How to reschedule an interview? The 5-pointer solution is here!

If you are desperately searching for answers about how to reschedule an interview, we may safely assume that – despite all the prior preparations, life threw another ball at you! What is it? A sudden bout of illness or a family emergency? Perhaps a sudden work obligation. These are some of the most-provided reasons for suddenly rescheduling an interview. Indeed, you may have your reasons – but we can delve into that later. Here’s how you will manage the problem –

How to reschedule an interview?

Here are some steps you must follow when you have to reschedule your interview for some unforeseen circumstances.

#1. Connect with them at the earliest

This is a request from your side, so connect with them at the earliest opportunity. As soon as you get to know the problem and are assured that you will not be able to make it, inform the concerned person.

You may do it via the mail or connect with them personally over a call.

#2. State your reason for the unavailability

For you, it is an emergency; for them, it is an excuse (mostly). So, you must be discreet and brief and explain the issue. While explaining, you will have to be courteous and explain the points clearly.

#3. Mind your tone

The most crucial factor in answering – how to reschedule an interview is your tonal quality. You are requesting some more time and a change in their schedule to fit your demands. Therefore you must request the change and not place a demand.

#4. Suggest an alternative time or day

You are the one in the problem, so suggest the nearest next date possible. If that works out – then it is good. If not, you must be flexible enough to accommodate any date as per their schedule.

#5. Apologize for the inconvenience

A must!! Do make them feel that you are genuinely interested in this job, and it is sheer bad timing, which is why you have to reschedule the interview. The key to success? Start with an apologetic tone and end with the same, putting in your request within the same.

How do you intend to convey your request? Scroll down to get an idea about doing it via the mail or over the phone.

Do you need some more help?

In the previous segment, you have already been informed about how to reschedule an interview. But you may still have some doubts. After all, unlike others, this mail would cause you to lose your job. Hence, it is natural to be nervous. But you need not worry much, since here are some critical points you must include in your regret letter.

• It is a formal letter, so you must be very courteous with the words. Address the concerned person with a ‘Dear’ or ‘Respected’ prefix.
• You will have to start by thanking the person for giving you this opportunity. Let the person know from the letter itself – your sense of gratitude. In the following line – you can state the reason for your request.
• You will have to change paragraphs – and start the next paragraph with the new date (that you have suggested). To ensure that your request does not sound high-handed, you must, in the following line, ask for a new date from their end. It is your job to make yourself available on that date.
• Lastly – end the letter by apologizing once again. Also, once done – end the mail with a note of thanks.

You may follow this format when you convey your request via mail

What if you had to convey the same via a phone call? In that case, you may follow this format.

• Once you are done with the introductions, jump into the request immediately.
• Before you proceed – try gauging the person’s tone. If the other party listens patiently, explain the issue as briefly as possible.
• It is best that you suggest a date (do manage to maintain a sense of apology). If that works out, then it’s fine. Else, do request a date from the concerned person himself or herself.
• Make sure to apologize before disconnecting the call.

#Now, be careful here. As you are the interviewee, this is your chance to understand the interviewer (supposedly your future employer). In trying times, a person’s empathy may be understood – one of the trying aspects of a good professional future rapport with your employer. 

Why can’t you attend the interview?

If you are still reading this write-up, supposedly, you have already understood how to reschedule an interview. We also take it that you have genuine reasons to postpone the same. Despite that – we give you some of the most probable (and mostly acceptable) reasons for postponing and rescheduling an interview. 

1. Medical emergency 

Whether it is yours or any of your family members – it comes without any prior notification. It is natural that you would have to cancel your interview in this scenario. In most cases – this is the sole reason for requesting a rescheduling.

2. Sudden untoward incident 

An accident, an untoward occurrence, a vehicle breakdown, a roadblock, a sudden road rage case – the reasons are endless. It is natural that if any of these circumstances occur in your presence, you may have to excuse yourself from this interview.

3. An out-of-the-blue work issue 

Most people search for jobs while they are employed at their current workplace. So, it is not unexpected that on the day of your current interview, your old job may crop up an emergency problem. In that case – you will have to reschedule this to deal with the work at hand.

4. Some alternate options 

What if you have locked the dates for an interview, but a better opportunity comes up on the same date? If that is the reason why you are looking up ways – how to reschedule an interview, then we suggest you be both tactful and honest. An employer, if he or she finds out that you tried to derail them, could act in the negative. Instead, try being honest but also dodge the bullet.

What if you are on the other side?

While you were scrolling down, you must have realized that this write-up tried answering the query – how to reschedule an interview from the interviewee’s point of view. But what about the interviewer himself or herself?

Let’s take a situation here. You are the HR or the Employer of a Start-up. Naturally, one can state that there is not much information about your set-up in the market. As you are scouting heads to recruit, you face similar problems as the interviewee, where you must postpone and reschedule an interview. Then what?

• Since the base of trust in your organization has not yet developed, you must call up the candidates, explain the reason for the delay and, with utmost earnestness – reschedule the interview.
• Make sure that throughout this conversation, the trust factor or the bond that you had made while setting up the interview is not shaken. Choose your words well.
• You could either mail or connect with the candidate over the phone. Just make sure that the message is well conveyed.

Do not cancel again!

Now you know how to reschedule an interview. Hence, we may derive from this that you will do the needful. On a serious note, rescheduling an interview is not the most courteous of behaviors (at least not in a market where only 2% of people are offered a chance to take the interview). Therefore – please be cautious not to miss the next opportunity (even for the employer). Prepare well. Hope you sail through with flying colors.