How to Write the Best Interview Invitation Email (With Templates)

1. What is the interview invitation email
2. When you should send email to set up an interview
3. How to write an email to schedule an interview
4. Tips to write interview invitation email
5. Interview invitation email samples and templates

Useful tools:
1. Newoldstamp - Email signature marketing
2. Mailstrom - Tool for cleaning your inbox
3. Reply.io - Personal email outreach, calls, and tasks
4. Mailtrack - Email link opens tracking
5. Shift - Desktop app for streamlining all of your email and app accounts.

You are in the process of hiring an employee for your business, you have posted a job vacancy and already received some applications. Your next step is to shortlist the potential co-workers and set up an interview with them.  So how do you approach the candidates? One of the most widely used ways to do that is to write an interview invitation email.

What is the interview invitation email

It is an email that HR managers or employers use to request the attendance of a potential employee for a job interview.

When you should send email to set up an interview

Keep in mind that some candidates would need to take time off their current jobs to meet with you. So you should give at least 5-7 days for the job applicants to prepare for the interview.

How to write an email to schedule an interview

When writing a successful interview invitation email, include the following elements:

• Opening

Whether you need something formal or want to get more personal, don’t forget to use the applicant’s name. For formal emails, say something like “Hello Mr. Coffman,” or “Dear Ms. Diana Boas.” If you prefer a more casual style, you can use greetings like “Hi John,” or “Hello Bella.”

• Mention position that should be filled in

Keep in mind that a lot of job seekers send their resumes to many different companies and they can lose track of the vacancies very quickly. That is why it is important to confirm to the job candidate that this is the position for which they have applied. For example, “Thank you for applying to our Content Writer position here at ABC company.”

• Stage of the interview

If you had no prior contact with your potential employee, what you need is to state that you are sending an interview invitation: “We reviewed your application and would like to start the interview process with you.” If you have already talked to the candidate over the phone or Skype, explain what they should expect from your second/third meeting.

• Time, date, location, and type of the interview

This is one of if not the most important part of the interview invitation letter. You can offer a few time slots to choose from or set a specific date and time. For instance, “I listed some date and time options below when we are available for this meeting next week. Please let me know if any of these work for your schedule.” If you know that it may be difficult for an applicant to find your office, you need to provide a map or give some directives. It would be useful to include the type of job interview the applicant will face. (The most common types are the phone, Skype, traditional, lunch, group, structured interviews). If your company is using structured interviews, dedicate a few sentences to explain how the process works.  

• Who will be present at the interview

Add information about the person or people who would be conducting the interview. For example, “You will meet with our CEO, Mr. Olsen, and two members of our marketing department.”

• What to bring to the interview

Let the applicant know if you expect them to bring portfolios, IDs, references, etc. “Please bring along with you your driver's license, extra copies of your resume, and a smile.”

• What to expect on the interview

If you are planning on conducting an aptitude test or asking the applicant to perform the duties of the job, you need to inform them about that. What to say? “We will ask you to write a blog post on the given topic using certain keywords in a time slot of twenty-five minutes.”

• Provide additional information to get acquainted before the interview

The more trusting relationship you have with the candidate, the more likely they will give the preference to your company. To start building this kind of relationships, help the applicant to find out more about your business, team members, your mission, etc. before the meeting: “Join our community of Facebook to learn more about us.”

• Approximate duration

By letting your candidates know how much time the meeting will take, you show that you are sensitive to their time. “Expect the interview to last from forty to fifty minutes.”

• Closing lines

“We are looking forward to hearing from you,” or “We are looking forward to seeing you.” would be perfect.

• Contact details in email signature

Close the letter with a professional email signature which includes your contact phone number, email address, and social media links so the candidate can reach you with questions.

Tips to write interview invitation email

Tip #1: Make your email personal

Never make the recipient understand that you are using a template. Each message should be tailored to the specific person with an eye to their individualized career objective.

Tip #2: Use scheduling tools

If you are dealing with remote applicants, you may need to schedule a video interview. Keep in mind that they may be in a different time zone than you. So be sure to double-check the appointment time or use scheduling tools like online calendars which will convert invitations to the right time zone.

Tip #3: A follow-up call

If you haven’t heard back from the applicant for a week or more, don't hesitate to make a follow-up call. Perhaps the candidate stuck at work and had no time to respond.

Tip #4: Double check your grammar

Your grammar is a reflection of your company’s image. To leave a positive impression, proofread each email you send.

Interview invitation email samples and templates

If you don't know how to invite a candidate to an interview, please feel free to draw inspiration from these templates.

Template #1: Formal interview invitation

Template #2: Friendly interview invitation

Template #3: Cold email interview invitations

Template #4: Phone interview

Template #5: Skype interview

Template #6: Second interview

Template #7: Final interview

Conclusion

When writing an email to a candidate for an interview, you need to consider the following:

• Be aware of work schedules. Remember that some candidates can still have jobs and they are not always able to drop everything to meet with you immediately. That is why it is important to offer various dates and times for an interview;
• Personalize each email;
• Give clear directions of what the applicants should be expecting from the meeting;
• Inform the potential employee of who they will be having a meeting with and for how long;
• Explain how the applicant can reach out if they have questions or need help;
• Don’t forget to follow-up;
• Improve your invitation by adding a professional email signature;
• If your plans have changed, don’t forget to cancel the interview. Read our blog post on how to write an interview cancellation email (with templates).