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First off, I would like to thank you for asking. I have seen too many people just not show up for an interview without any communication at all. So, thank you for wanting to do the right thing.
How to Cancel a Job Interview
If you have accepted another job, you should contact the interviewer the same way he or she contacted you. If you arranged the interview via email, then respond to the last email on the topic and say something like:
I wanted to let you know that I accepted another position, so I need to cancel our interview for the position of [position title] scheduled for [date of interview]. Thank you very much for the opportunity.
Sincerely,
[your name]
Not only have you not wasted the interviewer’s time, but you’ve shown yourself to be a class act. Should you ever want to apply to that organization again, you’ll be remembered as someone worth talking to.
Email is the best want to cancel a job interview. However, you may have been contacted by phone and don’t know what email address to use. Here are a few things you can do:
- Call back the same number used to contact you and explain that you’re trying to cancel an interview. The number might be the interviewer’s direct number, or it could be a switchboard, or it could be the person who schedules the interviews. If you know the interviewer’s name, that makes it easier. If you don’t, explain which position you were interviewing for and explain that you are trying to cancel the interview.
- If you get the interviewer or someone who can put you through to him or her (or their voicemail), then just leave a message saying pretty much the same as the email example above.
- If you know the interviewer’s name, you can call the number and ask for the interviewer’s email address. Then proceed as per above.
I have occasionally seen a scenario in which the interviewer does not get the voicemail or email and calls the interviewee who did not show up. Should that happen, you’ll want to be able to say that you did leave a message (or email). Make sure you mention that you didn’t want to waste their time. The interviewer will apologize for not seeing it, wish you well, and may even remember your name.
The above methods are also appropriate for canceling an interview for a reason other than having accepted another job.
For instance, maybe you decided that the commute would be too far, or the salary too low, or it’s just not the job that you want. You don’t need to give a reason, just explain that you need to cancel the interview and that you appreciate the opportunity.
How NOT to Cancel a Job Interview
As noted above, some people simply fail to show up. That includes not showing up for an in-person interview (without any communication at all), not answering the phone for a telephone interview, or not joining a virtual interview.
This is short-sighted because there is a chance that you could be in a situation in the future where you might want to interview for a different position at that same company that you didn’t show up for.
It’s possible that no one will remember that you didn’t show up the first time. However, more and more companies are using electronic systems to track recruitment efforts. Your name may very well have a tag attached to it, meaning that, even a different interviewer, years later, may be able to see that you were a no-show the first time around.
I think the answer is that those no-shows are not actual job seekers, but rather people who have to prove that they looked for a job while collecting unemployment. You can read more about some concerns with that strategy here.
If You Need to Cancel a Job Interview at the Last Minute: DOs and DON’Ts
DO: If you can call or email to cancel before the interview is scheduled to take place (see How to Cancel a Job Interview above), that is the best thing to do. Even if you can only give a half hour’s notice, do it.
If you truly can’t get to an in-person interview on time and can’t call beforehand, do call as soon as possible afterwards. Apologize for not showing up and take full responsibility. If there was a really good reason for being unable to call beforehand, the interviewer might offer to reschedule. If not, it is still better to have called than to have just been a no-show without any communication, even after the fact.
DON’T: I recently had a woman scheduled to arrive at 10:00 a.m. She did not show up. She called forty-five minutes later to say she had a flat tire and wanted to reschedule. Not a blow-out on the highway, just a flat tire. Had she called as soon as it happened, of course I would have rescheduled or given her a later time. Instead, all she did was demonstrate that I would not be able to count on her. And, if she was that thrown by a flat tire, the job would have been much too stressful for her.
DO: If you have a phone or virtual interview scheduled and for some reason can’t cancel it ahead of time, answer the phone or join the Zoom or Teams meeting. Explain immediately that you are sorry, but you have to cancel. It won’t take more than a minute of your time and you will have left a decent impression.
DON’T: I recently had a phone interview scheduled for noon. The woman answered her phone (a good sign). I introduced myself and asked, as I always do, “Is this still a good time for you?” That is merely politeness. If you made the appointment, it needs to be a good time for you. This woman said, “Not really, I’m out eating.” I just laughed, wished her well and hung up. That’s just ridiculous.
No matter your reason for canceling, if you do it with good intention, in a reasonable effort not to waste the interviewer’s time, you will still leave a good impression. This could benefit you later in your job search and it’s just the right thing to do.
To prepare for the interview that you do want to attend, read How to Present Yourself at a Job Interview.
