How to Cancel an Interview

So you were offered an interview, you accepted… and now something’s happened and you’re not able to attend. What do you do? While this is always a bit of an awkward situation, there are ways to approach it so you don’t damage your relationship with the recruiter, and you leave the door open for potential future employment. Here’s how to cancel an interview.

Give the recruiter as much notice as possible

You aren’t the only one who spends time preparing for an interview, and, at charities in particular time is a very valuable resource. So be respectful and as soon as you’re sure you can’t go to the interview, let the recruiter know.

If at all possible, avoid cancelling with less than 24 hours’ notice. But if something does change at the last minute, then you should still follow these same steps.

One survey showed that 10% of UK professionals admitted to just not turning up to an interview. Not only is this rude and inconsiderate, but it’s potentially damaging to your reputation. The charity sector can be a small world and word gets around. You don’t want to burn your bridges for any future opportunities, at the current charity or any others.

Make sure the message is received

There’s no ‘best’ way for exactly how you should let the hiring manager know that you can’t attend the interview, but the important thing is to make sure the message is received. And received in a way that’s clear you’ve taken it seriously and care about letting them know.

If there’s still a few days before the interview and most of your correspondence with the charity has been by email, then sending an email should be fine. But if you don’t get an acknowledgement within an day, then it’s a good idea to follow up with a phone call to make sure recruiters haven’t missed the message, or that it isn’t lurking in a junk email folder.

If the interview is within the next 24 hours, then it’s a good idea to call first, so there’s no delay in your message being received. However, it’s polite to still follow up with an email afterwards so they have your cancellation in writing, especially if you want to rearrange the interview to a different time.

Give a good reason to cancel the interview

The best way to cancel an interview is to give a good reason. But what are good reasons to cancel an interview? Acceptable reasons include: being offered a role elsewhere, not being able to get there due to transport issues (that train strike is bound to be scheduled for the same day as your interview!) family emergencies, childcare difficulties, illness or a change in circumstances e.g. a change in location that means the role is no longer viable for you.

Sometimes you may want to cancel an interview because you’ve changed your mind about the role, or have found out something about the organisation through your research that means you no longer think it’s the right fit for you. If this is the case then it may be prudent to be vague about your reasons and say your circumstances have changed and you’re no longer available for work.

However, if you’ve just changed your mind about the job, you might want to consider going to the interview anyway. It will give you the opportunity to explore the role and organisation further so you can be sure of your decision. Also, it avoids you having to cancel and risk making a negative impression—and it’s good interview practice.

Whatever reason you give for cancelling an interview, be honest but don’t go into too much detail. The interviewer doesn’t need to know all the ins and outs of your illness or travel woes, and it can sound like you’re just making an excuse.

Be clear if you want to reschedule

In your email or phone conversation, make it clear if you want to reschedule your interview or not. If you still want to go, you just can’t make your original slot, then politely ask if they might be able to rearrange and let them know your availability. If you spoke on the phone, then it’s a good idea to follow up by email to reiterate afterwards. And if they schedule a new slot with you, then make sure you stick to this one!

Be polite and gracious

In all your interactions about cancelling an interview, be polite, gracious and apologetic for the inconvenience caused. Even if you don’t want to rearrange, make sure to thank the interviewer for the original invite to interview and the time they spent considering your application.

If you still want to be considered for a role there, or for any other charity role in the future, then you want to leave as positive an impression as you can.

So now you know how to cancel an interview. Approach it in the right way—with enough notice, a good reason and polite and upfront communication.

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