Interview invitation email templates for phone, video, onsite and panel interviews

An interview invitation email confirms the date and time with a time zone, the format and joining details, how long it will take, who the candidate will meet, and what to prepare. It should also say how to reschedule, invite the candidate to ask for any accommodation they need for the process, and tell them in advance if you take notes with a recording or transcription tool. Everything else is optional.

Below are eight templates: phone screen, video, onsite, panel, an agency version for client interviews, final round, a scheduling-link version and a reschedule. The coaching you send an agency candidate before a client interview is a separate email, covered in the candidate interview prep email.

What every interview invitation must include

Eight interview invitation templates

Replace the brackets and delete lines that do not apply. Keep the order: logistics first, notes last.

1. Phone screen

Subject: [Role] at [Company]: 30-minute call on [day]?

Hi [First name],

Thanks for your interest in the [Role] position. I'd like to set up a
30-minute phone call to learn about your background and tell you more
about the role.

Would any of these work? (All times [candidate's time zone].)
- [Day, date, time]
- [Day, date, time]
- [Day, date, time]

I'll call you on [number on their resume]; let me know if a different
number is better. We'll cover your recent experience, what you're looking
for, and practical details such as location and pay expectations.

If you need an accommodation for any part of our process, let me know
and we'll arrange it. I use a transcription tool to take notes on calls;
I'll mention it at the start, and you can ask me not to use it.

Best,
[Your name]
[Title], [Company] | [Direct phone]

2. Video interview

Subject: Confirmed: [Role] video interview, [day, date] at [time, zone]

Hi [First name],

You're confirmed for a video interview for the [Role] position.

When: [Day, date], [start]–[end] [time zone]
Where: [Zoom / Microsoft Teams / Google Meet] — [link]
       Dial-in if video fails: [number, meeting ID]
Who: [Interviewer name], [title]
What: A conversation about [two or three topics, e.g. "how you've run
      vendor negotiations and managed a team of buyers"]. No slides or
      preparation materials needed.

A few practical notes:
- [If your setup allows it: The link opens in a browser, so you don't
  need to install anything.]
- If the connection drops, [interviewer] will call you on [number].

If you need an accommodation for the interview, such as captions or
extra time, reply to this email and we'll arrange it.

[Notes notice, one sentence, if you use a tool.]

To reschedule, reply here or call me on [number].

[Your name]

3. Onsite interview

Subject: Your onsite interview for [Role]: [day, date]

Hi [First name],

We're looking forward to meeting you in person.

When: [Day, date], arrive at [time]. You'll finish by [time].
Where: [Full address, floor or building]
Parking / transit: [where to park, validation, nearest station]
On arrival: Check in at [reception / security] and ask for [name].
            Bring [photo ID if the building requires it].

Schedule
[time]  [Interviewer name], [title] — [topic]
[time]  [Interviewer name], [title] — [topic]
[time]  Tour of [site / team area] with [name]  [delete if none]

What to wear: [site-specific only if it matters, e.g. "closed-toe shoes
for the plant floor tour"].

If you need an accommodation for any part of the visit, such as step-free
access, an interpreter or a different room setup, tell me by [date] and
we'll arrange it.

Your contact on the day: [name], [mobile].

[Your name]

Include a finishing time. Candidates in work have to explain an absence, and "you'll finish by 12:30" is the line that lets them do it.

4. Panel interview or interview loop

Subject: [Role] panel interview: [day, date], [time, zone]

Hi [First name],

Thank you for your time so far. The next step is a panel interview.

When: [Day, date], [start]–[end] [time zone]
Where: [link / address]
Format: [One 60-minute conversation with three interviewers /
        three 45-minute interviews back to back with a 10-minute break]

Who you'll meet
- [Name], [title]: [area, e.g. "technical depth in payroll systems"]
- [Name], [title]: [area, e.g. "working with finance and HR"]
- [Name], [title]: [area, e.g. "leading and developing a team"]

Each interviewer covers different ground, so you won't be asked the
same questions twice. Leave time at the end of each conversation for
your own questions.

If you need an accommodation for the panel, including breaks, a
different format or materials in advance, reply and we'll arrange it.

[Notes notice, one sentence, if interviewers use a tool.]

[Your name]

"You won't be asked the same questions twice" is only true if the panel was planned that way. The panel interview plan template covers how to split competencies between interviewers so it is.

5. Agency: confirming a client interview with the candidate

Subject: Confirmed: [Client] interview for [Role], [day, date] at [time]

Hi [First name],

Great news: [Client] would like to meet you. Here are the details.

When: [Day, date], [start]–[end] [candidate's time zone]
Where: [link / address, who to ask for]
Who: [Name], [title]; [Name], [title]
Format: [e.g. "45-minute video interview with the hiring manager,
        then 15 minutes with a team lead"]

Please reply to confirm you've got this in your calendar.

