There are many reasons you may need to reschedule an interview, such as if a family emergency pops up or if you are not feeling well. With online interviews becoming more common today, you may even be facing some technical issues that force you to reschedule. While it may feel like you are letting the interviewer down by rescheduling, chances are, you will not be able to perform at your best if you insist on turning up when you are not at your 100%.

Now, you may be wondering how to reschedule an interview without damaging your chances of getting hired. Leaving and maintaining a good impression is key, and you can be sure that your interviewer will appreciate you letting them know in advance instead of at the last minute, unless it can’t be helped.

Read on to find out some of our top tips for rescheduling a job interview.

Good Reasons to Reschedule an Interview

It goes without saying that you should not reschedule an interview for trivial reasons or other less important appointments. For instance, it makes much more sense to reschedule your dental appointment than your interview.

However, unexpected circumstances can and do pop up from time to time. These can include:

  • Yourself or a close family member who requires your care after falling sick
  • Your car breaking down and with that, you have no other way of getting to your interview
  • In the case of an online interview, technological issues that can crop up suddenly and cannot be resolved in time
  • A scheduling conflict with an important appointment that cannot be changed

If your reason is valid, do not be afraid to get in touch with the interviewer and request to reschedule.

How to Ask to Reschedule Your Interview

When you need to reschedule your interview, follow these best practices for doing so:

  • Give Advance Notice

If you fall sick a few days before the interview or start experiencing car troubles, it helps to give the interviewer advance notice that you need to reschedule. Instead of hoping that everything will turn out for the best, which can result in having to cancel last minute, giving advanced notice will leave a much better impression on the interviewer. Be honest about the reason you need to reschedule, but of course, make sure that it’s a valid reason.

You may be surprised to find that many employers are more understanding than you think. That’s not to say that you won’t run into inflexible employers, however, if that’s the case, think about whether you really want to work for them.

  • Suggest Alternative Dates

After apologizing and informing your interviewer of their need to reschedule, suggest a few alternative dates where you will be able to make it. This shows the interviewer how serious you are about the process as well as how committed you are prepared to be. After a new date has been agreed upon, send the interviewer a thank you note to let them know how appreciative you are that they have accommodated your request.

In some cases, your in-person interview may even be rescheduled to an online interview or vice versa. With new options available to us today, be sure to stay open-minded. Always remember to confirm the date and time of the rescheduled interview in your return e-mail or message.

  • Give Yourself Time to Recover

As much as having to reschedule may not be ideal, turning up when you are sick can be even worse. Not only will you be unable to present yourself at your best, but your symptoms may also give your interviewer the impression that you are irresponsible with your health.

Now more than ever in the post-COVID world, we all know the importance of staying home and minimizing contact with others while experiencing flu-like symptoms. By turning up to an interview anyway, you run the risk of giving your interviewer the impression that you are willing to put the health of your colleagues at risk.

If you are feeling unwell, do yourself a favor and reschedule the interview. If the interviewer does not seem to be understanding, this can be a red flag that sick employees do not get the consideration they deserve.

Is It Bad to Reschedule an Interview?

Some people may say that it’s bad to reschedule an interview and that you should try to show up no matter what, however, workplace attitudes are shifting today. Instead of focusing solely on what employees can contribute, there is an increasing emphasis on physical, mental, and holistic wellness. It is known that when employees are happy, healthy, and satisfied, they are better able to focus on their jobs and produce better results.

If a potential interviewer makes you feel bad about having to reschedule, this can be a sign that you will not enjoy working with them anyway. Throughout the course of your employment, you are sure to run into emergency situations from time to time. Whether your child is suddenly taken ill or a family member passes away unexpectedly, there will be times when you need to be absent from work. A company that is inflexible about rescheduling may very well be unaccommodating of personal circumstances that necessitate time off in the future.

Browse Our Job Listings at ColorComm Search

The first step towards scoring a job interview is sending out applications for jobs that meet your requirements and qualifications. Whether you are looking for completely remote work or are open to a hybrid arrangement, there are many platforms where you can find the jobs you are looking for. ColorComm Search specializes in diversity hiring, and you can be sure that all the job listings on our platform are looking for diverse candidates from all walks of life.

If you are in media, marketing, communications, journalism, or advertising, please feel free to find out how our process works, browse the job listings on our website, and start sending in your applications today!