Recruiting template
Interview Schedule Template
An interview schedule sets out who meets the candidate, when, for how long and on what topic, so the candidate can plan their day and every interviewer knows their part. Use the emails below to agree a time and send the agenda, and the panel plan to brief your interviewers.
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Interview schedule email: asking for availability
When to use it: You need to find a time for a candidate to meet several people, and want their availability before you book anyone.
SubjectArranging your [Interview stage] for [Job title] at [Company name]
Self-scheduling email with a booking link
When to use it: You use a booking page or your ATS sends self-scheduling links, and the candidate can pick a slot without going back and forth.
SubjectBook your [Job title] interview with [Company name]
Interview day agenda for the candidate
When to use it: The time is agreed and the candidate is meeting several people in a row, by video or in person.
SubjectYour interview schedule for [Interview date]: [Job title]
Interview process overview
When to use it: At the start of the process, so the candidate knows every stage and when to expect a decision.
SubjectWhat happens next for the [Job title] role at [Company name]
Internal interview schedule for the panel
When to use it: You are briefing the interviewers before an interview day, so each person knows their slot, their topic and the deadlines afterwards.
How to use this template
- 1Book the interviewers first, at least provisionally, so the times you offer the candidate are times you can keep.
- 2Ask for availability, or send a booking link, as soon as the candidate passes the previous stage. Every day spent agreeing a time adds to your time to hire.
- 3Once the time is agreed, send the candidate agenda with every session, the interviewer's name and job title, the time zone and the link or address in one email, then send the calendar invitation.
- 4Give each interviewer a different topic in the panel plan, and share it with them before the day.
- 5Put the scorecard deadline and the debrief in the panel plan, and tell the candidate when they will hear back.
Mistakes to avoid
- Offering times before checking the interviewers' calendars, then having to rearrange with the candidate.
- Leaving out the time zone when the candidate and the interviewers are in different places.
- Back-to-back sessions with no break on a long interview day.
- Several interviewers asking the same questions because nobody was given a topic.
- Telling the candidate when the interviews are but not when they will hear the outcome.
Questions
What should an interview schedule include?
The date, the time zone, the format and the link or address, then each session with its start and end time, the interviewer's name and job title and the topic. Add breaks for anything longer than an hour or so, and say when the candidate will hear back.
How do I write an interview schedule email?
Name the role and the stage in the subject line, say how long the interviews take and in what format, then either ask for two or three times that suit the candidate or give them a booking link. Ask for a reply by a set date, and offer adjustments.
Should I let candidates book their own interview time?
For single interviews it saves several emails. Booking pages such as Google Calendar appointment schedules, Calendly, Microsoft Bookings, Zoom Scheduler, Cal.com and HubSpot Meetings do this. Many applicant tracking systems send self-scheduling links, including Greenhouse, Lever, Ashby, Workable, SmartRecruiters, iCIMS and Teamtailor. Interview scheduling tools such as GoodTime, ModernLoop, Paradox and Cronofy handle scheduling for more complex interview days alongside an ATS. Panel days with several interviewers often still need a coordinator.
How much time should I leave between interviews?
Leave a few minutes between sessions so interviewers can finish their notes and the candidate can take a breath, and a longer break somewhere in the middle of a long day. The sample agenda above uses a five-minute gap and a 15-minute break.
Who should get the internal interview schedule?
Everyone on the panel and the hiring manager. It tells each interviewer their slot and topic, and sets the deadlines for scorecards and the debrief, so the decision is not held up waiting for feedback.
What if the candidate needs to change the time?
Thank them for letting you know, offer two or three new times or resend the booking link, and update the agenda and the calendar invitations for everyone on the panel once the new time is agreed. The interview reschedule email templates cover each case.
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