What's even more stressful than a job interview? Needing to cancel it.

If you are actively searching for a new job, you already know how much effort goes into lining up an actual interview. Optimizing your resume for the ATS, making it through the initial phone screening, coordinating the time for the first in-person meeting – all that hard work can evaporate if you're unable to attend the actual interview.

As a result, professionals worry and wonder how to cancel an interview without burning bridges. Here's our advice.

Unacceptable reasons to cancel an interview

Is there a reason for canceling or rescheduling an interview valid enough to be met with understanding and not annoyance? Yes, there is, though there are also some clear reasons you should not cancel an interview if you have any hopes of landing the job or not burning bridges.

That said, let's begin by defining a few unacceptable reasons to cancel an interview. Some may seem like a stretch, but experienced hiring managers, HR professionals, and recruiters have seen all these and more – and do not look upon them kindly.

  • Feeling too nervous

  • Wanting an extra few days to prepare for the interview

  • Being hungover from the night before

  • Having a bad hair day

  • Having finally scored a hot lunch date during the same time as the interview

  • A scheduling conflict with another interview

A few of these explanations may look perfectly reasonable from the candidate's perspective. After all, doesn't everyone want to come into the interview well-prepared, rested, and looking their best?

Of course, that would be ideal. However, the timing of interview prep, rest, and other interviews is well within the candidate's control. So, do your part. Manage your circumstances and respect your prospective employer's time. 

If you still find yourself falling back on these reasons to call in a cancellation, you might want to ask yourself if you really want the job. If you don't, that's okay. You can professionally cancel the interview by sending an email letting the employer know you've changed your mind (see the example emails below for help).

If you decide you want the job, however, be professional and prepared so you don't fall back on the above excuses. Instead, remind yourself that you've got this! 

Acceptable reasons to cancel or reschedule an interview

Now, let's shift gears and dive into some of the acceptable reasons to cancel or ask to reschedule an interview. 

Yes, it's true that no one likes a last-minute schedule change, and employers certainly prefer for all interviews to proceed as planned. However, HR specialists and hiring managers are human. They know that no one is immune from a true emergency. 

As long as the candidate handles the communication gracefully, there is a good chance that a rescheduling request will simply delay the meeting without destroying your candidacy or burning bridges. 

What are some of the “good” reasons to cancel an interview or request it to be rescheduled?

  • Serious sickness. Your own sickness is pretty straightforward. After all, no one is on their best game when they have a fever! It's also possible that, if you're a parent, you might have to take care of a family member who's ill, and many employers appreciate that being a parent requires you to take care of your family. It's also understandable that you might be concerned about how the employer will respond to you having children. In that case, you could choose only to share that a personal emergency came up when canceling. That said, if it's important to work for an employer that understands and supports you in taking care of your family when emergencies arise, it could be worth briefly sharing about the situation to see how they respond. If they aren't very understanding, is that the type of employer you want to work for long-term?

  • An accident. Suppose you have an accident on your way to the interview or one that occurred a few days prior that has you unable to attend the interview due to injury. In that case, it's an understandable reason to cancel.

  • The weather. As they say, “safety first!” Major inclement weather predicted for the day of the interview or a storm that has substantially disrupted your ability to travel is a valid reason to cancel an interview.

  • New information. In a perfect world, every candidate would have complete details about the prospective employer prior to applying for a position. In reality, many professionals do their research concurrently with the application. Perhaps you drove by the office and would feel unsafe working in that part of town. Maybe the company has no website, no LinkedIn presence, or bad reviews online. Or maybe you have a bad feeling after multiple last-minute rescheduling requests from the company, illegal or inappropriate pre-screening questions, bad interactions with the hiring manager via emails or phone calls, etc.

  • Accepting another offer. Accepting another job elsewhere, which renders the interview unnecessary, is an appropriate – and necessary – reason to cancel an upcoming job interview.

  • Relocation. It would be unusual for someone to apply for local jobs knowing they will relocate or move. However, last-minute decisions and spousal relocation requests do occur. So, if you're not able to commute to the work location due to deciding to move or your spouse being relocated suddenly, you'd need to cancel the job interview. 

No matter the reason, it's always a good idea to make the move politely and professionally. You never know when your paths may cross with the same hiring manager or company again. Extricating yourself gracefully does the least amount of harm while keeping your options open.  

Expert tip: Always communicate that you won't be able to make an interview rather than simply not showing up. Not showing up without communicating shows a lack of professionalism and disregard for the employer's time, and it is a perfect way to burn bridges you might regret burning later. 

How to cancel an interview the right way

If you have a good reason to make changes to the scheduled interview, here is the blueprint for doing it the right way. These steps cannot guarantee that your candidacy will remain in the running, but they do make that outcome more likely, if that's your desire. Or, if you prefer not to reschedule, a professional communication will mitigate the potential for burning bridges and ensure your professional reputation remains intact. 

