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How to Write the Perfect Interview Confirmation Email

How to Write the Perfect Interview Confirmation Email

Charlie Bedell

Your initial emails with a company you hope to work for are their first impression of you – and you want it to be great!

This means you need to be thoughtful about even the simplest of emails with the hiring team. In particular, the way you write your confirmation for an interview can say a lot about you.

Leave a positive impression on your interviewer with these tips for writing the perfect interview confirmation email.

Professional interview confirmation emails set good expectations

Confirming an interview by email isn’t just about you accepting an interview date, time, and location. It also gives interviewers insight into how you act in a professional setting.

An email to confirm an interview can show interviewers:

Before you even walk through the company’s front doors, the emails you send to interviewers can create an expectation for how qualified you are for the job. When you write an interview confirmation email, consider it as your first interview.

You want to be just as careful, professional, and positive in confirmation emails as you would speaking with your interviewers.

Good business emails: The 3 Ps

Interview confirmation emails are considered part of business communication, even if you don’t work for the company yet. Any good business email should be:

  • Professional
  • Positive
  • Precise

This is no different for interview confirmation emails!

Use the three Ps of good business communication to craft the perfect interview confirmation email that balances brevity with warmth and formality with approachability. Achieving this balance shows that you are an experienced professional who can leverage both hard and soft skills in your correspondence with others.

9 must-haves for a perfect interview confirmation email

Make sure you’ve included these 9 things in the email confirming your next interview.

1. The subject line

Subject lines are an email’s first impression. In turn, they’re also a first impression for you, the sender.

Keep your email’s subject as concise and specific as possible. And you’ll want to include these basics:

  • The words “interview confirmation” in some way
  • The job title
  • Your name

Think like a shrewd marketing pro when you write your email subject lines. Email marketing professionals use these benchmarks when crafting the perfect subject line:

Your interview confirmation email subject should look something like this:

  • Sara Smith: Confirming Senior Software Engineer Interview
  • Senior Software Engineer Interview Confirmation: Sam Johnson

Notice that both examples include the interviewee’s name. Don’t assume that your name will populate correctly in another organization’s email inbox. Including your name in the subject line will catch an interviewer’s eye when they check their email, and it will help them keep track of your correspondence with them regarding your interview.

Your subject line should show that you’re considering the interviewer’s needs.

2. The greeting

The greeting is the first part of your message where you address the interviewer. It is also likely the easiest part of your confirmation email.

Always address the interviewer or contact by name if you have it. These days, it is considered professional to address an interviewer by their first name, such as:

  • Hi Sara,
  • Hello Sam,

It’s usually a good idea to avoid assigning titles like Ms. or Mr. to interviewers’ names and instead simply use their first name. However, if you know for sure that the interviewer uses a Dr. or military title, make sure to include that before their last name.

If you don’t know the interviewer’s name, it’s appropriate to just use “Hello” as a greeting.

3. Why you are writing

Don’t think the interviewer will be able to read your mind! After you’ve written the greeting, make sure to state as simply as possible why you’re writing to them.

The purpose of your message should be fairly obvious based on your subject line, but making your reason for writing crystal clear shows good communication and manners.

Your purpose will depend on how you’re writing the message.

If you’re replying directly to an email to schedule the interview, keep it simple:

  • Thank you for the opportunity to interview at [company’s name].
  • Thank you for your message regarding an interview for the [job’s title] at [company’s name].

Or, if you’re writing a new message, start with something like this:

  • I’m reaching out to confirm my upcoming interview for the [job’s title] role at [company’s name].
  • I’m writing to confirm my interview for the [job’s title] role at [company’s name].

4. A thank you

Include a kind yet professional expression of gratitude or excitement about the opportunity to interview. It’s a great idea to show your interest in the role and company before an interview.

The thank-you message can be something like:

  • I’m excited about the opportunity to join [company’s name] and the [team/department’s name].
  • I look forward to speaking with you about how I could contribute to [company’s name] goals.

These kinds of sentences are more than just being nice. They provide a brief reminder for the interviewer about why they chose to reach out to you in the first place. Ultimately, they help build a positive image of you and your work before the interview even starts.

5. Restate the time and place

The purpose of your email is to confirm your interview ­– so make sure that you explicitly state the date, time, and location of the interview in your message.

And with the popularity of remote work, it’s also smart to double check if your interview will be in person or via video. If your interview will be on video, make sure to confirm:

  • The video chat application the interviewer will be using, such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Webex.
  • The interviewer’s time zone.

The more details you can confirm with the interviewer, the better. It not only shows your interest in the role you’ll be interviewing for, but it also demonstrates the way you manage your time, calendar, and work meetings.

6. Any questions you have regarding the interview

Most interviews are fairly straightforward, but there might be logistical questions you have about the interview process. Use your confirmation email to ask these questions so you feel confident and prepared for your interview.

This is especially important if you will be meeting in-person versus on video. Think through the entire interview process from start to finish and consider these questions:

  • The building’s full address
  • Where to park and how much it will cost
  • What you need to enter the building, such as a photo ID, passcode, etc.
  • The correct floor or department
  • The name of the person to ask for when you get to the front desk

If your interview is via video or phone, ask the interviewer for the meeting link or their phone number.

It’s normal to feel nervous before your interview. Because of this, make sure that you have all your questions answered ahead of time to ensure you’re not rattled by the unexpected.

7. A sign off

Like the greeting at the start of your email, this element is short and simple.

If you already have a go-to sign off that you like to use in business emails, go for it.

But if you don’t already have a well-used personal email sign off, don’t get bogged down by worrying if “Best” is too casual or if “Sincerely” is too formal. Simply say “Thank you” or just leave out a sign off completely. This helps keep things easy.

8. Your name and contact information

Any time you’re communicating with a hiring company, it’s best to include your first and last name, email address, and phone number as part of your signature.

Even if you’ve provided this information to the company already, your specific interviewer or hiring team might not have it. Including this information ensures you don’t cause a hectic, stressful search right before your interview for your phone or email address.

Adding all of your contact information to the end of your interview confirmation email will show that you’re anticipating the interviewers’ needs, a trait that makes for an excellent employee. 

Other things to consider before sending your interview confirmation email

Have you proofread your message?

All employees, from sales to engineering to customer support, need to be good writers. And your initial emails with a hiring company are an implicit test of your written communication skills.

Before sending your interview confirmation message, make sure to proofread it and catch any missing words, misspellings, or grammar mistakes. You can even ask a friend or family member to read the email as well. You’d be surprised at the mistakes you can make when you’re a bit nervous.

Leave a great first impression by sending a flawless email to confirm your interview.

Is the font and formatting in your email professional and easy to read?

Just as your words convey your skill and professionalism, so should your email’s font and formatting.

It’s important to use a clear, easy-to-read font style and size. Consider fonts like Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial, or Helvetica in sizes 10, 11, or 12.

Avoid bolding, italicizing, color-coding, or highlighting text in your email. If you’re asking multiple questions or confirming multiple details, it’s smart to use bullet points or numbers to organize your list.

Don’t include emojis or other casual texting language, even if the company you’re interviewing with seems to have a more casual vibe. Your interview confirmation email should be simple and professional – leave more relaxed communication to messages with friends and family.

Conclusion

The confirmation email for your next interview doesn’t have to be difficult or stressful. A concise, courteous, and professional email goes a long way to helping you land your next role.

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