Job Offer Letter Types, Templates and FAQs

Towards the final stages of the Recruitment Process comes the important task for composing and sending a formal job offer letter to seal the deal for your chosen candidate.

It is crucial that the letter is drafted carefully and includes all the essential elements. With this guide, you will be able to understand the importance, purpose, and significance of a job offer letter, and then learn what to include in it, and finally how to write it. Plus, to help you out, there are several samples included.

What is a Job Offer Letter?

After verbally extending the job offer to your top candidate, a job offer is sent out via email or delivered in-person. This letter of employment is a formal job offer and is typically a summary of the main terms and conditions of the job offer with details of the company.

The information provided in the employee offer letter is to help the candidate to decide whether or not to accept the offer. When the candidate signs and returns the offer letter, it confirms the acceptance of the offer.

Purpose of a Job Offer Letter

Employers give out job offer letters to candidates for the following reasons:

It provides information about the job role, compensation and benefits, and other conditions of employment.
It marks the beginning of a positive employment relationship.
It sets the right expectations.
It acts as a legal document.

What is included in a Job Offer Letter?

A formal job offer letter may include the following information:

Company name and full job title

Workplace location and department

Reporting structure

Starting date

Description of job responsibilities in brief

Salary and benefits

Working hours

Acknowledgment of offer and confirmation of acceptance

How to Write a Job Offer Letter?

A formal job offer letter is one of the first official communications you have with your new employee. The letter is a reflection of you, your company, and your brand. That’s why you need to do it right.

Job Offer Letter Best Practices

Before you send out the offer letter, make sure all the required parties (HR, executives, managers, etc.) involved have cleared this candidate for hire.
It’s a formal communication; be professional.
Take care not to overwhelm the candidate with extensive details in the letter. You can cover everything in detail in the employee handbook or other HR documents.
The letter should not be confusing, and there should be no ambiguity around the details, terms, and conditions of employment.
If you had agreed upon certain terms during the course of the interview, make sure they reflect in the letter of employment.

What Are the Types of Job Offers?

The job offer letters are mainly of two types:

Written Job Offer

In this type of job offer letter, the employer prints the job offer and sends it to the selected candidate.

This form of job offer letter follows the standard business format. It’s printed on the official company letterhead, and it contains the employer or the company’s representative’s signature.

Most companies ask the selected candidates to come to the office and personally collect the job offer letter.

Email Job Offer

An email job offer letter is sent via electronic mail. This type of job offer doesn’t include a signature unless it’s saved on to the computer. This type of letter is easy to organize and travels faster to the candidate.

Job Offer Letter Template Examples

Here are some examples of Job Offer Letter Templates for you.

Job Offer Letter Sample: Written Job Offer Letter Template

Name and Address

Dear Mr. / Miss. / Mrs. /Ms. [Name of candidate],

I am pleased to offer you the position of [Job title]. We believe that your work experience and the skills you demonstrated during the interview process will make you a valuable asset to our company.

If you choose to accept this offer, you will be based at [Office location]. You’ll report to [Reporting manager name], who is [Designation with department of reporting manager].

We look forward to you starting work on [date]. If this date is not suitable for you, please get in touch with me immediately.

The salary for this position is [salary amount] paid through [mode of payment]. You may be eligible for an annual performance bonus, depending on your work performance and your continued employment with [Company name].

Your work time will be from [day] to [day] and [time] to [time]. You are expected to put in [number of hours] hours of work per week.

As an employee of [Company name], you are entitled to a total of [number of leave] days of annual paid leaves. You are entitled to the Company’s [give details of types of benefits] insurance benefits. [The Company] will reimburse you for [state types of expenses/benefits] every month as per the company policy.

Once you accept this offer, you will be on probation for a minimum of [number of months] months. During this time, either party can terminate the employment relationship at any time by giving [number or months or weeks’] notice.

Kindly sign the enclosed copy of this letter to accept the offer and return the same to us by [date].

If you need further assistance or have any concerns, contact me at [contact details]. We look forward to you joining us.

Sincerely,

[Your name and title]

Job Offer Letter Sample: Email Job Offer Letter Template

Email subject line: [Company name] Job Offer

Dear [Candidate name],

It is with great pleasure that I am writing to you to offer you the position of [Position title] with [Company name]. Your experience and enthusiasm will be an asset to our company.

Your expected start date will be [start date]. This is a [part/full] time position. You’ll be reporting to [Name of the manager].

We will be offering you an annual gross salary of [salary amount] and [mention bonus or commission, if applicable]. You will also have [mention types of benefits offered as per company policy, like health and insurance plan, or travel expenses] and [number of days] days of paid leave or vacation time per year.

I have attached the document that outlines your salary and benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment. Please review it and send your response by [date].

In the meantime, if you have concerns or need further assistance, please feel free to contact me via email or phone on [provide contact details].

We look forward to welcoming you as part of the [Company name] Team!

Best Regards,

Your Name
Your Position/Title
Your Company Name

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a Job Offer Letter Legally Binding?

Yes, an employment offer letter is a legally binding document once the employee signs the letter to confirm the acceptance. It shows that an agreement was reached between the two parties.

Can an Employer Take Back a Job Offer?

Yes. An employer may take back a job offer without providing any reason at any time until it is accepted.

What is the Difference Between an Offer Letter and a Contract?

Many people consider an offer letter and a contract to be the same, but they aren’t. A job offer letter is a formal offer that describes what the job entails and what the employee can expect from the job. A contract gives out a complete outline of the role and responsibilities of a position with an employment period. However, both of the documents require the prospective employee’s signature.

When to Send a Formal Offer Letter or Email to Candidates?

Before sending a formal job offer letter, the candidate is usually contacted via phone.

Only when the candidate verbally accepts the job offer via phone, a formal letter of employment is sent to make the deal official.

How Can You Improve Your Job offer
Acceptance Rate?

Here are a few ways you can improve your job offer
acceptance rate:

Ensure your job offers are competitive.
Communicate with candidates effectively.
Be clear and consistent about the job.
Discuss any issues such as inflexible working hours, long commute, etc. during the interview.
Mind your candidate experience.

How Can You Make Your Formal Job Offer Letter More Appealing to the Applicant?

Here are some ways you can adopt to make your employment offer letter more appealing to candidates:

Your job offer letter should reflect warmness and express a genuine invitation to the candidate to join your company.
Express excitement to make the candidate feel welcome.
Let the candidates know about the company’s goal and how their contribution can help the company and their career grow.
Make the candidates feel that your company wants and needs them.