What Do You Do If You Have to Reschedule an Interview?
Posted October 13th, 2017
At times, life can be unpredictable. While you may do your best to control it, sometimes unforeseen circumstances disrupt the best-laid plans, including an upcoming interview. While most people acknowledge that it may be unavoidable at times, asking to reschedule the meeting is a heart-pounding experience for any job seeker. And how you approach the topic can determine whether the hiring manager is willing to work with you.
If you are stuck having to reschedule an interview, here is what you need to know.
Understand the Impact
Before you make the call, it is vital that you understand the potential effect of your cancellation. First, hiring managers are generally incredibly busy, especially when they are interviewing for a vacancy. Plus, coordinating interviews within their schedule is often an undertaking, so your request for a change is likely to throw a proverbial wrench in their plans.
Knowing this, it is critical to manage your tone when you discuss rescheduling. Otherwise, you may add to the interviewer’s stress, and that won’t yield a favorable result.
Be Concise
When you need to reschedule, it may be tempting to fill the hiring manager in on all of the details surrounding your request. However, this is superfluous information in the eyes of the interviewer and isn’t likely to impact their decision regarding whether to give you another shot.
Instead of unloading everything during the conversation, keep things concise. Apologize for the inconvenience, offer a brief explanation (such as having a “family emergency”), and then move on to the core request: “Can we reschedule?”
Always Call
This is one scenario where sending an email isn’t appropriate. You need to speak with the hiring manager, and this requires picking up the phone. While this approach can be intimidating, it’s a sign of respect and ensures your message won’t be lost in a sea of emails. Plus, it demonstrates that you are taking the opportunity seriously, which works to your benefit.
However, after the call is complete and new arrangements have been made, it is appropriate to send a quick email to confirm conversation and new interview time (if provided), or to continue the discussion if it could not be completed on the phone.
Accept the Answer
Ultimately, a hiring manager isn’t required to allow you to reschedule. Depending on how many other candidates are being considered and their timetable, they might not be able to offer you an alternative time. If that is the case, thank them for their consideration and affirm that you understand their decision. Then, get back to your job search so you can find a new opportunity.
However, if they do give you a new interview time, be prepared to discuss the reason behind your need to reschedule during the interview. While you don’t need to go into detail, craft a few sentences that outline the situation and support why you couldn’t make it at the original time. While some hiring managers won’t ask what happened, it’s better to be ready in case they do.
If you are looking for a new job, the professionals at Bayside Solutions can help you find a suitable position. Contact us to discuss your needs today and see how our services can work for you.
