A job offer letter form is an easy to use template employers complete to officially offer a job to an applicant. Also known as an employment offer letter, the document officially invites the applicant to accept the listed job, explains the duties, benefits, start date, and amount of pay. It also explains what the applicant needs to do to accept the position. Generally, a copy of the job offer letter is kept on file by the company.
A job offer letter is a document used by an employer to confirm they are offering a specific job to a prospective employee. While the prospective employee may receive the offer in-person or over the phone, the job offer letter is a formal record of the job offer and can be filed accordingly. The employment offer letter confirms the details of the employment relationship, which helps to prevent confusion.
A formal job offer letter should include specific details about the job, including the job title, employing company, annual salary, start date, insurance benefits, retirement accounts, and more. The job offer letter will provide the prospective employee with all the information they need before accepting the position. The recipient of the letter can accept the job offer by signing the letter and returning it to the hiring manager/supervisor.
A job offer letter is typically sent before contingencies, such as drug and background checks.
An offer letter typically provides a brief overview of the position and the company. It lets the new employee know specific details of the position, such as job title, starting date, annual base salary, work schedule, and benefits. There is no standard format for a job offer letter template, but we recommend that you include the following components.
Company Logo
Date and Contact Information
Greeting
Congratulations
Job Details
Contingencies
Acknowledgement
While you may choose to let the candidate know that they have a job offer in person or over the phone, it’s always a good idea to have a formal written confirmation of the offer so that both parties are clear about the terms of the employment.
A written job offer letter should include:
Company Name and Logo - Use official letterhead
Date and Contact Information - Include date and candidate’s full first and last name and address in the upper left corner of the letter
Greeting - “Dear [Potential employee’s first name]”
Congratulations - Let them know that you are offering them a position
Job Details - Include full details of employment, including job description, compensation package, pay period, stock options, benefits, schedule, whether the job is full time or part-time, any additional information that is important for the candidate to know
Contingencies - Let the candidate know if the offer is contingent on them completing certain tasks, such as a drug check, reference check, background check, signing a non-compete form
Offer Expiration Date - If any
Acknowledgement - Instruct the candidate to sign and return the letter to accept the job
Written Job Offer Letter Sample
10/1/2021
Ms. Heather Jones
4444 Peace Way
Los Angeles, CA 90210
Dear Heather,
ABC Company is very pleased to offer you the position of Assistant Account Executive in our Sales Department. Your background and skills make you an ideal fit for our sales team.
Your starting date will be November 1, 2018. The starting salary is $35,000 per year paid on a biweekly basis by direct deposit. You will also be paid a 10% commission on all sales.
ABC Company provides full medical coverage through our employee benefit plan. You coverage will begin on December 1, 2018. You will receive two weeks paid vacation per year along with five days for personal or sick leave. Your eligibility for the company retirement plan will begin 90 days after your start date.
This offer of employment is contingent on you passing a pre-employment drug test and background check and signing confidentiality agreements.
If you choose to accept this job offer, please sign and return this letter at your earliest convenience. Once your acceptance has been received we will send you information about scheduling your drug test.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Smith
Director, Human Resources
ABC Company
Sending a job offer email is the quickest way to communicate the important details of a job offer. If you choose to extend a job offer via email, it’s a good practice to call the prospective employee as well to let them know about the offer.
A job offer email should have a descriptive subject line that lets the candidate know that the email contains a job offer. Your job offer letter email can include attachments that the candidate may need to know before accepting the offer. You may choose to include information about company policies and benefits or the employee handbook.
You can choose to send the job offer letter as an attachment or in the body of the email. If you choose to send the offer letter as an attachment, your email will be brief. Your email will simply congratulate the candidate and explain that the job offer is attached.
Example
Subject: Job Offer from ABC Company
Message:
Dear Heather,
Congratulations on receiving a job offer from ABC Company. We are pleased to offer you a position as an Assistant Buyer in our Sales Department.
The detailed offer letter is attached. If you choose to accept, please sign, scan, and return the letter to me at jonathansmith@abccompany.com by October 10, 2021.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
We are looking forward to hearing from you and hope you decide to join our team.
Best regards,
Jonathan Smith
Hiring Manager, ABC Company
jonathansmith@abccompany.com
When you have found your perfect candidate and want to officially offer them a position, you can use this template. You can customize it by including as many details as you think your candidate will want to know before making a decision.
