If you’re ready to extend a warm and professional welcome to your newly hired employee, you’ll need to create a job offer letter that covers all the bases. A job offer letter is a formal document that a company sends to a candidate after it’s decided to hire them for a specific position.
Whether you’re a seasoned HR professional or a small business owner, this go-to resource will help you understand the essentials of a job offer letter. We’ll walk you through the key information the letter should contain, the critical legal factors to ensure compliance, and job offer letter templates.
What is a job offer letter?
A job offer letter is a formal document that a company sends to a prospective employee for a position. It’s usually sent after the candidate has successfully completed interviews and other vetting and the employer has decided to extend a job offer.
What to include in a job offer letter
A job offer letter should include these thirteen key components:
1 Welcome message
A welcome message may be included at the beginning of the letter to congratulate the candidate on being offered the new position.
2 Job title
Include the specific title and role the candidate is being offered.
3 Salary and compensation
The salary is the wages the candidate will receive, including any bonuses or other monetary benefits they are entitled to.
4 Start date
This is the proposed date that the candidate is expected to begin working.
5 Employment type
Specify whether the employment is full-time, part-time, temporary, or permanent.
6 Work schedule
The work schedule lists the regular working hours or shifts the employee will be expected to follow. If the candidate’s hours will vary, the offer letter should detail how they can find or arrange their expected working hours after they’re hired. This includes remote or hybrid work schedules.
7 Reporting structure
Include details about whom the employee will report to and that point person’s position within the organization.
8 Terms and conditions
Be sure to give any specific terms, conditions, or requirements of employment, such as a probationary period, nondisclosure agreements, or noncompete clauses.
9 Benefits and perks
Give information about the benefits package, like health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other perks.
10 Confidentiality and company policies
Provide an overview of the company’s policies and expectations regarding confidentiality, code of conduct, and other relevant guidelines.
11 Acceptance deadline
Be sure to include a date by which you need the candidate to respond to the offer. A week after the position is offered is a typical timeframe.
12 Contact information
Include the contact details of the hiring manager or HR representative to address any questions or concerns.
13 Signature
The letter is usually signed by an authorized representative of the company or the hiring manager.
Job offer legal considerations
To avoid legal snafus, don’t use language that could create any unintended contractual obligations. It’s also important to include information about at-will employment if it applies to your jurisdiction. Explicitly state the company’s right to terminate employment at any time and for any lawful cause.
Job offer letter templates
Ready to write an offer letter? Try using Grammarly’s AI writing assistance to create a job offer letter template or draft. Here are two job offer letter templates that you can follow.
Standard job offer letter template
[Your company name] [Your company address] [City, state, zip code] [Date] [Applicant’s name] [Applicant’s address] [City, state, zip code]
Dear [Applicant’s name],
We are delighted to extend an offer of employment for the position of [job title] at [your company name]. After careful review of your qualifications and experience, we are confident that you will be a valuable addition to our team.
As we discussed, your job title will be [job title]. Your first day of [full-time or part-time, temporary or permanent] work will begin on [start date]. After that date, your working hours will be [work schedule]. You will report to [supervisor/manager’s name].
As for compensation and benefits, you’ll start at [salary and compensation] with an opportunity for a salary change after your one-year review. Your benefits include [benefits and perks].
Please note that your employment with [your company name] is at will, which means that either you or [your company name] may terminate the employment relationship at any time and for any reason, with or without cause or advance notice.
Your employment with [your company name] is contingent upon the successful completion of any required background checks and verification of your eligibility to work in [country/region]. Additionally, you will be required to sign and comply with our company’s policies and confidentiality agreement.
Please indicate your acceptance of this job offer by signing and returning a copy of this letter by [acceptance deadline date] via email at [your email address].
We are excited to have you join our team, and we look forward to working with you to achieve our shared goals. Should you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at [your phone number] or [your email address].
Congratulations once again on your new role, and we hope to receive a positive response from you.
Sincerely,
[Your name] [Your title] [Your company name] [Your email address] [Your phone number]
Internship job offer letter template
[Your company name] [Your company address] [City, state, zip code] [Date] [Applicant’s name] [Applicant’s address] [City, state, zip code]
Dear [Applicant’s name],
We are pleased to extend an internship offer for the position of [internship title] at [your company name]. After careful consideration, we’re confident you will be a valuable addition to our intern program.
Internship details:
- Title: [internship title]
- Start date: [start date]
- Employment type and working hours: Part-time (approximately [number of hours] hours per week)
- Schedule: [days and times of the week]
- Hourly rate: [hourly wage]
Please note that your internship with [your company name] is on a part-time, at-will basis. This means that either you or [your company name] may terminate the employment relationship at any time and for any reason, with or without cause or advance notice.
Your internship with [your company name] is contingent upon the successful completion of any required background checks and verification of your eligibility to work in [country/region]. You will be required to sign and comply with our company’s policies and confidentiality agreement.
Please confirm your acceptance of this offer by signing and returning a copy of this letter by [acceptance deadline date] via email at [your email address].
We are excited to have you join our intern program. We look forward to training you. Should you have any questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to contact me at [your phone number] or [your email address].
Congratulations once again on your offer! We’re looking forward to this [semester or season] with you.
Sincerely,
[Your name] [Your title] [Your company name] [Your email address] [Your phone number]
Job offer letter FAQs
What is a job offer letter?
A job offer letter is a formal written document issued by an employer to a selected candidate offering a specific job position. The job offer letter serves as an official confirmation of the job offer and is typically sent after the candidate has successfully gone through the interview process and the employer has decided to hire them for the role. Once the candidate accepts the offer by signing and returning the letter, it signifies their agreement to the stated terms and conditions.
What information is included in a job offer letter?
These are the thirteen key points to include in a job offer letter:
- Welcome message
- Job title
- Job description
- Salary and compensation
- Start date
- Employment type
- Work schedule
- Reporting structure
- Terms and conditions
- Benefits and perks
- Confidentiality and company policies
- Contact information
- Signature
What are the legal factors to consider when writing a job offer letter?
These are the three major legal factors to consider when writing a job offer letter:
- Unintended contractual obligations
- Accurate statement of the terms and conditions of employment
- At-will employment information