I'll call you on [day] to prepare: who you're meeting, what they care
about most, and any questions you have. If you need an accommodation for
the interview, tell me and I'll arrange it with the client without
sharing more than they need to know.

If anything changes on your side, call me first rather than the client:
[mobile].

[Your name]

The last paragraph protects the process: a candidate who emails the client directly to move a time often creates a second, conflicting thread. Keep the prep content for the call and the prep email.

6. Final round with a senior leader

Subject: Final interview for [Role] with [Name], [title]

Hi [First name],

Thank you for the time you've given to this process. The final step is a
[length] conversation with [Name], [title].

When: [Day, date], [start]–[end] [time zone]
Where: [link / address]
Focus: [e.g. "how you'd approach the first six months and how you've
       worked with executive teams"]. This is a two-way conversation,
       so bring the questions that matter to your decision.

After this interview we expect to make a decision by [date]. I'll call
you either way.

If you need an accommodation for this meeting, reply and we'll arrange it.

[Your name]

7. Scheduling-link version

Subject: [Role] at [Company]: pick a time for a [length] [format]

Hi [First name],

I'd like to invite you to a [length] [phone / video] interview for the
[Role] position with [Name], [title].

Choose a time that works for you here: [scheduling link]
The link shows times in your own time zone. Slots are open until [date].

Once you've booked, you'll get a calendar invite. The conversation will
cover [topics]. If none of the times work, reply and I'll find another.

If you need an accommodation for the interview, reply to this email and
we'll arrange it.

[Your name]

8. Rescheduling

Subject: New time needed: [Role] interview on [original date]

Hi [First name],

I'm sorry to do this: [interviewer name] has had a conflict come up and
we need to move your interview on [original day, date].

Could any of these work instead? ([Candidate's time zone].)
- [Day, date, time]
- [Day, date, time]

This doesn't change anything about where you are in the process.

[Your name]

When the company moves an interview, say so plainly and say it does not affect the candidate. When the candidate moves one, reply within a business day with new times and no comment on the change.

The accommodations line

The EEOC's guidance on job applicants and the ADA says an employer may tell all applicants what the hiring process involves (for example an interview, a timed written test or a job demonstration) and then ask whether they will need a reasonable accommodation for that process. It also says an employer generally cannot ask all applicants whether they would need an accommodation to perform the job, because the answer is likely to reveal whether someone has a disability. The invitation is the natural place for the first and the wrong place for the second.

The same guidance notes that a request can be made orally or in writing, or by someone else on the candidate's behalf, so treat a message from a job coach or family member as a request. Route it to the person who handles accommodations, keep the details to the people who need them, and do not note the request in scorecards. The full process is in ADA accommodations in interviews.

The note-taking or recording notice

If you or the interviewers use a recording or transcription tool, one sentence in the invitation means the candidate hears it for the second time on the call, not the first:

I use a transcription tool to take notes during interviews so I can
listen properly. I'll mention it at the start of the call, and if you'd
prefer I didn't use it, just tell me then.

The written notice does not replace saying it at the start of the call. For longer written versions, the spoken lines and what to do when a candidate says no, use the interview recording consent script, and check the consent guide when the candidate is in a different state or country. If your process uses AI to assess recorded video interviews, check whether a specific rule applies, such as the Illinois Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act, before you send the invitation.

The calendar invite

The calendar invite is what the candidate opens on the day, so it needs the joining details again. It is also where internal information most often leaks.

Title: [Company] interview: [Candidate first name] / [Interviewer name]

[Link or address]
[Dial-in or "I'll call you on (number)"]

[Length] interview for [Role] with [Name], [title].
Questions or need to reschedule? [Your name], [phone], [email]

• Send the candidate their own invite. Do not add them to the interviewers' invite, which may carry the scorecard link, the resume or notes like "second look, pay above range".
• Keep titles neutral. "Screen: maybe, check gap" in a title is visible to the candidate on their phone lock screen.
• Hide the guest list for panels if your calendar allows it, and never invite two candidates to the same event.

Time zones, confirmations and reminders

• Write times in the candidate's zone first. Put yours in brackets if you are in different zones. When a clock change falls between the email and the interview, name the zone explicitly rather than "ET".
• Offer two or three slots. One slot starts a back-and-forth. Six slots signal that nobody has checked the interviewers' calendars.
• Confirm within a business day of the candidate choosing a time, with the full details in one email so nothing has to be found in a thread.
• Remind the day before for onsite and panel interviews: time, address or link, and your mobile number. One line is enough.
• For agency candidates, confirm with the client in writing at the same time, so both sides have the same time zone and the same list of interviewers.

Mistakes that cost you the interview