Resources/Recruiting templates/Interview invitation emails
Interview Invitation Email Templates: Invite, Confirm, Reschedule
Free interview invitation email templates for phone, video and on site interviews, plus confirmation, reminder, reschedule and panel prep emails you can copy and send.
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These are interview invitation and confirmation emails for every step of scheduling: the first invitation, the confirmation once a time is booked, a reminder the day before, and messages for when you or the candidate need to reschedule.
They are for recruiters, coordinators and hiring managers who book interviews. Each email gives the candidate everything they need in one place: who, when, where, how long and what to prepare.
When should you use this template?
- You are inviting a candidate to a phone screen, video interview or on site interview.
- Candidates keep turning up to the wrong link or the wrong building.
- An interviewer cancels and you need to move the interview quickly and politely.
- A candidate has not confirmed and you want to send a clear reminder.
- You are setting up a panel or final round with several interviewers.
Interview Invitation and Confirmation Emails
Email 1: Interview invitation with time options
Subject: Interview invitation: [Job title] at [Company]
Hi [First name],
Thank you for your interest in the [Job title] role. We would like to invite you to a [length] [phone, video or on site] interview with [Interviewer name], [Interviewer title].
Please choose a time that works for you: [Option 1], [Option 2] or [Option 3], all in [time zone]. You can also book directly here: [scheduling link].
In this conversation, [Interviewer name] will focus on [topics]. There is nothing to prepare beyond thinking about [one or two examples to bring].
If you need any accommodation for the interview, just let me know and we will arrange it.
Best regards,
[Your name], [Title], [Phone]
Email 2: Confirmation for a video interview
Subject: Confirmed: [Job title] interview on [Day, Date] at [Time Time zone]
Hi [First name],
You are confirmed for your interview on [Day, Date] at [Time Time zone].
Who: [Interviewer name], [Interviewer title]
Length: [length] minutes
Link: [video link]. Please test it a few minutes before. If it fails, call me on [Phone].
Topics: [topics]
A calendar invite is on its way. Reply here if anything changes.
See you then,
[Your name]
Email 3: Confirmation for an on site interview
Subject: Confirmed: on site interview at [Company], [Day, Date]
Hi [First name],
Looking forward to meeting you on [Day, Date] at [Time].
Address: [Full address, floor or building]
Parking or transit: [instructions]
When you arrive: [check in instructions and who to ask for]
Schedule: [Time, Interviewer, focus area for each session]
Bring: [ID for building access, portfolio or nothing]
If you need any accommodation or have questions about the day, reply here or call me on [Phone].
[Your name]
Email 4: Panel or final round
Subject: Your final interview for [Job title] on [Date]
Hi [First name],
Congratulations on reaching the final stage. Your final interview is on [Day, Date] from [Start] to [End] [Time zone] at [location or link].
You will meet: [Name, title, focus area] / [Name, title, focus area] / [Name, title, focus area].
[If there is an exercise: Please prepare a [length] presentation on [topic]. Send any slides to me by [date].]
We expect to make a decision by [date]. Let me know if you have any questions before the day.
[Your name]
Email 5: Reminder the day before
Subject: Reminder: interview tomorrow at [Time Time zone]
Hi [First name],
A quick reminder about your interview with [Interviewer name] tomorrow, [Day, Date], at [Time Time zone].
[Video link or address]
If anything has come up, reply here and we will find another time. Good luck!
[Your name]
Email 6: Reschedule request from you
Subject: Can we move your interview on [Date]?
Hi [First name],
I am sorry, but [Interviewer name] has had an unavoidable conflict and can no longer meet on [Date] at [Time]. I apologize for the change.
Could you do any of these instead: [Option 1], [Option 2] or [Option 3]? If none work, send me a few times that suit you and I will make it happen.
Thanks for your flexibility,
[Your name]
Email 7: Reply when a candidate asks to reschedule
Subject: Re: Rescheduling your interview
Hi [First name],
No problem at all, thanks for letting me know. Here are some new times: [Option 1], [Option 2] or [Option 3].
Once you pick one, I will send a fresh calendar invite and cancel the old one.
