How to Ask for an Interview Via Email

There are two reasons you may be writing an email to ask someone for an interview; either you are a hiring manager looking to bring in a candidate to interview for a position or you are a candidate looking to be brought in by a hiring manager for a position.

While each reason has a unique format and set of expectations attached to it, whenever you are requesting an interview, your email should be short, professional, polite, and include a call to action for the recipient to schedule or accept a meeting with you.

Here’s how to ask for an interview via email.

How to ask a candidate to come in for an interview

When screening candidates for an open position, the most qualified candidates should be pulled for an interview to assess their appropriateness for the role. To ask for this interview, recruiters should be clear about the reason for the message, what kind of interview they are asking for, and when the interview would be.

You should also ensure that you include a clear request for a reply so that you can properly schedule the interview. Here’s how this email might look.

SUBJECT: Interview Request from [Company] for the Role of [Title]

Hello [Candidate Name],

We appreciate your application for the role of [Title]. After careful consideration, we are pleased to say that we are impressed with your background and qualifications and would like to proceed with an interview [Method – at our offices, via phone, via Zoom or similar, etc.]. This interview would be conducted by [Interviewer Name and Title].

Please reply to this message to let me know which of these times would work for your availability:

  • [Day, Date] at [Time]
  • [Day, Date] at [Time]
  • [Day, Date] at [Time]

We look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

[Name]

How to ask a hiring manager for an interview

Asking a hiring manager for an interview for a job is trickier and more unusual than the other way around, but it can be done with elegance. To ask for a job, candidates should make their emails short, personal, and flexible. You’ll want to include some relevant background as well as what issues you can solve for the company.

Here’s what a request email like this might look like.

SUBJECT: Inquiring About Openings for a [Title] with [Company]

Hello [Recruiter Name],

My name is [Name], and I currently work as a [Title]. I have been keeping up with [Company] for some time now – [Mention Recent News/Project/Achievement] – and would be highly interested in working together.

I have previously [Accomplishment/Experience]. This, paired with [Education/Other Qualification] has allowed me to build my knowledge of [Industry] and skills in [Specific Challenges – “building strong digital platforms,” “increasing conversion rates,” “creating strong business relationships,” etc.].

I would love to discuss how my work might fit in with [Company]’s needs. Would you be free to meet with me sometime this week? I am open to your availability. You can contact me via [Method] at [Contact Information].

I appreciate your time and hope to hear from you soon.

Regards,

[Name]

 

Conor