Cancel as soon as possible

First, timing is critical. Reasonable timing demonstrates your respect for the other party, making the best time to cancel or reschedule an interview is as soon as you are aware of the change in your circumstances. Advanced notice is ideal, although it may not be possible in some situations, like a serious accident driving to the interview. 

Decide if you'll email or call

Once you're ready to communicate the need to cancel, you'll either need to call or send a meeting cancellation email. If you're able to give at least a day's notice, email is generally sufficient. However, if it's a last minute cancellation, it's best to call to ensure the interviewer gets the message. If you have to leave a voicemail, it's a good idea to follow-up with an email, as well.  

Be brief and professional

Whether over the phone or by email, your communication should be professional, polite, and brief. Include a professional salutation and closing, as you would with most business communication or email. 

Also, when considering how to cancel an interview, there's no rule that says you have to give a reason for canceling, However, it's common to give one, so it's clear to the interviewer that you aren't merely flaking. This is especially true if you hope to reschedule. 

That said, be specific enough to communicate what happened, but don't overshare. This can be a tough balance to strike, especially under pressure. A good rule of thumb is to keep the explanation to one or two brief sentences.

Include the interview details

If you are sending a cancellation email, include key details in the subject line and the body of the email. The hiring manager is probably juggling multiple candidates and interviews, in addition to their normal job responsibilities. Knowing which open position and interview slot are affected will save time and help everyone avoid misunderstandings.

Clarify next steps 

Be clear about what you want to happen next. For example, if you have accepted a position elsewhere, you want to mention that you are stopping your job search. 

If you are still interested in the opening, reiterate your fit and interest and request that the interview be rescheduled. Remember that the prospective employer doesn't have an obligation to give you another chance. Perhaps another qualified candidate is in the final stages of vetting, or maybe the timeline for hiring is deadline-sensitive. However, there is no harm in asking, since many employers are happy to work with candidates to reschedule. 

State your apology

Apologize for your part in the inconvenience and express an appreciation for the employer's time and flexibility, accepting the fact that once you send the cancellation or rescheduling email or make the call, there is no going back. Think through it carefully before you hit “Send!”

Examples of how to cancel an interview

Below are three examples of how to cancel an interview by email. 

Example #1: How to cancel an interview due to accepting another job offer

SUBJECT: Marie Smith - Interview Cancelation 

Dear Ms. Morris,

Thank you for the opportunity to interview for your open Communications Specialist position at ABC Company. I am reaching out to let you know that I need to cancel the interview set for May 10 at 1 p.m. 

While I do appreciate your consideration, I recently accepted another job offer and am no longer available to interview for the position.

I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. Thank you again for your time and consideration! 

Sincerely,

Marie Smithmarie.smith@email.com 555.555.5555

Example #2: How to cancel an interview when no longer interested

SUBJECT: Rhonda Carlson - Interview Cancelation

Hello, Mr. Johnson. 

Thank you for the opportunity to interview for your open Senior Recruiter position. After further consideration, I'm no longer interested in the position. After I learned I'd be working out of two offices, I did some research, and the length of the commute to the second office is too far for me. As a result, I would like to cancel our interview scheduled for November 2 at 10 a.m. 

I do appreciate your time and consideration, and good luck in filling the position!

Sincerely,

Rhonda Carlsonrcarlson@email.com 555.555.5555

Example #3: How to cancel an interview with a request to reschedule

Subject: James Parsons - Interview Cancellation and Reschedule Request

Dear Ms. Alexander,

Thank you for reaching out to schedule an interview for the Sales Associate position at ABC Store. I am contacting you to let you know that I need to cancel the interview scheduled for tomorrow, April 15, at 4 p.m. Unfortunately, I have the flu with a high temperature and need to remain home for the next few days to be safe.

I am still very much interested in the position and believe I'd be a good fit for the role. Would it be possible to reschedule the interview? If so, I'm available on April 21 between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. or April 23 after 12:30 p.m. If those time frames don't work for you, please let me know some times that would, and I'll do my best to accommodate. 

I sincerely appreciate your time and consideration and apologize for any inconvenience this has caused. 

Sincerely,

James Parsonsj.parsons@email.com555.555.5555

Navigating how to cancel an interview with grace

When life happens in the middle of your job search process and prevents you from making it to an interview, it's critical to handle the disruption professionally. Know that some reasons are more likely to raise eyebrows and burn your candidacy, while others will probably be taken in stride. 

The best candidates use this challenging situation as an opportunity to demonstrate their professionalism, diplomacy, and communication skills. Be respectful of the hiring manager's time, clear about what you would like to do next, and grateful for the opportunity. By following the steps on how to cancel an interview, you will build relationships – and hopefully keep the door open!

Want to make the best impression at your interview, especially if you had to reschedule? Work with one of TopInterview's professional coaches to upgrade your interview game.

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