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- Contact the recruiter promptly to explain and reschedule after legitimate emergencies like illness or caregiving.
- Anticipate delays (weather, transit) and call ahead to reschedule or delay the interview.
- Propose changing to phone, video, or FaceTime if a face-to-face meeting becomes impractical.
- Own up to simple mistakes like a time misunderstanding, be honest, and request to reschedule.
- Use a concise apology email: explain briefly, express continued interest, and offer to reschedule or acknowledge their decision.
So you missed your job interview. It happens. I know no one needs to remind you why it’s important to not miss the job interview. It’s already a challenge to make a good impression — recovering after missing the interview is even harder.
Having said that, there are many reasons that you could be a no-show for a scheduled interview. It happened to me once. My train broke down and I sat on an Amtrak for four hours one winter and missed an interview.
You should know that recruiters in the same industry often run in the same circles and talk to each other. Not showing up for interviews can put your reputation in jeopardy. I have seen it!
So, if you missed your job interview or think that you will miss the interview, here is how you could handle it.
Be Proactive
Contact the recruiter to reschedule if you have a personal emergency like illness of yourself or family member, child care or elder care issue. These are all legitimate things to explain.
Reschedule or Delay
Weather delays are common in some parts of the country. Pay attention to the weather report and call to reschedule or delay a meeting if possible. Contact the recruiter if you think you will be late and let them know you might need to reschedule.
Suggest a Change in the Interview Modality
You may have had a face-to-face interview planned and changing that to a phone, video or FaceTime session would work better. Go ahead and make the suggestion as soon as you are aware of a potential delay.
Misunderstanding About Time
This happens. Everyone is moving quickly and a lot of information coming our way could cause us to make this mistake. Follow up honestly and try to reschedule.
Sample Apology Message for Missed Job Interview
If the worst happens and you missed your job interview, connect as soon as possible with a simple email like this:
“I sincerely apologize for missing our interview meeting today. My absence was unavoidable and related to childcare, transportation, personal illness or whatever (please do not include unnecessary details). I understand your time is valuable and would like to reschedule if possible because I remain interested. However, if you have already selected a candidate, I understand and I thank you again for the opportunity.”
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