Job Offer Letter: After the selection of the candidate for a position, the company has to send an offer letter to them as a confirmation of the job offer. The offer letter is sent to the candidate after checking his/her background. Also, before offering the job, the candidate is explained about the roles and responsibilities, terms and conditions, and other details related to the position he/she has been offered.
The offer letter consists of the company logo, contact details, date, job description, contingencies, At-will status, salary package, benefits, expiration date, and disclaimer. The job offer letter is always a formal letter, given to the hired candidates. If the candidates agree for the declaration mentioned in the offer letter, they need to sign it and submit it to the company. Only then, the company considers the offer accepted by the candidate.
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The offer letter is usually sent through the mail, once the background check is done. The offer letter is different from the employee contract. It is not a legal employment bond or agreement. But it is necessary that the offer letter should look professional before it is sent to the candidate.
To make it easy for the employer to write the offer letter for a job, we are presenting here a format and samples of the offer letter.
Job Offer Letter Format
A job offer letter is presented to the candidates who have been selected for a position in the company. The format of the job offer letter is given here. The offer letter includes:
- Employer Address
- Contact Information
- Hiring Manager Details
- Job Title
- Date of joining
- Office timings
- Salary package offered
- Benefits and compensation
- Company policies
- Probation period
- At-will status
How To Write a Job Offer Letter?
Let us have a look at the points included in the offer letter.
- Contact Details of Candidate: At the top left-hand corner, the offer letter include
- Date
- Candidate’s Name
- Candidate’s Address
- Introduction/Greetings: Address the employee by greeting him/her such as Dear [Name of the candidate]. Appreciate them for reaching this stage of the hiring process and getting an offer letter, like We are excited to offer you the position of [name of the position] at [company name].
- Job Description: In this section, the company states the job roles and responsibilities offered to the candidate. It includes the job title, the start date of the job, job type (full-time or part-time), job location, name of their manager or supervisor, etc.
- Contingencies: If there are contingencies for which a company is formally dependent on the employee, then the same should be mentioned in the offer letter. For example, passing a drug test, submitting important documents, or performing certain tasks.
- Compensation: The compensation section is the most important part of a job offer letter. Companies need to explain the compensation package given to the employee, precisely. It should be mentioned in the letter, the amount the employee will be making on an hourly or daily or annual basis. Also, how often they will be paid, payment cycle and other payment methods. If there are bonuses, commission structure for the job role, it should be mentioned in the letter.
- At-will Statement: This is the clause where a company holds the right to terminate the employee at any point and at any time and for any reason. It prevents any contractual obligations. It is recommendable to consult with a legal professional while describing the at-will statement in the letter.
- Benefits: In this section, the benefits provided to the employees should be mentioned. The benefits attract the employees to sign the offer letter. The benefits should be mentioned briefly, later which can be expanded during the on-boarding process. Some of the benefits are listed out here as a sample. The employer can list more benefits as per their company.
- Insurance coverage
- 401(k) plan
- Paid time off
- Flexible spending accounts
- Educational assistance
- Flexible work hours
- Work from home options
- Expiration Date: While finishing up with your letter, the employer needs to decide whether they have to mention the expiration date of the letter or not. It is recommendable to mention the expiration date so that the company does not lose the qualified candidates if the currently selected candidate denies accepting the offer letter. Give a minimum of a one-week deadline to the candidate to ask him to respond. If the candidate does not give a response in a week, then you can shift to other potential candidates.
- Closing of Letter: Close your letter in such a way that the candidates feel excited to join your company. Mention the contact details, so that candidates can reach you for any queries. Also mention a line where candidates can put their sign and date, if they accept the offer.
- Disclaimer: A brief disclaimer should be given mentioning the letter is just for the information and not an agreement or bond. Companies can take the help of lawyers to use proper language carrying contractual implications.
Job Offer Letter Template
A general format of the job offer letter is given here in the below table:
Job Offer Letter Sample
FAQ’s on Job Offer Letter
Question 1.
What is a job offer letter?
Answer:
A job offer letter is an official letter or a business letter provided by the company to the candidates when they are selected for a job role. This is not an agreement or a contractual bond. The offer letter is sent to the candidate through email usually otherwise by post. The candidate has to respond to the offer letter before the expiration date, or else the candidature will be cancelled.
Question 2.
How to write a job offer letter?
Answer:
The offer letter includes:
- Name and Address of the candidate
- Employer Address
- Contact Information
- Hiring Manager Details
- Job Title
- Date of joining
- Office timings
- Salary package offered
- Benefits and compensation
- Company policies
- Probation period
- At-will status
Question 3.
What is at-will status in an offer letter?
Answer:
The At-will status is a declaration, where a company holds the right to terminate the employee at any point and at any time and for any reason. It prevents any contractual obligations. It is recommendable to consult with a legal professional while describing the at-will statement in the letter.
Question 4.
Is the offer letter and appointment letter the same?
Answer:
No, offer letter and appointment letter are different formal letters. An offer letter is sent to the candidate when he is selected for a job role and he/she confirms the norms as mentioned by the company in the letter. An appointment letter is a confirmation letter, given when the candidate has accepted the offer from the company.