[Your name]
Email 8: No reply follow up
Subject: Re: Interview invitation: [Job title]
Hi [First name],
I wanted to check that you saw my note about interviewing for the [Job title] role. The times I suggested are still open, or you can pick any slot here: [scheduling link].
If you have decided the role is not for you, a quick reply is fine too.
[Your name]
Free from Work Insiders. Edit it to fit your team.
What should an interview invitation email include?
Every invitation needs six things: the job title, the type of interview, who the candidate will meet, the length, the time options with a time zone, and what to prepare. If a candidate has to reply to ask any of these, the email is missing something.
Add an open offer of accommodation in every invitation. It costs nothing, helps candidates who need it ask without awkwardness, and is part of running a fair process. Name a person and a phone number the candidate can reach if a link fails on the day.
Write the subject line so the candidate can find the email again on the day: the job title, the company and, once confirmed, the date and time. Many candidates search their inbox minutes before an interview, and a vague subject line wastes that time.
How do you schedule interviews faster?
Most delays come from back and forth, not from busy diaries. Offer three specific options or a self booking link in the first email, and hold those slots on interviewers’ calendars until the candidate replies.
Agree interview blocks with the hiring team at the intake meeting so you know their availability before you invite anyone. For panels, book interviewers back to back on one day where you can. If a candidate has not replied in two working days, send the follow up and try a different channel, such as a text or a call.
Track how long scheduling takes from the moment a candidate is approved to the moment the interview is booked. If it is more than a few working days, look at where the delay sits: waiting for interviewers, waiting for the candidate, or waiting for you. Each has a different fix.
How do you handle time zones and remote interviews?
Write the time zone next to every time, every time, and use the candidate’s time zone where you can. A calendar invite helps, but candidates often read the email first. For remote interviews, put the link in both the email and the invite, and say which tool you use so the candidate can test it.
Give the candidate a phone number to call if the video fails, and tell interviewers to call that number back after five minutes rather than marking the candidate as a no show.
For on site interviews, check that the candidate can get into the building and that reception has their name. Arriving to find nobody expecting you is a poor start, and it is easy to prevent with one message to the front desk the day before.
What do you do when an interview has to move?
Tell the candidate as early as you can, apologize once, and offer new times in the same message.
- Contact the candidate the moment you know, by phone if it is the same day.
- Offer at least three new options within the next few working days.
- Cancel the old calendar invite and send a fresh one with the new details.
- If you have moved the interview more than once, call the candidate to keep their trust.
- Note the reason in your ATS so you can spot interviewers who cancel often.
What mistakes in interview emails put candidates off?
Small errors in scheduling emails make a company look disorganized before the interview has even started.
Read every email once more before sending with the candidate’s eyes: could they turn up at the right place, at the right time, ready to talk about the right things, without asking you anything?
- Missing or wrong time zones.
- Video links that only appear in the calendar invite.
- Not saying who the interviewer is or what they will cover.
- Changing the time with no apology or explanation.
- No contact person for the day of the interview.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I send an interview invitation?
Send it as soon as the candidate is approved for interview, and offer times within the next week if you can. Good candidates are often in other processes, so speed matters. For on site or final rounds, give at least a few working days’ notice so the candidate can arrange time off from their current job.
Should I use a scheduling link or offer specific times?
Both work. A scheduling link lets the candidate book instantly and is good for phone screens and single interviews. For panels and finals, offering two or three specific options is often simpler because you have to coordinate several diaries. Whichever you choose, make sure every slot shown is genuinely free.
What should a candidate reply to an interview invitation?
A short reply that confirms the time they picked, in the time zone you gave, and any questions or accommodation needs. Recruiters can make this easy by asking a single clear question, such as which of three times works, and by sending a confirmation email and calendar invite straight after.
How do I ask about accommodations in an interview invitation?
Add one plain sentence such as “If you need any accommodation for the interview, just let me know and we will arrange it.” Offer it to every candidate, do not ask about health or disability, and keep any request private, shared only with the people who need to arrange it. Then follow through promptly.
Written by recruiters at Work Insiders. Updated October 25, 2026. How we make money.