No matter how qualified you are for a job or how good or bad your resume is, what the hiring process really comes down to is how you perform in the interview and how you communicate with the hiring manager beforehand.
Immediately after inviting you to interview, your potential future employer will begin to assess how you fit into their work environment by scrutinizing how you communicate with them while setting up your all-important first meeting.
In many jobs, competence in writing professional, clear, and helpful emails is of paramount importance.
What better way to evaluate possible recruits than by examining how they respond to emails?
While this may sound intimidating if you’re in the middle of the job application process, never fear!
Instead, see every email with your potential future employers as an opportunity to demonstrate your superb communication skills.
Responding to a Zoom Interview Request
- Check your emails often so that you can respond promptly.
- Express appreciation for the opportunity to interview for the position.
- Confirm the date and time.
- Answer any outstanding questions.
- Finish your email by expressing that you are looking forward to the interview.
Punctuality, reliability, and good communication are three of the most important qualities that employers look for.
The best way you can show to your future boss that you have these, is by demonstrating them in your initial email exchange. Respond as promptly as you can and certainly no later than the end of the next business day.
Employers also like to hear that the opportunity to interview is valued and understood as just that––an opportunity.
A candidate who is either too confident or feels that they are above having to follow professional etiquette is likely not what they are looking for.
Crucially, when responding to any request for interview, it is important to confirm the logistics.
The best way to ensure there is no miscommunication is to restate the date and time at which you will be at your computer ready to receive a call.
While it does not always happen, employers may occasionally add in a few extra questions in an invitation to interview.
Make sure you read invitations to interview carefully and don’t let the initial excitement distract you from what may be a crucial part of your potential employer’s communication.
Always answer any queries the invitation to interview email might contain.
Above all, remember to sound friendly, enthusiastic, and professional, and to have a game plan for what you will do before, during, and after your interview.
How to respond to a Zoom interview request for a corporate job
While some communications with future employers are allowed to be somewhat familiar, this is not the case if you have applied for a corporate position. Emailing within corporate businesses is highly standardized and should not be deviated from.
The best thing you can do is mirror the tone of the invitation. Use similar terminology, phrasing, and vocabulary to the person you’re speaking to, whether that be someone in the hiring department or your potential supervisor.
Using Zoom for interviews has become standard practice for corporate businesses, so here are a few examples of how you might respond to an invitation to interview for a corporate position over Zoom.
1. Dear Mr. Clarkson, Many thanks for the opportunity to interview for the position of sales assistant at Hollow Inc. I am available for a Zoom call at the suggested time. I will wait to receive a Zoom link from you and look forward to meeting you, Hannah Herbert
The potential recruit begins this email by thanking the person who invited them to interview for the opportunity.
Hot tip: Always make sure you are spelling the person conducting the hiring process’s name right!
Nothing makes a worse impression than receiving an email with a misspelled name––and there is absolutely no chance they won’t notice.
Another useful thing this message does is clarify that the interviewee will wait to receive a link from the interviewer.
While this is typically standard practice, it doesn’t hurt to spell things like this out explicitly.
In addition to getting rid of any niggling doubt in your mind that you are responsible for creating the link, it shows your interviewer that you think ahead, which is a highly valuable quality in an employee.
2. Dear Ms. Shannon, Thank you for your email and for the invitation to interview, which I gladly accept. I am available to talk over Zoom at 4pm on Saturday, 10 April. I look forward to speaking then! Kind regards, Jonathan Lamington
This is an excellent standard template for an invitation to interview for a corporate job over Zoom. It thanks the sender for the invitation, accepts it graciously, confirms availability at the time and on the correct platform (Zoom), and then expresses that the writer is looking forward to speaking.
This sample email could be adapted to fit virtually every invitation to interview for any corporate position. For more advice, check out this article on more ways to say you to confirm your attendance of an interview.
3. Dear Board, I appreciate the invitation to interview for the position of lead marketing executive at Hardman-Spencer. I feel that my extensive experience in the corporate financial sector makes me an exceptionally well-suited candidate for this exciting position. I am available for a Zoom call at the suggested time and look forward to speaking more about the exciting path ahead then. Kind regards, Kenneth Hill
Of course, how you respond to an invitation to interview over Zoom for a corporate job depends on several factors.
One of these is how high up the food chain the job you are applying for is.
If you are applying for an entry-level position, a greater degree of formality is required than if you are applying for a more senior role in the company.
