Quick answer: Wait 10 to 15 minutes, then send one short email asking if something came up and whether they still want the role. Give them a day or two to respond. If they reply with a real reason, offer one reschedule. If you hear nothing, close the candidate out and move on.
What should you do in the first 15 minutes?
Wait, but not forever. Give it 10 to 15 minutes past the start time in case of a dead link, a timezone mix up, or traffic.
If it’s a video call, send a quick message with the join link again. If it’s onsite, have reception or whoever is waiting send a one line text. After 15 minutes with no word, treat the slot as missed and move on with your day. Don’t sit on a call for 40 minutes watching an empty grid.
Should you email, call, or just wait for them to reach out?
Email first. It’s lower pressure for the candidate and it gives you a written record.
A phone call can feel like a test they already failed, especially if they’re embarrassed about missing the slot. Text works if you already texted them to confirm the interview. Whatever channel you use, send it the same day, not three days later when the moment has passed and you’ve both moved on mentally.
What does the follow up email say?
Short, neutral, no guilt trip. Ask one question and give them an easy way to respond.
Subject: Missed your interview today, [Company]
Hi [Name],
We had you scheduled for the [Job Title] interview today at [Time] and didn't connect. I wanted to check in, since these things happen.
If something came up, let me know and we can find another time this week. If you've decided to go another direction, that's completely fine too, just a quick reply either way helps me plan.
[Your name]
[Company]If they reply within a day or two with a real reason and want to reschedule, send this:
Subject: Re: Missed your interview today, [Company]
Hi [Name],
No problem at all, thanks for letting me know. Here are a few times that still work on my end:
- [Option 1]
- [Option 2]
- [Option 3]
Pick whichever suits you, or suggest another time if none of these fit.
[Your name]
[Company]For more reschedule wording beyond this one scenario, see reschedule interview email from an employer.
If a week passes with no reply at all, close the loop so your pipeline stays clean instead of showing a phantom interview that never happened:
Subject: Closing out your application for [Job Title]
Hi [Name],
We hadn't heard back since the missed interview slot, so I'm closing your application for [Job Title] for now. If you're still interested down the line, feel free to reach back out.
Wishing you well either way.
[Your name]
[Company]Should a no-show candidate get a second interview?
I think you should give a candidate who misses an interview another chance. People have emergencies. One missed interview doesn’t tell you much about someone on its own. So offer a new time and see if they take it.
Is a no-show the same thing as ghosting?
Not quite. A no-show is one missed interview. Ghosting is the wider pattern of a candidate going quiet at any stage of your process, and plenty of ghosting happens through silence rather than a missed call.
The scale of the problem is real either way. In a survey of 1,024 job seekers run by iHire in October 2025, 53% said an employer had ghosted them, and separately, Greenhouse’s 2023 Candidate Interview Experience report (1,200 US candidates) found 36% of candidates admitted to ghosting an employer themselves, most often citing a company that turned out different than expected or a bad interview experience. It runs both directions. If you want the employer side of this problem covered in full, see rejection email after interview, which deals with the opposite case: when you go quiet on them.
How do you cut down on no-shows in the first place?
A clearer invite prevents more no-shows than any follow up email can fix after the fact.
Greenhouse’s same 2023 research found 70% of candidates say lack of communication is the biggest hiring red flag, and a thin invite reads as exactly that kind of carelessness even when you didn’t mean it that way. Put the date, time with timezone, join link or address, who they’re meeting, and a plain way to reschedule in the original invite. Interview invitation email has the full template. A candidate who can reschedule easily before the interview is a candidate who doesn’t need to no-show it.
What if a candidate no-shows twice?
Close the file. Send one more short, polite email and don’t chase a third time.
Two missed interviews without a clear, candidate-initiated explanation is not bad luck anymore. Keep the note on their record. Every stage change and comment is logged on the candidate record with who and when, so this is there without extra work on your part. Then move your energy to candidates who are actually engaged. If no-shows are eating your week across multiple roles, how many candidates to interview covers how to filter harder before anyone lands on your calendar at all.
Frequently asked questions
What should you do if a candidate doesn't show up for an interview?
Wait 10 to 15 minutes, then send one short email asking if something came up. Give them a day or two to reply. If you hear nothing, close the file and move on. If they reply with a real reason, it's fair to offer one reschedule.
Should you give a no-show candidate a second chance?
Usually yes, once, if they reply with a plausible reason within a day or two and ask to reschedule themselves. A second no-show without an explanation is where I'd stop.
Is a candidate no-show the same as ghosting?
They overlap but aren't identical. A no-show is one missed interview. Ghosting is the broader pattern of a candidate going silent at any stage, including after they no-show and never reply to your follow up.