The job hunt can leave you feeling confused and anxious. And although an interview request might leave you feeling optimistic, you might also have anxiety in responding to the request. If you say or do the wrong thing, you could miss out on an interview or make the wrong impression. Before you make a mistake, follow these tips.
Do you remember when your best friend told you to wait a few days before answering a text from your new love interest? That probably wasn’t the best advice for that situation, and it certainly isn’t good advice for an interview offer. If you wait too long to reply to the interview request, the hiring manager could choose to hire someone else before you ever get a chance to interview.
Typically, you should respond to the request on the same day or the next business day. When you’re actively looking for a job, be sure to check your email at least twice a day. Failing to do so means you could miss an interview offer. Keep in mind that an interview request could go to your spam folder, so check your other email folders as well.
By responding quickly, you show that you’re genuinely interested in the position. You also may end up getting an early interview, which means you can make a great impression before everyone else gets an opportunity to do the same.
You could also title this tip, “Read the Email.” All too often, people don’t read the instructions given to them regarding the scheduling of a job interview. The email might tell them to click a link and pick a time slot, but the applicant instead sends an email and asks how to schedule the interview. If the email tells you to call, then call. Follow the directions, or the hiring manager may decide to move on to a different applicant.
When you decide to follow the guidelines, you give yourself an advantage. The hiring manager will respect the fact that you read the directions, and this gives them a good impression of your abilities. After all, every employer hopes to hire someone who can follow directions.
In your response, be both polite and professional. Thank the hiring manager and let them know that you’re excited about the opportunity. If you don’t say anything, the employer might think you don’t have interest in the position.
As far as professionalism goes, don’t use emojis or text abbreviations. Even if you’re applying for a job with a casual company, the hiring manager wants to know that you can be professional. You don’t need to sound like a robot, but you should use proper grammar and be polite. If you’re not sure how to do that, look for some tips online.
No matter how excited you are about the interview request, resist the temptation to write a two-page email in response. The hiring manager will be glad you’re excited, but they don’t have time to read a story. Keep your response short, or you risk losing their interest and coming across as unprofessional.
So, what should you say when you respond to the request? A simple, “Thank you for the opportunity. I look forward to meeting with you next week!” will suffice. Additionally, you should have one or two sentences that confirm the date and time of the interview. You might also want to ask if there is any software you need for the interview if it will be done online.
Once again, before you write your response, read the email. You shouldn’t ask what software you need to download if the email says that the interview will be done over Zoom. Rather, read over the email several times before and after you submit a response. Make sure you aren’t redundant.
You want the hiring manager to be able to reach you. If you don’t include your contact details in the email, they won’t be able to reach you. The best place to include contact details is at the end of the email. This makes it easy for the hiring manager to find your information.
If you’re emailing from an old professional account, delete the email signature at the bottom. Instead, include your name, phone number, and address.
And this brings us to the next tip - proofread the email before you send it. If you don’t take the time to read over your email, you risk sending a response with grammatical or factual errors. For instance, your phone number could contain a wrong digit. If the hiring manager tries to call you, they won’t be able to reach you.
As with all important documents, you should consider having a friend or family member read the response. Ask for their input, and make any necessary changes. When you’re ready to hit send, make sure you don’t click, “Reply All” and send the email to other parties.
Finally, don’t make the mistake of ignoring an interview request. If you have another job offer or you’re no longer interested in the position, you should still respond to the email. You never know when you’ll need to deal with the company again. Sometime in the future, you might decide to apply for a job with them once again.
It’s never good to burn bridges. In today’s world, you never know who knows each other. The hiring manager could know the hiring manager of the company you want to work for, so try not to leave a bad impression. Send an email explaining that you appreciate the offer but that you’re no longer looking.
Are you struggling to get interviews? If so, it could be time to change up the way you’re applying for jobs. Look for more job tips and start the job hunt once again. You might have an interview request waiting for you!
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