From the resume you submit to your final interview and job offer, every interaction with a hiring company is part of your job application. Your interview confirmation email is no exception. It’s one of the first messages that the hiring team gets from you and it says a lot about you, from how you approach upcoming appointments to the language you use in business communication.
Even the act of sending an email confirmation is important. It lets the recruiter and/or interviewer make sure that you have the same interview date and time written down, and it conveys that you respect their busy schedules.
Sending an interview confirmation also gives you the chance to confirm important details. Mistakes happen. Even if you have it right in front of you that the hiring manager suggested an interview appointment on Thursday at 3 p.m., it’s safest to double-check. You don’t want to miss your interview because the hiring manager thought you’d be meeting at 2 p.m.
So, how should you write your confirmation email? Keep reading for some content tips on how to craft an effective interview confirmation email reply, as well as templates you can use to get started. But first…
When should you reply to a job interview request email?
Plan to send your email confirmation reply soon after you schedule the interview. The one exception is when the recruiter or hiring manager tells you that they’ll send a confirmation from their end. In that case, ask when you should expect to receive that confirmation. If you haven’t received anything one to two business days after the date you were quoted, you can send a follow-up:
Hello Mr./Ms./Mx. / Hi ,
It was a pleasure to speak with you on and schedule my interview at for . I’m writing because I have not received a confirmation email. Can you please confirm that we will still be meeting on as discussed?
Thank you for your time. I look forward to meeting you and further discussing how I can contribute to .
Kind regards,
If you do get the confirmation email as scheduled, a brief reply is courteous:
Hello Mr./Ms./Mx. /Hi ,
Thank you for the confirmation. I appreciate the opportunity to meet you and look forward to seeing you on at .
Kind regards,
You can also use this confirmation (or any confirmation reply) to ask for any further interview details or additional information you need to arrive prepared.
9 must-haves in a job interview confirmation email reply
Every email you send to a hiring manager, including the interview confirmation reply, should be:
Professional
Positive
Precise
Think of them as the three Ps. They’re how you strike those elusive balances between brevity and warmth, and between formality and approachability. When you get that right, you’re set up to impress any hiring manager.
How do you put the three Ps into practice? Here are nine things you need to include in your interview confirmation reply email along with examples of how to use them.
The subject line
A greeting
Why you’re writing
A thank-you
Restating the time and place
Questions and confirmations of what you should bring
Other questions you may have
A sign-off
Your name and contact information
1. The subject line
Subject lines are first impressions. How you phrase the subject of your interview confirmation tells the hiring manager how you go about introducing business messages.
Keep your email’s subject line as brief as possible, while still including the basics:
The words “interview confirmation” in some configuration
The job title
Your name
Marketing pros say that 41-character subject lines are optimal because that’s the maximum length of a subject line on an iPhone screen, which is the most popular device for checking messages. The next best benchmark is 70 characters, which is the length of a Gmail subject line. This is a much easier character limit to adhere to:
Junior Copywriter Interview Confirmation: Margaret Schuyler (59 characters)
Confirming Junior Copywriter Interview with James Mulligan (58 characters)
Even relatively long names can fit:
Junior Copywriter Interview Confirmation: Alexander Laurens-Hamilton (69 characters)
Including your name is an important step because it helps the hiring department to sort emails more effectively by candidate name. For example, if the hiring manager forwards your email to a colleague, your name may no longer be visible in the subject line, but the colleague can still keep track of who sent the message. It shows that you’re thinking about what the hiring team needs — and that’s a point in your favor.
2. A greeting
The greeting line of an email sets the tone for the message, especially in terms of formality. You can get a sense of where the company falls on the formality spectrum by looking at the interview invitation email. If you received a phone call to schedule the interview, gauging formality will be a little bit harder. Still, you can get a feel for the company culture from their website and other published content.
If you do have an email to work from, look at how the hiring manager greeted you. Did the person call you by your first name or last? Either way, do the same in your confirmation email.
Your two best bets are:
Hi ,
Hello Mr./Ms./Mx. ,
The classic “Dear Mr./Ms./Mx. ” is a possibility if the company has an extremely formal style, but it might come across as too formal for a short email. “Hello” is a safer bet — it’s not too casual, and most readers will feel that it sounds more contemporary.
Formal address and gender
If you don’t know the hiring manager’s gender identity, crafting a formal address can be stressful. Before you give up, look at the person’s email signature. An increasing number of professionals are adding their pronouns to their email signature. Use “Mr.” for people with he/him pronouns, “Ms.” for those with she/her pronouns and “Mx.” (pronounced “mix”) for people with they/them or other gender-neutral pronouns.
