Rescheduling A Job Interview: An Email Template

The last thing anyone wants to do is to reschedule an interview, especially if it’s your dream job. Rescheduling mean’s instant rejection from the running’s, right? Wrong. Sometimes life gets in the way, and you may have the need to reschedule.

Having said that, you should only reschedule a job interview if you really, really have to. For example, fancying a day at home with your favourite Netflix series, or missing out on brunch with your friends, are not reasons enough to reschedule.

If, on the other hand:

• You have a family emergency such as a death in the family, an accident, or someone very close to you is in hospital
• You have an important appointment with your Doctor
• Another serious health-related reason you can’t make the appointment
• Or you have a work obligation you can’t avoid

Then, rescheduling doesn’t have to mean, instant interviewing failure. After all, hiring managers are real people and they know sometimes people are prevented from doing what they want when they want by external factors.

If you really must reschedule your interview, then make sure you do the deed as quickly as possible. The longer you leave it the worse it looks. And the less chance the interviewers and recruiters will be willing to comply with your request.

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Subject

Urgent – Re: interview on the [insert date and time] – [insert surname]

Body

Dear [insert name],

Firstly thank you so much for scheduling an interview with me on the [insert date and time] at [insert place] for [insert position].

I very much look forward to meeting with you for the interview soon. However, I am very sorry, but I am hoping to reschedule.

Unfortunately, [insert reason here – keep it brief and professional, don’t go into too many details. i.e I have a family emergency and I will need to be at the hospital every day for the next week/few days].

I would be very grateful if we could reschedule the interview. I will be available on [insert date and time] as well as [insert date and time]. OR I will be available again from the [insert date].

Please do let me know if we can reschedule, and I’m happy to consider alternative dates and times if my suggestions above don’t work for you. I apologise again for the inconvenience of rescheduling, and thanks for considering my request.

I look forward to hearing from you and meeting you soon.

Sincerely,

[insert name]

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