How To Respond to an Interview Email: 19 Tips for Various Types of Hiring Emails
Throughout the interview process, you’ll generally need to compose several emails to the organization to which you have applied. These emails are viewed as an extension of your initial application, and knowing how to reply to an interview email in a professional manner is highly important.
The following guidelines provide insights into how to effectively reply to an interview email, encompassing responses to interview request emails and thank-you emails sent after the interview.
The Importance of Emails in the Interview Process
The way you reply to emails during the interview process should be considered an additional part of your application. They are an important part of applying for new jobs and determining whether you receive a job offer.
Hiring teams assess your tone and professionalism in emails as well as what you ask and how rapidly you reply. You can also use emails, including replies to requests for interview and thank you emails after the interview, to promote your qualifications and suitability for the role a little more.
While sending thank you and follow-up emails after an interview won’t secure you the position alone, not sending them can greatly damage your application.
Emails you send during the interview process contribute to your overall application.
How to Reply to an Email for a Job Interview
A reply to a request for an interview will be one of the first pieces of email correspondence in the hiring process. This is an important email that will give the hiring team more insight into your professional personality. The following tips can help you to craft an email that makes the right first impression.
1. Reply Promptly
Respond to the request for an interview email in a timely manner, either as soon as you receive the email or as soon as you can properly respond if otherwise busy when you first receive it. A rapid reply shows commitment, excitement about the opportunity, and good time management skills.
Replying to a request for an interview quickly can ensure you get an interview as soon as possible. While many companies will interview all candidates, some may hire one of the first interviewees if they’re a perfect fit. Therefore, you want to confirm your interview as soon as possible in an attempt to be one of the first candidates to interview.
2. Use a Professional Salutation
When writing the reply to an interview email, open with a polite and professional salutation. The exact salutation (“Dear,” “Hi,” “Hello,” etc.) used will depend on the tone of the email sent to you. You can also use the same salutation the hiring team member used. While you could use the recipient’s last name (e.g., Mr. Smith), it's now a best practice to use the person’s first name only as the salutation.
3. Express Gratitude for the Interview Invitation
The first sentence of your email should express gratitude for the interview invitation. Reiterate your interest in the role and highlight enthusiasm for interviewing, thanking the interviewer for the opportunity.
4. Confirm Interview Details
Having thanked the hiring manager for the chance to interview, confirm any details related to the interview. Agree to the time and date they have set, or let them know your preferred timing if a few options were given. If you cannot make the scheduled time, politely mention this and give two to three alternate times that work for you.
You can also use this part of the email to confirm the location of the interview, provide additional scheduling information if needed (for example, the phone number they can reach you at for a phone interview), and double-check any other instructions or requirements provided by the interviewer.
Reply to request for interview emails as soon as you can, showing gratitude in your response.
5. Ask Clarifying Questions
Having confirmed all the necessary information, add any clarifying questions you have to ensure you are completely prepared for the interview. This may include questions about the format of the interview, if you need to prepare anything like an interview presentation, and any other questions you may have to make interview preparation straightforward. If you have any special requirements for interviews, mention these in this section of the email as well.
6. Avoid Jargon
It’s always important to show your expertise throughout the hiring process. However, avoid using industry-specific jargon in request to interview emails. There’s a good chance that the email recipient will be part of the hiring team and not part of your department, meaning jargon may not be familiar (leading to it having little effect).
7. End With a Professional Closing
Close your reply to an interview request email with a professional closing salutation like "Sincerely" or "Best Regards." Before this, you could also include a polite thank you statement that again highlights your appreciation for the chance to interview. For example, “Thank you again for the opportunity to interview and discuss the role and my professional background in more detail.”
8. Attach Documents
If additional documents have been requested, don’t forget to attach them before sending the email. Clearly name each attachment (for example, “Your Name Resume”) and check the correct documents are attached before sending.
9. Proofread
A reply to a request for an interview email is one of your first points of contact with the hiring team. Therefore, you want to ensure it reads in a highly professional way with no spelling or grammar errors, meaning proofreading is a must.
When proofreading for typos and grammatical errors, also check the clarity and tone of the email. It should clearly cover everything that needs to be covered while being as succinct as possible and in a professional yet friendly and enthusiastic tone. Keep this email to a few short paragraphs of around two to three sentences each at most.
10. Check Mobile-Friendly Formatting
Because many people check email on their phone, ensure the email is in a mobile-friendly format. Use a small to medium font size and forward the email to your own mobile device before sending it to double-check the formatting.
