The process of interviewing a candidate for a job involves a lot of legwork from both the interviewer – who is organizing and conducting interviews – and from the interviewee, most often an applicant. This means that most job seekers have to prepare themselves for their interviews long before they ever get called in for one. In terms of preparation, there are many different types of questions that could be asked during an interview. Preparation for interview should be started way before you get an invitation for an interview.
Your interview should be an opportunity for candidates to ask questions about the open position, their qualifications for it, and their experience. This should also help you learn more about the candidate’s skills, knowledge, and interests by showing you how they think.
Regardless of who’s doing the interviewing though, most people often spend a lot of time thinking about what they should wear to an interview. They think about what sort of questions they might be asked, and they rehearse answers to common interview questions that they could be asked. All of this is good, but it is also important to stay on top of the logistics surrounding your interview.
In many cases, when a person is called in for an interview, it will be up to the interviewer to figure out when the interview will take place. In most cases, this can involve some back-and-forth communication between the applicant and the hiring manager or HR representative.
What to Include in Your Interview Invitation Email
Commonly, selection representatives settle on the super conventional meeting greeting email — one that just expresses that they inspected the competitor’s materials and might want to set up a meeting. While being clear and succinct in talking with solicitations, it’s additionally an incredible potential for success to make an applicant experience.
Here are three questions you can ask candidates to help them determine what they might include in an interview invitation:
- What would you like the interviewer to know about your background and qualifications?
- What kinds of interview questions would you want to be answered?
- What do you think is the best way for me to contact you if we need something else?
These questions should help candidates provide a customized interview invitation that fits their needs and is memorable. Review these examples of effective invitation emails, which include personalized information and strong call-to-action messages.
You can also help candidates prepare by providing common interview questions, as well as role-playing tips. At the absolute minimum, notice the accompanying subtleties in your meeting greeting messages:
- Email address for the job
- A brief description of the opening, including a link to a detailed job description if available
- The names of at least one and up to three references who can provide an initial assessment of applicant qualifications
- A date and time when you’ll be conducting the interview
- A link to the job application form
- A brief blurb about the company’s mission, values, and culture
- Where you’ll be interviewing, including the names of individual interviewers
- That you won’t be contacting references until after an offer has been made If your applicant pool is particularly strong (and you don’t need to fill any slots today), ask that applicants send their references either to you or directly to your hiring committee. You can also ask that applicants contact your references. Either way, follow up with each reference for a personal interview within two weeks of the initial contact.
- What you’re looking for in applicants
Sending An Interview Invitation Email
Step 1:
Drafting an Interview Invitation Email
An interview invitation email is the first step in making your candidate feel special. Here are three tips for doing so.
- Use a personal email address to invite your applicants. If you’re using someone else’s account, be sure to forward your response to yourself so you have a backup in case the user changes the email address or deletes his or her account. Alternatively, you can use an account that is just for interviewing purposes.
- Put your contact details at the top of the email. If you are using someone else’s account, be sure to let your candidates know who they can contact if they have further questions about the position. Let them know that they can call you or that you will get back to them as soon as possible.
- Let them know how many positions you’re hiring for and what the title is – this information should be in your job description and/or on your website. · Include information about your company, mission statement, vision statement, etc. This is a good way for you to tell your candidates more about what you do.
Step 2:
Tailoring Your Interview Invitation Email
After you have drafted the first draft of your email, it is time to edit it so that it is optimized for its purpose. Focus on getting rid of extraneous details and sentences that don’t add value.
- Try NOT to repeat information from your job posting. This is a great way to get the position filled, but it is of little use for you. You want your applicants to provide their contact details so you can get in touch with them if you have any questions about the position.
- If you are using someone else’s email account, be sure to change it so that it doesn’t appear that they are applying for the job. You don’t want to end up giving out your address or spamming the candidate.
- Ensure that your closing sentence is motivating and positive. This is also another opportunity for you to tell your applicants more about what you do. For example, tell them what they can expect if they land the job or how happy you are that they were successful in their application process.
Step 3:
Asking the Applicant to Provide More Information
Once you have sent your email, it is time to move forward with the other steps in the application process. However, if you have not yet received contact details from your applicant, you can ask them to provide more information about themselves.
- Reiterate that the position is a great fit for them and that they will be a valuable addition to your team. This is a good way to show them that you are committed to their success.
- Ask them to get back to you if they get any questions about the position that you can’t answer. You want your candidate to feel that you’re in this together and that he or she has a genuine opportunity in front of them.
- Keep The Conversation Going: Once you have received the applicant’s contact details and verified that he or she will be available for an interview, you should start preparing for it. Here are three ways to do so.
- When you get in touch, be sure to start the conversation with a strong, professional greeting. This shows your candidate that you value his or her time and that you’re serious about filling the position.
- Send a reminder email before the interview is scheduled. This will both remind your candidate of the time and ensure that he or she comes prepared and on time.
- Ensure that your candidate knows the day, time, and location of the interview. He or she should have been told this from you previously, but a reminder is a good way to keep the candidate on track.
- Give out a thank you card after an interview – this is a great way for you to let your candidate know that the interview went well and that he or she was well-received. You can also include a small gift or another token as a thank you.
How to Stand Out With Your Interview Invitation Email
A common problem that most people struggle with when they start to interview for jobs is how they will stand out among the other candidates. But there is no need to worry because if you follow these guidelines, you will surely make yourself more noticeable than the next guy!
- Make It Professional
The invitation email should be professional in tone without coming across too formal, and it should contain basic information like company name and contact person. Don’t forget to include your relevant skills like IT experience or previous work references. It’s also a great idea to include a photo that will showcase your best features.
