How To Cancel A Job Interview (With Examples)

Needing to cancel an interview happens from time to time. There are completely valid reasons for canceling your job interview, and you shouldn’t feel ashamed or guilty about your decision.

In this article, you’ll learn the best ways to tackle interview cancellations and reschedules, and see some samples of cancellation messages and emails.

Key Takeaways:

• When cancelling an interview, make sure it’s within 24 hours of your interview if possible.

• You should cancel in a professional and polite manner so you don’t cause any issues with the employer.

• Avoid lying about the reason for canceling because that could lead to you burning bridges.

• Ask to reschedule your interview to show that you are still interested in the position.

How to Cancel Your Job Interview

There are a few critical steps you should keep in mind when cancelling an interview to stay professional. These steps include:

1. Give your notice in a timely manner. First and foremost, once you decide to cancel, it’s imperative that you contact the employer as soon as possible. This should be within 24 hours if possible, if not then as soon as you can. Not only for courtesy’s sake, but also because this step is crucial if you want a chance at rescheduling.

   If possible, be sure to cancel your interview at least a day in advance, as giving the proper notice will show the potential employer that you respect their time.

2. Inquire about a reschedule if needed. If you’re facing unforeseen circumstances, but you’re still interested in the position, you can attempt to reschedule in your cancellation message. Use your phone call or email to mention times you are available for a new interview, and remember to apologize for the inconvenience.

   Additionally, to reassure the interviewer that you’re reliable and still interested in the position, it can also be helpful to explain your reasoning. You want them to understand your circumstances. After all, they’ll want to be sure you won’t have to cancel again.

3. Be brief and show business etiquette. Whether you’re interested in rescheduling or not, you should be as polite and professional as possible. Ideally, you should be able to deliver your message in only a few sentences.

   Even if you want to explain why you’re canceling, remember to keep this explanation as brief as possible. More importantly, you should apologize for the cancellation and thank the employer for their time. Following these guidelines will help you maintain your professional network.

4. Mention interview details. For the sake of courtesy and professionalism, be sure to mention the date, time, location, and job title for the interview you’re canceling. If the employer is working with several different candidates, you’ll be making it as quick and painless as possible for them to identify you.

   Additionally, when you include these details, you’ll make the process of rescheduling much easier for a potential employer.

5. Don’t burn bridges. To maintain a professional network, it’s important that you show proper business etiquette. Don’t cancel your interview the day of or send a rude, inconsiderate message to the employer.

   Instead, keep in mind that following all these steps will ensure that you maintain a positive and healthy relationship with the company in question.

Interview Cancellation Email Template and Examples

Utilizing those five steps, here is an interview cancellation email template and example you can utilize:

1. Permanent cancellation template:

   Email Subject: [Your name] Interview Cancellation

   Dear [interviewer’s name],

   I am writing this letter to inform you that I must cancel my [time] interview for the [position title] position scheduled on [date] at [location].

   While I value the opportunity, I am no longer available for this position because [insert reason].

   I apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your time, consideration, and understanding in this matter.

   Sincerely,
   [Your name]

2. Permanent cancellation example:

   Email Subject: Molly Parker: Interview Cancellation

   Dear Mr. Johnson,

   I am writing this letter to inform you that I must cancel my 5:30 pm interview for the Office Manager position scheduled for January 4th at your headquarters.

   While I value the opportunity, I am no longer available for this position because I’m moving out of state within the next week.

   I apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your time, consideration, and understanding in this matter.

   Sincerely,
   Molly Parker

3. Reschedule request template:

   Email Subject: [Your name] Interview Reschedule Request

   Dear [interviewer’s name],

   I am writing this letter to inform you that I must reschedule my [time] interview for the [position title] scheduled on [date] at [location].

   Unfortunately, a conflict has arisen in my schedule [or insert reason], and if possible, may we reschedule the interview for [date] between [time]?

   I apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your time, consideration, and understanding in this matter.

   Sincerely,
   [Your name]
   [Your email]
   [Your phone number]

4. Reschedule request email example:

   Email Subject: Samuel Fig: Interview Reschedule Request

   Dear Ms. Smith,

   I am writing this letter to inform you that I must reschedule my 11:15 am interview for the Head Gardener position scheduled on June 5th at your 533 Park Ln location.

   Unfortunately, my mother is in the emergency room, and I need to drive to NY. If possible, may we reschedule the interview for June 9th between 1-3 pm?

   I apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your time, consideration, and understanding in this matter.

