How to reply to interview invitation email — 4 examples and template

How to write an interview invitation reply email

Congratulations, you’ve been invited in for an interview by email. But what do you write in reply?

In this guide, we use our combined experience of over 35 years of email writing, as part of over 150 email writing guides we've produced - to show you how to create effective messages that will make the best impression. We demonstrate the principles in 4 interview email reply samples.

OK, so we can’t guarantee you’ll get the job (only you can do that). But by following MailMaestro’s step-by-step guide and using our samples, you’ll give yourself a great chance.

Why reply to an interview invite email?

If you’ve been selected for an interview, you’ll receive an official email invite. It’s the way the process works. You can file this away and save it for later, but it’s better to respond immediately with a positive reply – even if you can’t make the appointment time. 

Replying to an email interview is expected by the interviewer or employer. They’ll want to ensure that the panel members have a chance to grill the best candidates and make the best choice for their business.

Replying promptly enables them to do their job and help you get your new job!

There are 3 core principles to any email interview invite reply:

1. First, be prompt – Send your response as quickly as possible. This will secure your slot or enable you to swap it for a more suitable date or time.
2. Be polite – Make a great first impression by being clear, courteous, and polite. It’s exactly what they’d expect from their new employee.
3. Be professional – Now is not the time for jokes or attempting to be funny. Instead, stick with the formal approach (but don’t forget to be a little friendly, too).

We illustrate how this works with our samples below. However, before we get to that, we break down the interview email reply into three simple steps.

Invitation reply email format

It’s easy to fire off an email and say, “Thanks, I’ll see you soon,” – but that hardly establishes the best impressions.

So instead, you’ll want to follow our principles about (be prompt, polite, and professional) structuring your reply emails in a way that delivers all the information the recipient needs.

You can break down the invitation reply email format into three steps: the subject line, email body, and ending.  

1. Reply to invitation email subject line

There are two ways to create a subject line replying to an email invitation. The easiest way to respond is to click reply and use the original subject line. 

That’s fine, but you have other options, including creating your own. How? 

Here are a few examples:

• Interview confirmation – (Name)
• (Name) – Interview confirmation
• Interview confirmation – (Job title) – (Name)
• (Time & Date) – (Job title) – Interview confirmation 

These subject lines are suitable if you can attend an interview, but what if you can’t? In these situations, creating a new email chain with a new subject line is more effective. You have several options. Here are a few examples:

• (Job little) – Can we rearrange my interview?
• Interview change request – (Job title)
• (Name) – Interview change request

2. Reply to invitation email body

Start your email with an acknowledgment and a thank you. It’s the polite and professional thing to do.

• Thank you for inviting me for an interview for the (Job role) position. I can confirm that I would like to accept and that the date and time are suitable.

You could end your email here, but you’ll want to provide additional information and ask any questions you might have. This could include asking about anything you might need to bring, when to arrive, or where to park. You may also have questions about technology, presentations, and more.

• I’m excited about the opportunity. I would like to confirm some details before I arrive. Can you let me know (ask what you need to know!)?
• I’ve received your request to prepare a presentation. Can you please let me know what technology will be available on the day and what format I need to use?

There may be other things you need to ask, including whether travel costs will be covered. In addition, you may have specific requests if your interview is being conducted online (Zoom or Teams, for example) or if you’ve been asked to provide proof of professional qualifications, for example. 

You’ll need to adapt these examples to fit, but always follow the guidelines and be prompt, polite, and professional. 

3. How to end an invitation reply email

So, you’ve said thank you, confirmed your attendance, and asked any questions – now it’s time for the last remarks and a professional sign-off. And don’t forget to include your contact details.

• I’m looking forward to meeting you on (date). Please contact me if you have any questions or need to change the details of my interview. You can contact me at (contact details).

Finish with a sign-off (many thanks, kind regards, look forward to meeting you, etc.). Now it’s time to start prepping for the big interview!

Need to write a great email to reply to an invitation? Try MailMaestro for free!

MailMaestro can help you draft a professional email to reply to an invitation in seconds. One of our standout features is the Improve existing email option. You can input your draft and MailMaestro's AI email assistant will refine it, making it more professional, concise, and compelling.

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🪄 MailMaestro tip:

Use MailMaestro's Improve existing email feature. Customize any of the email examples below to suit your needs. Or, enter a quick sentence explaining the message you'd like to convey. After filling in the placeholders, use MailMaestro's Improve existing email option. Then, paste your draft into the text box. Make sure to select your preferred email tone and length. And just like that, you'll have a polished email ready to send!

You can also automatically respond to meetings, by letting your AI business assistant sync with your calendar, using the Meeting request feature.

Reply to interview invitation email examples

Let’s get into the email interview request replies. These messages follow the structure outlined above and bring them to life with real-life samples you can edit and use as the basis for your replies.

Examine how we’ve written these messages and apply these principles to your own messages. Be a leader, not a follower!

1. Reply to the interview invitation email sample 

This is a solid interview invitation email that focuses on the basics. You won’t win prizes for creativity, but it ticks all the boxes by being polite and professional. It’s up to you to ensure it’s sent as soon as possible.

2. Interview confirmation email reply sample 

This confirmation reply to interview invitation email is longer than the previous example because it allows you to clarify any and all details you need before the interview.

This interview confirmation email reply is suitable for invites that ask you to complete a presentation, perform a task, or provide additional details. It’ll ensure you have everything you need to perform in the interview.

3. Reply to second interview invitation email sample 

A second interview is likely to be the last step before an appointment. You’ll have met the individual before and have established a personal relationship – which means you can be a little less formal.

Don’t go too far, but be positive, enthusiastic, and friendly!

4. Reply to interview invitation to reschedule sample

If the date or time of an interview request doesn’t suit you, you can ask to reschedule. While there are no guarantees this will happen, a prompt, polite, and professional interview rescheduling request will give you the best chance.

The critical thing to remember is that if you can’t make a date or time, always provide several alternatives that you can 

Reply to invitation email template

The examples above are all suitable for a cut-and-paste approach, but they may only provide some of what you need.

If that’s the case, you can use this reply to the invitation email template, which provides a framework for you to construct your own email invitation replies.

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You can also use MailMaestro's AI email writer to reply to invitations with just a few clicks. MailMaestro uses artificial intelligence to turn short instructions into ready-to-send emails and messages across the web. Start your free trial by clicking the banner on the right.

Final words

It’s never easy to get an interview, so if you’ve secured one, you’re doing great – so don’t mess it up with a bad reply to an interview email.

Always follow our advice and ensure responses are prompt, polite, and professional. Be sure to check spelling, grammar, and formatting before sending.

If you’re struggling to find the right words, then sign-up to MailMaestro, our AI email writer, to supercharge your communications.