Send interview reminders (10 minutes) from Google Calendar to Slack DMs

This workflow sends a “Join in 10” Slack ping to each interviewer shortly before their interview starts. It checks the Interviews Google Calendar every minute, finds interviews starting in the next LEAD_MINUTES (default 10), and sends a Slack DM with the candidate name, role, local start time, meeting link, and any CV: / Notes: links present in the event description. If the Slack user can’t be found by email, it posts to a fallback channel (default #recruiting-alerts) with an @‑style email mention. A Data Store prevents duplicate pings for the same event + attendee.

Who’s It For

• Interviewers who prefer a timely Slack nudge instead of calendar alerts.
• Recruiting coordinators who want consistent reminders without manual follow‑ups.
• Teams that include links directly in the calendar event description.

How It Works

1. Cron (every minute) polls near‑term events so pings arrive about 10 minutes before start.
2. Google Calendar (Interviews) fetches upcoming events.
3. Prepare pings filters interviews starting in ≤ LEAD_MINUTES, creates one item per internal attendee (company domain), and extracts meeting/CV/Notes links.
4. Data Store checks a ledger to avoid re‑notifying the same event+attendee.
5. Slack looks up the user by email and sends a DM with Block Kit buttons; otherwise posts to the fallback channel.
6. Data Store records that the ping was sent.

Attendees marked declined are skipped; accepted, tentative, and needsAction are included.

How To Set Up

1. Ensure interviews are on the Interviews Google Calendar and that interviewers are added as attendees.
2. In each event’s description, optionally add lines like CV: https://... and Notes: https://....
3. Import the workflow and add credentials:
   • Google Calendar (OAuth)
   • Slack OAuth2 with users:read.email, chat:write, and im:write
4. Open Set: Config and confirm:
   • CALENDAR_NAME = Interviews
   • COMPANY_DOMAIN = weblineindia.com
   • TIMEZONE = Asia/Kolkata
   • LEAD_MINUTES = 10
   • FALLBACK_CHANNEL = #recruiting-alerts
5. Activate the workflow. It will begin checking every minute.

Requirements

• Google Workspace calendar access for Interviews.
• Slack workspace + an app with the scopes: users:read.email, chat:write, im:write.
• n8n (cloud or self‑hosted) with access to both services.

How to Customize the Workflow

• Lead time: Change LEAD_MINUTES in Set: Config (e.g., 5, 15).
• Audience: Modify attendee filters to include/exclude tentative or needsAction.
• Message format: Tweak the Block Kit text/buttons (e.g., hide CV/Notes buttons).
• Fallback policy: Switch the fallback from channel post to “skip and log” if needed.
• Time windows: Add logic to silence pings at night or only during business hours.
• Calendar name: Update CALENDAR_NAME in Set: Config if you use a different calendar.

Add-Ons to level up the Workflow with additional nodes

• Conflict detector: Warn if an interviewer is double‑booked in the next hour.
• Escalation: If no DM can be sent (no Slack user), also notify a coordinator channel.
• Logging: Append each ping to Google Sheets/Airtable for audit.
• Weekday rules: Auto‑mute on specific days or holidays via a calendar/lookup table.
• Follow‑up: Send a post‑interview Slack message with the feedback form link.

Common Troubleshooting

• No pings: Ensure events actually start within the next LEAD_MINUTES and that attendees include internal emails (@weblineindia.com).
• Wrong recipients: Verify interviewer emails on the event match Slack emails; otherwise it will post to the fallback channel.
• Duplicate pings: Confirm the Data Store is configured and the workflow isn’t duplicated.
• Missing meeting link: Add a proper meeting URL to the event description or rely on Google Meet/Zoom links detected in the event.
• Time mismatch: Make sure TIMEZONE is Asia/Kolkata (or your local TZ) and calendar times are correct.

Need Help ?

If you’d like a hand adjusting filters, message formatting or permissions, feel free to reach out we'll be happy to help you get this running smoothly.