If there are no pronouns on the person’s email signature, check if they have a bio on the company website and find out what pronouns the bio uses. If you still don’t know, default to the person’s full name. It’s better to say “Hello Alex Smith” than to start on the wrong foot by misgendering a person.
3. Why you’re writing
After you’ve greeted the hiring manager — or another member of the hiring team who’s been communicating with you — tell them why you’re writing. The purpose of the email should be somewhat obvious based on the subject line, but it’s good manners and good composition to begin by clarifying.
If you’re replying directly to an interview scheduling email, keep it simple:
Thank you again for the opportunity to interview at .
If this is a new message, start with something like:
I’m writing to confirm the details of my upcoming interview for the position at .
4. A thank-you
Without going over the top with effusiveness, express your gratitude for the opportunity to interview. If you’re replying to a message that complimented your qualifications, you can reference the compliment here:
Thank you for your kind words about my resume. I look forward to speaking with you about how I can use my experience in to benefit .
However, it’s generally enough just to thank the hiring manager for choosing you for an interview:
I’m grateful for the opportunity to discuss what I can do for you at .
Thank you for selecting me as a candidate for the position.
Sentences like these are more than niceties. They’re reminders that the recruiting team specifically selected you as a job candidate, so they paint you in a positive light in the hiring manager’s mind.
5. Restating the time and place
As obvious as it might sound, it’s important to explicitly state the time and place for the interview when you confirm. (And when the interview is going to a video chat or conference call across time zones, it's even more important.) Asking for confirmation of the interview date and time prompts the hiring manager to cross-check their calendar to make sure that you have all of the correct details. If there’s any kind of mismatch, the hiring manager can reply and fix the confusion before the day of the interview.
6. Questions and confirmations of what you should bring
Standard practice is to bring at least five copies of your resume to an interview, more if there will be multiple interviewers in the room. Even if you know the hiring manager already has a copy, you want to be ready in case they ask for more. There might be someone in the interview who doesn’t have a copy on hand, or who might want a hard copy for your file.
To show that you understand interview etiquette, indicate in your confirmation reply that you’ll have those copies on hand. It makes an efficient and professional segue into asking what else the interviewer wants you to have:
I will be there on March 2 at 2 p.m. with several copies of my resume in hand. Let me know if there is anything else I should bring.
If the hiring manager has already asked you to bring something with you, confirm that as well.
As requested, I will have six copies of my resume, a copy of my reference list and a photo ID to enter the building.
I will be there and ready at 12:30 p.m. on April 6 with a copy of my resume and my portfolio. Is there anything else that I should have on hand?
7. Other questions you may have
Feel free to use the email confirmation reply to ask any logistical questions you might have about the interview process. Don’t worry about inconveniencing your email’s recipient or taking up too much of their time. They’re much more likely to appreciate that you take the interview seriously and want to make sure you don’t delay it by getting lost or forgetting something.
To figure out what you need to ask, go over the day of the interview in your head. Picture yourself getting there, parking (if applicable), walking into the building and asking for your interview contact. Any time there’s a blank spot in your mind — are there multiple offices in the building? How will you find the right one? — write it down as something to ask.
Questions could include:
The building’s full address / exact location
The correct floor or department
Where to park
The name of the person to ask for at the front desk
What you need to enter the building (photo ID, etc.)
If the interview will take place via videoconference or is a phone interview via conference call, make sure you have the meeting link or ID. Check whether the hiring manager or recruiter has provided a password, and if not, ask if you need one.
8. A sign-off
Like the greeting, this is an element of an interview confirmation email that can easily get stressful. Is “Best” too casual? Is “Sincerely” too formal? There are no hard-and-fast rules, and the interview invitation you received is still a good guide. If they used “Best,” so can you. If they prefer “Sincerely,” you won’t come across as too formal if you use it yourself.
Still in doubt? Go with something middle-of-the-road like “Kind regards” or “Best regards.” Experts like this closing because it has warmth and approachability and works for both formal and less formal business communications.
9. Your name and contact information
Any time you’re communicating with a hiring company, it’s a courtesy to include your email address and phone number as part of your message signature.
It’s also considerate to add any contact details that you know this company uses. For example, if you know that this hiring team has asked you for your Skype name, add it to the signature. It shows you’ve been listening and that you want to make it easy for the team to contact you.
Additional tips for confirming your interview
1. Proofread the message
One of the things that potential employers evaluate you on is how you’d represent the company if hired. When you send a message that’s free of spelling mistakes and typos, you show the recipient that you took the time to check it over and make sure that it looked professional.
