5 Steps to Take if Your Phone or Zoom Interviewer Is Late or Didn’t Call

So you’ve successfully caught the attention of a company and landed yourself a phone or video interview — congratulations! After finalizing the meeting details, you’d expect the interviewer to show up, right? But what happens if the interviewer doesn't actually call on time — or at all? What do you do next? 

If your interviewer doesn't call or hop on Zoom when they say they will, it may be because they forgot or something came up. We're all only human, after all. 

Here are some simple steps you can take:

1. Check your email to confirm the meeting details. 

First and foremost, double-check the email exchange you have with this recruiter or hiring manager to make sure that you have the correct date and time. If the call was set for 3 p.m., make sure that your 3 p.m. is the same as their 3 p.m. Look for explicit mentions of time zone in their messages or clues about location in their signature. You can also do a quick search on their LinkedIn and other online profiles to see if you can determine where in the world they’re based — i.e., what time zone they’re in. 

After you've confirmed that you have the right time and time zone, double-check the phone number you've provided the interviewer, if that’s how they’re meant to reach you. You don't want them calling and calling only to reach Bethany, one of the lead managers on the sales floor of a kitchen appliance store in Galena, Illinois, who has no idea why she’s expected to interview for a web developer role right now — all because you made a typo. 

2. Check to ensure you haven’t missed any calls or emails. 

After confirming the meeting details, double-check to make sure you haven’t missed any calls or emails. Check your spam inbox, your general inbox and your voicemail to confirm that nothing has gone under your radar. 

3. Be patient and give the interviewer a grace period. 

Give the interviewer a few extra minutes to call you. If the call was scheduled for 1 p.m. and they haven't called by 1:05 p.m., they may be gathering materials and supporting documents for the call, or stuck in a meeting that ran a few minutes over. A good rule of thumb is to wait about 15 minutes — that gives them a generous grace period just in case they’re running a bit behind. 

4. Send an email to check in with the interviewer.

If your interviewer doesn't call after the grace period you've given them, you shouldn't necessarily call them yourself. What you can do, however, is send a check-in email to follow up with them. You can send something as simple as this:

Hi [Interviewer’s Name],

Thanks so much again for reaching out to schedule a call about the [role you applied for] position today at [time of scheduled interview] today. I wanted to confirm that you still have time to jump on the phone this afternoon. I am available until [time you’re free until], or I’d be happy to reschedule for another day or time. Looking forward to speaking with you. 

Thanks,

[Your Name]

Make sure to keep an eye on your email, phone, or provided Zoom link after sending in case the interviewer does see your message and wants to hop on right away. 

5. Follow up and schedule a new time.

If your interviewer never calls or replies, you can send an additional follow-up email later in the day expressing your interest in rescheduling. It might look like this: 

Hi [Interviewer’s Name], 

I’m sorry we missed each other today. I wanted to reiterate how excited I am about the [role you applied for] job at [Company], and see if there’s another time we can connect to discuss the opportunity. I’m available [provide a few dates/times within 2-3 days]. Please let me know if any of those dates and times work for you. 

Looking forward to hearing from you!
Thank you again,

[Your Name] 

If they did respond to your initial email saying that they can no longer speak that day, it's likely that they'll have already suggested another time for a rain check. Now it's up to you to determine whether or not that new time works for you. If it does, that's great; if it doesn't, you're welcome to throw some different dates and times out there. You might say: 

Hi [Interviewer’s Name], 

Thank you for letting me know! Unfortunately, I have another engagement on [date and time the interviewer suggested]. However, I am available [provide a few dates/times within 2-3 days], please let me know if any of those dates and times work for you.

Thank you again, 

[Your Name]

Move on and keep job searching. 

If your interviewer didn’t call at the scheduled time and hasn’t responded to your email (after at least a few days to a week), you can follow up with another email. If you do, make sure to update them with any changes in your application and restate your interest in the company.

If there’s still radio silence, they’re most likely not considering you for that position any longer, or the role has been filled since you first connected. Which begs the question: Do you really want to work for a company that allows this behavior anyway? How an interviewer treats an applicant can be a sign of how they treat their employees — and an abrupt radio silence with no follow-up or explanation probably isn’t the best sign. 

Unfortunately, being ghosted isn’t an uncommon occurrence in the job search and it may happen to you. It’s OK to be disappointed. But the best thing you can do is keep applying and moving forward toward all the other exciting opportunities that await you. 

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This article reflects the views of the author and not necessarily those of Fairygodboss.

AnnaMarie Houlis is a multimedia journalist for a gamut of both online and print publications, as well as an adventure aficionado and travel blogger at HerReport.org. She covers all things women's empowerment — from navigating the workplace to navigating the world. She writes about everything from gender issues in the workforce to gender issues all across the globe.

Yoevelyn Rodriguez and Fairygodboss team editors contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article. 

What’s your no. 1 piece of advice for working with recruiters? Share your answer in the comments to help other Fairygodboss members!