   Sincerely,
   Samuel Fig
   [email protected]
   222-333-4444

Reasons for Cancelling Your Interview

Here is a list of appropriate reasons for canceling your interview:

• You’ve been offered another job that you’d prefer to take

• There’s been an emergency change in your schedule

• Your research into the company has shown that the position isn’t a good fit for you

• You’ve discovered the position is unrelated to your field

• You’re changing your current field or returning to school to study a new field

• You suddenly need to move and cannot commute to the company’s location

In some of these examples, you might want to simply reschedule your interview as well. As long as you include this in your message or email, you may be able to arrange a new interview.

Overall, keep in mind that your reason for canceling your upcoming interview is less important than the way you go about the cancellation. Professionalism is key.

Interview Cancellation Mistakes

So far we’ve covered the right ways to cancel and/or reschedule an interview. Let’s be sure to avoid these interview cancellation mistakes as well:

• Procrastinating. The moment you decide to cancel your interview, you should get in touch with the hiring manager or recruiter. Waiting until the last minute is a surefire way to permanently end your relationship with the company.

  Of course, if something truly does come up at the last moment, it’s better to cancel than to simply not show up.

• Cancelling unnecessarily. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that an interview reschedule request will reflect so badly on you that you’ll never get hired. While accepting an interview time slot that you later can’t make doesn’t exactly make your planning skills look great, it’s not usually enough to ruin your chances of getting the job.

  Even if you’re running late on the day of the interview, don’t give up hope. Be professional and realistic, but try to work with the company if you’re really interested in the position.

• Not cancelling when you have no interest in the job. There’s something to be said for interviewing just for practice or to gauge your market value, but failing to cancel an interview when there’s no chance you’ll take the job is a bit rude.

  The hiring and interview processes take time and aren’t cheap. Even if it’s awkward in the moment, canceling an interview in this situation is in everyone’s best interest.

• Burning bridges. You might decide to cancel your interview because your research turned up something you don’t like about the company, like a political stance of its CEO or the unethical practices in its supply chain. While these are valid reasons to lose interest in a job, you shouldn’t take it out on the hiring manager.

  You can simply state that the values and mission of the company don’t align with your own. Going into a tirade against a single company representative (who may even agree with your stance) won’t do anyone any good.

When to Reschedule Your Interview

Even if rescheduling your interview isn’t ideal, you can write an appropriate email that addresses your cancellation while also inquiring about a new interview.

• First, think about your reason for rescheduling. If you have a valid reason for needing to cancel, ask to reschedule to another time.

• However, if you find yourself missing an interview because you’re hungover, forgot about it, something more fun came up, or you were unprepared in some other way, you might find that you didn’t care enough about the job opportunity to begin with. In this case, it’s not appropriate to ask the employer for a different date.

• Usually, though, if you know this job opportunity is valuable to you and truly have no control of the situation at hand, your prospective employer will likely respect your needs.

• In general, it’s always good to have a backup date in mind. Know your schedule and be willing to work with your potential employer. Avoid burning bridges by being as polite and professional as possible. That will give you the best chance of setting up a new interview.

Interview Cancellation FAQ

1. What do you do when you don’t want to reschedule?

   The key is to maintain a polite attitude when canceling or declining interview offers. The best thing you can do is be as honest and upfront as possible, while still maintaining positive and professional attitude. Be sure that the employer receives your cancellation email and politely decline any other offers they may give you.

   When in doubt, you don’t have to feel ashamed or awkward. Know what you want and how to communicate that professionally. Something as simple as that goes a long way in the job market and workplace.

2. How do you cancel an interview because of another job offer

   When cancelling because of another job offer it is important to call or email immediately and let them know. When cancelling the interview you should let them know that you had another offer and that you will be cancelling. Follow the same steps as you would for cancelling an interview.

3. Is it unprofessional to cancel an interview?

   Cancelling a job interview is not unprofessional, but might not always look good on your end. If you are certain that you don’t want the position, cancelling the interview is best for the employer and they are able to move on to other candidates.

Final Thoughts

Is it unprofessional to cancel an interview? No, it isn’t — not if you go about it in the right way. Communicate early, provide all of your interview information up-front, and briefly explain your reason, and your cancellation won’t be unprofessional.

Author

Jack Flynn

Jack Flynn is a writer for Zippia. In his professional career he’s written over 100 research papers, articles and blog posts. Some of his most popular published works include his writing about economic terms and research into job classifications. Jack received his BS from Hampshire College.

Expert

Denise Bitler, CPRW, CDBW, MRW

Denise Bitler has 30+ years of HR experience working in various industries and with all level of employees from hourly through C-suite, as well as company Board Members.She is the founder of Resume-Interview Success, LLC and is an expert in best practices related to resume, cover letter, and Executive bio writing, LinkedIn Profile optimization, job search strategies, and interview coaching.