Proofread every message you send during the hiring process, including confirmations. It’s an easy way to avoid an unnecessary negative impression during the hiring process.
2. Check font and formatting
Make sure that you’re using a clear and professional font for your job search messages. Arial 12-point is always a safe bet for any job-related email. Fonts like Comic Sans should be avoided.
Avoid bolding, italicizing, color-coding, and highlighting. Yes, any of these can make the time of the interview and date stand out in a message, but they’re unnecessary and can come across as too casual. Likewise, avoid emojis, even if you’re applying at a company that has a more casual atmosphere.
3. Add a Calendly link
Want to seriously impress a potential employer without looking like you’re trying too hard? Find a way to make their lives easier.
Scheduling interviews can be complicated. Finding a mutually convenient time often devolves into back-and-forth email chains — “I can’t do the 4th. Do you have any time on the 5th?” “How about noon?” “I have a meeting at noon. How about 2?,” and so on.
Even when it’s easy to find an initial time for the interview, there’s always the chance that someone has to reschedule. That might be you, or it might be the hiring company. You have an opportunity to show flexibility and consideration by making it easy for the hiring team to reschedule if necessary. Through Calendly, you can allow people to reschedule a meeting with you in just a few clicks.
What is Calendly?
Calendly is a versatile tool with a straightforward premise — you set up a calendar with your availability and receive a personalized link that will take people to that calendar. You can share that link anywhere, including on your LinkedIn or in the body of an interview confirmation reply email.
Anyone who clicks on that link will see when you’re available, and they can pick a slot that works for them. (Calendly automatically adjusts the meeting time across time zones, so there is no worry of mismatched schedules.) The meeting then gets added to your calendar and both parties receive an automated confirmation.
Prospective employers can use your Calendly link whether or not they have Calendly accounts themselves. Just add something like:
If you need to reschedule at any point, feel free to click through to my Calendly and choose a time that works for you.
If you find that another time will be better, go to my Calendly and choose any time that’s marked as open.
Your potential employer will appreciate the convenience. They may even decide to adopt Calendly as a tool so they can schedule events more easily. As a job candidate, that’s a major point in your favor — you’ve presented a new solution before you’ve even received a job offer.
Related reading: Best practices for sharing your Calendly link
Job interview confirmation email templates
Crafting an email to a potential employer can be intimidating, even if it’s “just” a confirmation reply. These sample emails will help you get started. You can use them verbatim, merging in the appropriate details, or use them as jumping-off points to personalize your reply.
Email example 1: Simple confirmation, no questions (formal style)
Subject line: Interview Confirmation Administrative Assistant, Alex Hamm
Hello, Mr./Ms./Mx. ,
Thank you again for the opportunity to interview for the position. I look forward to learning more about how I might contribute to ’s success.
It will be a pleasure to meet you/ at in your office. I will bring copies of my resume and a list of references. Please let me know if there is anything else I need to have on hand.
If at any point you need to reschedule, feel free to choose an alternative time via my Calendly link.
Kind regards,
Email example 2: Simple confirmation, no questions (less formal style)
Subject line: Administrative Assistant Interview Confirmation, Alex Hamm
Hi ,
Thanks so much for your invitation to interview for the position at . I’m looking forward to learning more about the position and how I can help you succeed.
I’m writing to confirm that I will be at on at to meet with I’m planning to bring several copies of my resume and my portfolio, as requested. Please let me know if there is anything else I need to have with me.
Thank you again, and I will see you on ! If you need to reschedule, you can do so easily through my Calendly link.
Warm regards,
Email example 3: Confirmation with questions (formal style)
Subject line: Confirming Administrative Assistant Interview with Alex Hamm
Hello, Mr./Ms./Mx. ,
Thank you very much for the opportunity to interview at I look forward to meeting on at . I will have copies of my resume on hand for your review. If there is anything else you need me to bring, please let me know.
I understand that you have two offices, one on street
Thank you for your time, and thank you again for inviting me to meet with you about the position.
Kind regards,
Email example 4: Confirmation with questions (less formal style)
Subject line: Administrative Assistant Interview Confirmation, Alex Hamm
Hi ,
Thanks so much for inviting me to interview for the position. I will see you at 's office on at As requested, I will bring copies of my resume and a photo ID to check in at the front desk.
I know that you share the building with several other companies. Can you tell me what floor you’re on and what the best way is to find your office door?
Thank you very much and I look forward to meeting you on .
Warm regards,
Related reading: How to respond to an employer interview request
The starting point for a great job interview
As you can see, your interview confirmation email reply doesn’t have to be long or in-depth. Just be concise and courteous, and you’ll leave a positive impression with these very important email recipients.
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