an in-person interview with our department manager Kenneth Swan. The interview will take place on July 14 at 3:45 p.m. CST. You can come to our 2325 Skybrook Lane location in Cedarville and enter the building on the South side, where our receptionist will sign you in and give you instructions on how to access the 4th floor. Our guest parking is just outside this entrance and is available for your use during the interview.
We expect the meeting to last no more than 30 minutes, and a brief skills assessment will be given as part of the interview. Please come with any questions you have about the job position. We look forward to getting to know you better!
In the meantime, if you have any scheduling conflicts or interview questions, please direct them to our hiring assistant, Jeannie Leeds, at 555-554-5555.
Best Regards,
Bill Warrens, Recruiter
Fun ways to send the interview confirmation emails
If the same old interview confirmation doesn’t fit your company culture, it’s OK to make it stand out a bit with something fun. This can be a catchier subject line, signature line, or even the modest use of emoticons or catchphrases in the email body. Ideas include:
- Using the candidate name and a company-related emoji in the email subject line
- Pasting a work-related .GIF into the email body
- Including a fun personal detail about the business or the hiring team in the email body
- Adding a quick P.S. with a note about the applicant’s history and tying it back to their value to the company
- Attaching a link to a video you personalized with their name inviting them to interview
While being a little whimsical can help communicate your brand’s personality, avoid anything too juvenile or flashy. You don’t want the applicant to confuse your email with spam or think that it’s not a real invitation. Adding just a little special touch tells them that you value them as a person and that they would fit in nicely with the rest of the team.
Tips for writing an email to confirm a job interview
This email may not be the first time you gave an applicant the information for an interview. You could have talked to them in person or on the phone. The confirmation email, however, will be the place they go back to again and again to confirm what they know and answer any questions they have prior to the interview. Therefore, you want to keep as much detail in this one email as possible. Avoid spreading out interview details between several messages that the candidate has to shuffle between to find the original details.
Additional tips include:
- As with any hiring message, keep your message clear, concise, and caring.
- Be human without being unprofessional.
- Use a large and clear font with adequate spacing between lines and paragraphs.
- Proofread before sending to avoid typos.
- Avoid using “Dear Mr.” or “Dear Ms.” as these are gender-specific salutations that may be off putting. Use their full name instead.
Summary
Whether this is your first email to them or your fifth, you should take each email as an opportunity to further your brand recognition and showcase your opportunities to the candidate. Remember, while they are working to impress you and get the job, you likewise need to impress them as a place they should want to bring their talents. In a tight job market, you wouldn’t want to squander any chance to showcase your culture.
Even something as simple as a job confirmation email could be the message that finally gets their attention and puts you on their top employer list. When it comes to finding and retaining the best talent, you can’t take anything in the hiring process for granted.
If you save your interview confirmation email to an ATS dashboard for easy reference, everyone in your company can use it. Learn more about how to collaborate across human resources teams with Comeet.
Related:
- Evaluate the cost effectiveness of outsourced recruiting options, like RPOs and Elastic Recruiting.
- Streamline your internal recruitment process by upgrading your ATS. Our free guide shows you how.
- How to build a hiring process – Get our free recruitment template
- Looking for a recruitment solution to help you with talent acquisition and scaling?