Email subject line: [Company_name] Job Offer / Job Offer from [Company_name]
Dear [Candidate_name],
We were all very excited to meet and get to know you over the past few days. We have been impressed with your background and would like to formally offer you the position of [Job_title]. This is a [full/part] time position [mention working days and hours.] You will be reporting to the head of the [Department_name] department. [If applicable: Please note that [Company_name] is an at-will employer. That means that either you or [Company_name] are free to end the employment relationship at any time, with or without notice or cause.]
We will be offering you an annual gross salary of [$X] and [mention bonus programs, if applicable.] You will also have [mention benefits as per company policy, like health and insurance plan, corporate mobile or travel expenses] and [X] days of paid vacation per year.[optional: I am attaching a letter with more details about your compensation plan.]
Your expected starting date is [date.] You will be asked to sign a contract of [contract_duration, if applicable] and [mention agreements, like confidentiality, nondisclosure and noncompete] at the beginning of your employment.
We would like to have your response by [date.] In the meantime, please feel free to contact me or [Manager_name] via email or phone on [provide contact details], should you have any questions.
We are all looking forward to having you on our team.
Best regards,
[your name][Signature]
(Source: https://resources.workable.com/tutorial/job-offer-letter-template-examples)
You can personalize the email below to match your company culture. Keep the language in your employment offer letter email formal and clear, as it is an official document that describes the employment terms between you and your prospective employee.
This template is not a legal document and may not take into account all relevant local or national laws. You should have an attorney review your finalized job offer letter email.
Email subject line: [Company_name] job offer / Job offer from [Company_name]
Dear [Candidate_name],
We’re delighted to extend this offer of employment for the position of [Job_title] with [Company_name]. Please review this summary of terms and conditions for your anticipated employment with us.
If you accept this offer, your start date will be [Start Date] or another mutually agreed upon date, and you would report to [Manager_name].
Please find attached the terms and conditions of your employment, should you accept this offer letter. We would like to have your response by [date]. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me or [Manager_name] via email or phone at [provide contact details], if you have any questions.
We are all looking forward to having you on our team.
Best regards,
[Your name][Signature]
(Source: https://resources.workable.com/tutorial/job-offer-letter-template-examples)
A job offer email should include the following elements:
Company address
Hiring manager information
Job title
Start date
Work schedule
Compensation and benefits
Company/Employee policies
In the upper left-hand corner of the email, include the following information:
MM/DD/YYYY
Candidate First and Last Name
Candidate Address
City, State, Zip
Introduction
Address the potential employee with “Dear,” followed by their first and last name, and offer them the position in a style that embodies your company's culture.
Job Description
Describe the specifics of the position, including the formal title of the position, the anticipated start date, full- or part-time status, the office location, their manager/supervisor, and a brief description of the position and its responsibilities. (Source: Indeed)
Contingencies
Note any contingencies that will arise should the potential employee accept the job, such as passing a reference check or drug test.
Compensation
The details of the compensation package should be explained here, including the annual or hourly compensation, pay period, and payment method(s). Any equity, bonuses, or commission should be included. (Source: Indeed)
At-Will Statement
Include an at-will statement that will allow the employee or the company to terminate the employment at any time for any reason. The language used should be reviewed by an attorney.
Benefits
Include any benefits the prospective employee will receive by working at the company, including 401K options, insurance plans, and company culture.
Expiration Date
Include a deadline for the prospective employee's response.
Closing
Express excitement about welcoming the candidate to the team. Provide contact information for any questions and include a line for the candidate to sign and date the offer if they choose to accept. (Source: Indeed)
Disclaimer
Explain that the letter is not a legally binding contract or agreement. Consult an attorney to avoid using language that carries contractual implications. (Source: Indeed)
If you are offered a job, you can accept the offer immediately, take a short period of time to consider the offer, negotiate the offer, or decline the offer.
When accepting an offer, a candidate must sign and return a job offer letter as a formal acceptance of the position. If the job offer is contingent upon you completing tasks, make sure that you can complete them before accepting.
If you need time to evaluate the job offer, let the company know that you need time, preferably within a few business days so that the company will know you are still interested in the position.
If the offer is not for the compensation package you expected, you must decide whether to make a counter offer or decline the offer.
Before rejecting an offer, consider whether you can negotiate better terms. Can you negotiate a better salary? If the job schedule is not compatible with your lifestyle, is it possible to modify the schedule? Would the company permit you to work remotely?
If you decide to reject the job offer, do so in a professional manner via a formal letter that thanks the company for the offer. You should consider including an explanation for your rejection of the offer.