If you are one of the lucky few in a position to apply for a high-up role in an impressive corporate business, you are granted a greater degree of leeway in terms of your response.
You could even add a line, as the example above does, stating why you think you would be the right choice for the job.
That said, the most important thing, regardless of which position you are applying for, is to make a good impression by being polite, amiable, and professional.
4. Dear Mr. Hasler, I am glad to hear that you were impressed by my application. I am available for an interview via Zoom at 2pm on October 7th. Please confirm whether you will send the Zoom link or whether this is something I should arrange. I look forward to hearing more about the position. Kind regards, Greta Kuhn
One way to demonstrate that even though you are grateful the opportunity to interview, you aren’t a sure thing, is by saying that you look forward to hearing more about the position.
Like everything in life, the hiring process is a process of negotiation.
There is nothing wrong with subtly playing hard to get. After all, you are interviewing your interviewer too––is this really the job you want? Are they offering you enough financial compensation for your skillset and experience? Will you find the work personally fulfilling?
These are all valid questions and there is nothing wrong with letting your potential employer know that you hold yourself in high enough esteem to position yourself with the upper hand in the negotiations.
Ultimately, even if you are offered the position, you can still ask for time to the consider the job offer before responding.
5. Dear Executive Committee, Many thanks for the exciting opportunity to interview for the role of head coordinator. I am available to talk on Zoom at the suggested time and look forward to discussing the role in more detail. Kind regards, Lee Brice
There is no need to send long emails in response to an invitation to interview. In fact, you should avoid it. Rather than making a huge effort to stand out in a good way in your initial email response to your potential employer, you should attempt not to stand out in a bad way.
This is because you have already stood out positively!
After all, you’ve just been invited to interview for the position. Because the standard response to an invitation to interview is short, to the point, and fairly standardized, employers are more likely to remember a response for negative reasons than positive ones.
Keep your acceptance of the interview brief. You can use the Zoom interview to really show your stuff.
How to respond to a Zoom interview request: retail or hospitality job
Every economic sector has a slightly different way of communicating. Lawyers email differently than businesspeople, accountants email differently than event managers. While these differences can be subtle, in some sectors they are relatively stark.
When answering an invitation to interview for a retail or hospitality job, be aware that you will be being judged by different standards.
Since most retail and hospitality jobs don’t require an enormous amount of emailing or formal written communication.
Instead, what is valued in customer-facing roles is a positive attitude, responsibility, and being good with people.
As a result, you don’t have to be quite so clinical with your emailing as you would if you were applying for a corporate position.
Here are a few ways you could respond to an invitation to interview for a retail or hospitality job that allow you to showcase a bit of your fun and engaging personality.
6. Dear Ms. May, Thanks for your email and for the invitation to interview for the role as lead server at Hadley’s. The restaurant has always been such a special place for my family and me and I’d be honored to join your terrific team of staff. I am available to discuss the position over Zoom on Saturday the 7th at 2pm. I look forward to talking! Best wishes, Leanne Conway
This sample response is clear and to the point, but it still manages to get across that the sender cares about the restaurant she is applying to work at and that she is a bubbly, enthusiastic person.
A short sentence like the one explaining that the restaurant has long been a special place for the interviewee goes a long way towards making them stand out.
As with response to invitations to interview for corporate positions, make sure you confirm that the interview is on Zoom, as well as the date and time.
Make sure you express that you are looking forward to interview by using one of the alternatives in the linked article.
7. Dear Caroline, Thank you for the kind invitation to interview! I’ve always loved the clothes at Whitney’s, so being able to work with them would be a dream come true. Fashion has long been a passion of mine and I think the store would be a great fit for me while I continue my degree at the Hutchinson Institute of Fashion Design. The time you suggested for a Zoom interview works well. I look forward to speaking then! Best, Hannah
This sample response to an invitation to interview for a retail job expresses the interviewee’s personal relationship with the store and also briefly sets out why they think they would be a good fit for the position.
By citing your credentials in your response, you are reminding the person doing the hiring process why they reached out to you in the first place.
Bringing up your experience at this stage also shows confidence, something that is valued highly in the retail and hospitality sectors.
Showing confidence at an early stage will also help you hold you ground if you end up having to write a response to a job rejection email.
8. Hi Shauna, Thanks so much for the invitation to interview! It would be great to work alongside the enthusiastic, supportive team at Cole’s. An interview over Zoom would work great and the time you suggested is perfect. I look forward to talking on Monday. Best wishes, Charlize
One good strategy when responding to an invitation to interview for a position in hospitality or retail, is to reference teamwork.
