As soon as the decision is made to decline a job interview, the applicant should contact the hiring manager via email with a brief message. The tone of the message should be polite and respectful and express appreciation for the opportunity.
To avoid wasting a hiring manager’s time, it is courteous to send out a message declining an interview in a timely fashion. The applicant should prepare an email with a subject heading that is short and to the point. There is no need to compose a long explanation of why the interview is being declined. The body of the email is composed of several sentences making up one paragraph.
The first sentence should express the applicant’s appreciation for being extended an invitation to interview. The second sentence states in clear language that the interview is declined. One brief sentence is all that is required to explain the reason for the declination. The final one or two sentences are devoted to expressing appreciation and thanking the hiring manager.
An alternative tactic is to go to the interview, and use it as a practice exercise. This gives candidates an opportunity to make a good impression on the hiring manager, which could lead to a more desirable position.
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