11. Follow Up
If you don’t hear back after sending your reply to a request for an interview, consider sending a polite follow-up email. Wait a day or two for a reply before sending a follow-up. Only follow up sooner if the interview date is approaching before that. For example, if the email asked if you could interview the next day.
Proofread your emails before sending them and follow up after a day or two if needed.
Tips for Writing an After Interview Email
Another important email to write during the interview process is a thank you email after interviewing. This email has the following goals:
To offer appreciation for the interview and thank the interviewer(s) for their time.
To show your continued interest in the role and desire to move on to next steps (a second interview, an interview test or presentation, job offer discussion, etc.)
To confirm the next steps as discussed in the interview, like a date for a second interview or to confirm job offer details.
To ask additional questions you may have.
To provide additional documentation that was requested.
In terms of when to send this email, do it the same day as the interview and as soon as possible after it is completed. Only wait to send an email if the interviewer mentioned they would be emailing you the same day (for example, with a formal job offer or the time for the next interview).
You can add a little more information to this email than you did in the reply to a request for an interview. However, still keep it to-the-point, aiming for three paragraphs of two to three sentences at most. Additionally, keep the following in mind when drafting out this interview process email.
1. Open With a Professional Salutation
Like with the request for an interview email reply, you’ll want to start this email with a polite and professional salutation. If you used “Dear,” in your last email, you may now want to switch to “Hi,” or “Hello,” as you have more of a relationship with the hiring team.
2. Thank the Interviewer
The first line in an interview follow-up email should always thank the interviewer for their time. Also, mention that you enjoyed the interview and learning more about the role and the organization.
3. Reiterate Your Interest in the Role
In the next part of your email, reiterate your continued interest in the position. Mention a few things from the interview discussion that confirmed your interest in the role, such as the chance to work on certain projects, the outline of day-to-day duties, or development opportunities that were discussed.
4. Restate Your Qualifications and Suitability for the Position
Briefly repeat your primary qualifications and what makes you a strong candidate for the role. Where possible, highlight anything extra you bring to the role that other candidates may not, such as experience in the company's niche. When covering your main qualifications, always connect them back to the role’s requirements and the organization’s goals.
Thank the interviewer for their time and re-iterate your skills and qualifications in a post-interview email.
5. Confirm Next Steps
After reiterating your interest in and suitability for the position, confirm next steps. If the next step was set out in the interview (for example, another interview at a set time next week or to send in a candidate test), simply confirm this is noted and in progress. If next steps weren’t completely confirmed, mention you are looking forward to hearing about the next steps when the organization is ready to contact you.
If a job offer was put forward in the interview, mention your excitement at being offered the role in place of steps three and four above. Highlight what you bring to the team as well (for example, “I’m looking forward to using my expertise and industry knowledge to help meet and exceed organizational goals). You can then repeat your acceptance of the initial offer put forward and mention that you’re looking forward to the job contract or other related paperwork being sent to you.
6. Attach Additional Documentation
If additional documentation, like work samples/a portfolio or references, were requested during the interview, include these in the email. Make it clear what the documents are if included within the email. Label them clearly if attached to the email.
7. Ask Additional Questions
As needed, use this email to ask any remaining questions you have about the job, the company as a whole, or the remaining parts of the interview process. If a job offer hasn’t been given yet, one of the interview tips for candidates to keep in mind is to avoid asking questions about salaries or benefits.
However, do confirm anything that was unclear in the interview but could change your interest in the role. For example, you may want to completely confirm that the position is full-time remote before carrying on with the hiring process if this is a non-negotiable factor for you.
8. Finish With a Professional Closing
Conclude the email by expressing gratitude to the interviewer again, briefly reiterating your interest in the position, and emphasizing your enthusiasm for the upcoming stages in the process. Like with your first interview email, end with a professional salutation like "Best Regards" or "Sincerely."
As with your request for an interview email, proofread the thank you email thoroughly before sending, avoid use of jargon, and keep the formatting mobile-friendly.
In Conclusion
Knowing how to reply to an interview email and send effective interview thank you emails is a crucial part of the hiring process. Your email correspondence could even be the difference between you getting the job or not. With the guidelines laid out in this article, you should have no problems crafting professional emails that showcase your skills, communication style, and interest in the role.
If you’re looking for more guidance on securing your dream position, contact Lynne Palmer. Our experienced team can assist you in discovering a new position aligned with your career growth and development objectives.