Jobs in the service sector are often heavily reliant on being able to communicate and work well with colleagues.
Demonstrating that you enjoy working in a team––and even complimenting the team that you would be joining––will surely seem like a green flag to your potential employer.
9. Dear Mr. Leroy, Many thanks for your kind invitation to interview as a bartender at Capitol Five. I have extensive experience working in fast-paced environments like Capitol and am familiar with the restaurant and its vibe. I look forward to hearing more about the role on Tuesday at 3pm on Zoom, and hopefully to working together soon. Kind regards, Charlie Oakley
Familiarity with a brand is especially valued in the service sector.
If you already know how things are done in any given business, the person training you will not have to explain what the vibe or feel of the workplace is.
Employers often look for people who know a bit about the background of their restaurant or venture, as this shows a genuine interest.
If you have a relationship to the place you’re applying to work, there is no harm in mentioning this when you accept the interview.
How to respond to a Zoom interview request for an independently owned business
Independently owned businesses are usually wonderful places to work. What could be better than working for a boss who believes in their brand and has put their heart and soul into building it?
Working for an independent business can give you a real sense of purpose, especially if the business works in an area you are passionate about.
That said, the hiring process is almost sure to be more personal and intentional.
Multinational corporations, large law firms, and chain retailers are less likely to have bosses that are personally invested in the new hires.
Independent business owners, however, are more invested in the success of their venture, not just financially, but also in terms of likeability and image.
As a result, you can be a little more explicit about the nature of your interest in the role in your email accepting an interview.
Showing a genuine interest and true passion for the work the business does is sure to get noticed and may give you a leg up.
That said, don’t overdo it. A single line about why you’re excited about the prospect of working for the business interviewing you will do.
10. Dear Georgia, It’s an honor to be invited to interview for the role of PR manager at Hoses and Poses. I know how much blood, sweat, and tears you have put into building the brand, so to be trusted with its messaging would be a privilege that I would not take on lightly. The Zoom interview you suggested sounds fantastic and the time works well––will you send me a link, or should I arrange this? I’ll speak to you at 6pm on Friday. Excitedly, Hamida
Responses to invitations to interview for a role in an independently owned business can be longer and more personal than these emails would be for other kinds of work.
Also, more so than in a corporate job, when an independent business owner suggests an interview over Zoom, you may want to double check what the logistics of setting up the call will be.
While larger companies will have a policy and potentially even a form email describing how the Zoom call will work, independent business owners operate in a far less standardized manner.
As a result, they may forget that it is their responsibility to send you a link. Simply asking whether you will receive one should be enough to prompt the person interviewing you to send one.
11. Dear Jameson, Thank you for the invitation to interview for the exciting position of manager at the Beards and Fears Barber Shop. Creating a welcoming, safe, fun, and most importantly, clean and productive working environment has always been at the heart of managerial approach, which is why I think we would be such a good fit. The Zoom time you suggested works well for me. I look forward to talking further, Brandon
While some independent business owners still prefer to be called by their title and surname, most will want you to call them by their first name.
That said, until you have been given express permission, it is best to stick to calling someone by their title and surname.
You can usually take the lead from how the person who invites you to interview signs off their email. Do they sign off with both their first and last name?
If so, call them their title and surname. However, if they sign off with just their first name, there is no reason why you shouldn’t call them by just their first name.
In fact, doing so shows a down-to-earth mentality and demonstrates that you are confident.
12. Dear Mr. Clay, Thank you for the kind invitation to interview for the role of lead deckhand on the sailing yacht Gaia. I have read about the boat’s fascinating history and would be honored to be given the opportunity to join the long line of lucky sailors with the opportunity to take care of her. I am available to talk over Zoom on Monday, January 10th at 10am. I look forward to hearing more about the role and about your vision for Gaia. Kind regards, Sally
Whatever the independent business you are applying for is, it doesn’t hurt to demonstrate that you have taken the time to look into its history.
Instead of simply accepting the interview, read the company’s mission statement, see whether they do any charitable work, and see whether they have a list of core values.
If any of these things strikes you as something you would be especially compatible with, point this out in your response to the interview invitation.
If nothing else, this will give your interviewer a good topic of conversation to begin the interview with!
And hey, if you can find a way to direct the initial course of the conversation onto a topic that fascinates you and that you feel confident discussing, that is a great thing!
Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.