- Make It Personalised
Always use the first name of the person you want to interview since it makes it easier for the receiver to respond. If you leave out the first name, it will come across as impersonal and business-like rather than personal and friendly. Consider including an email signature and a job application form (if this is part of the company’s recruiting process).
- Use a Strong Subject Line
While the body of the email should be brief and concise, the subject line can be quite long. Don’t make it too long though, because it will probably get truncated. You want to make sure that your message is sticking out from the rest of the emails, so write something eye-catching and attention-grabbing. Think of this as being your “calling card” so to speak.
- Give a Reason Why You Want the Position
Everyone wants to know why they should hire you. Just think about it – if you were going to interview someone for a job, wouldn’t you want them to convince you that they’re a good candidate? That’s why you must explain why you’re interested in the job and how it will affect your future.
Formal Interview Invitation Email Sample
Notice how Mrs. Karen Jones has used all the necessary formalities, like dates, subject header, and greetings.
Sample:
Dear Applicant,
I am writing to invite you to interview for the open position at Acme Corporation. Acme is a high-energy company committed to excellence and we believe that the opportunity we have for you will offer many rewards. The job opening is available now and there are no deadlines for this position. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as possible. The best way for you to prepare is by visiting our website at www.acmempanynamehere.com for information about the position.
Thank you for your interest in Acme Corporation, and I look forward to meeting you in person. Please call me at (800) 555-5555 to answer any questions that you may have about Acme and the position.
Sincerely,
Karen Jones, CEO
Acme Corporation
Casual Interview Invitation Email Sample
I think a lot of people would be more likely to respond positively because of the casual nature of this email. It’s much less formal than a cold call invitation and comes across as less threatening. Besides, you’re being nice! People love you when you’re nice.
Sample:
Hi,
I’m sending this email to see if you would be interested in a 15-minute interview. I am working on a research project about personality and interpersonal communication and would like to get your input on the subject.
The interview should only take 15 minutes of your time and can be done by phone or Skype.
I am looking for people who are comfortable talking about themselves, so please let me know if you’re ok with talking about yourself in depth. If this is something that you could see yourself doing, please tell me a bit about yourself and I will be in touch within the next day to schedule a time for the interview.
If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
Thank you,
David
Phone Screen Interview Invitation Email Sample
So, you’ve done your research, poured your heart out in your application letter, and with fingers crossed you’re invited to interview with the company. That’s great news. You’re also likely to receive an invitation email that looks like this:
Sample:
Hi (name), I hope this email finds you well? Thank you for applying for the role of (job title). I’m pleased to let you know that we would like to arrange a phone screen interview with you. This interview will allow me to get to know you and understand your credentials more in-depth. Since this is a phone screen, we will only cover the basic information in this email and it will be conducted in person. The date and time have been set for the interview and I would like to reserve the 18:00hrs slot on (date) for this. If you’re free, I can wait for you until 19:30hrs before we start. Please let me know if there are any scheduling conflicts or any additional information that I can provide you. If, however, you are unavailable on the date and time provided, please let me know at your earliest convenience. We aim to schedule this interview either before or after your classes so that your schedule is not interrupted. My office will send you a follow-up email once I have received your confirmation on this interview.
– Sateda Siamo
Senior Recruiter
(Company name)
To make sure you get a callback, make sure to include the following information in the “Additional Information” section of your application:
– Date and time availability
– Fax number for confirmation
– Referenced resume (print out a hard copy and bring it with you to the interview)
– References & recommendations (mailed or phone calls) including, why did they recommend you?
You might be wondering, “Why do I need a phone screen before an interview?”
Although you don’t want to receive a call that is too short (filling you in on quite a bit of information in a matter of 10 minutes), you don’t want to wait forever either. A phone screen ensures that neither party will be triggering each other’s busy schedules. You can take your time and wait for the right opportunity – which is what the interview is all about.
An Interview Is All About The Interview
Before you begin your interview, you need to know what type of interview it is. What do you know about interviewing? For one thing, the interview is always happening at a predetermined time and place, right? Well, that’s partly true. Sure, it’s not always “convenient” for the interviewer – but it often isn’t too difficult to arrange either.
As the interview begins, you will be expected to be in the same place – at the same time. But it doesn’t stop there because when you start an interview, you’re also making sure that the other party is ready. That’s where pre-interview preparation comes in.
The interviewer needs to know that you’re available to them – and that without an appointment, they can’t guarantee when they’ll see you next.
Conclusion:
When preparing for an interview, it is important to know in advance what sort of questions are likely to be asked by the hiring manager. If you are the one doing the interviewing, it is even more important to think about what kinds of questions you will ask in an interview. This way, when the time comes, you won’t have any trouble getting your thoughts together on your own.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What can be the different types of interview invitations?
The different types of interview invitations include-
- Cold Candidate Interview Invitation Email
- Phone Screen Interview Invitation Email
- In-Person Interview Invitation Email
- Referred Candidate Interview Invitation Email
- Second Interview Invitation Email
- Group Interview Invitation Email
- What to do in the absence of a follow-up interview invitation?
In the absence of a follow-up interview invitation, you should be clear to candidates on location and timing during the interview. Standard interview invitations also allow candidates to prepare for a few key elements of the interview process, including first impressions and questions about systems or IT topics.
- What should you include in an interview invitation?
Make certain to incorporate all the data they may have to plan. Doing as such will cause them to feel esteemed, and they’ll consider you to be a business that genuinely minds.
