How to write a job offer letter to make people want to work with you + free templates
A job offer letter is a way to get your relationship with your new team member started on the right foot.
It takes time - lots of time - to find the right person to do the job you need. Only 2% of job candidates who apply for a job are selected for an interview. Others will receive a job rejection email. Of those who get the offer, it takes 3 weeks on average for the official job offer letter to be made.
That’s a lot of time bandying about when you could be onboarding the new employee and getting them up to speed. Here is where having a job offer template that works can come in very handy.
Having a tailored job offer template not only saves you time as an HR leader, but helps to make a professional and personalised candidate experience for every candidate who joins your team.
I’d like to draw from my own experience with organisational design at Charlie and show you how to write a job offer letter, and offer some useful job offer letter templates you can use in a pinch.
What is a job offer letter template?
A job offer letter formerly extends a job offer to a candidate.
It sets the terms of the working arrangement and includes details of the position like compensation and benefits and the start date of the role. You can think of it as the first step of the onboarding process, it helps the candidate to feel welcomed by your organisation.
Key component of a job offer letter template
There are a few things you ought to include in your job offer letter:
1. Job Title and Description
Start with the official job title and a brief description of the role (in line with the job description you put online), to ensure clarity about what position is being offered and what the candidate can expect.
2. Start Date and Employment Duration
Include the proposed start date for the candidate’s first day, and the duration of employment where it applies (e.g. for part-time and contract positions).
3. Salary and Compensation Details
Spell out the salary details including bonuses and incentives, and the payment schedule (monthly, bi-weekly, etc.) This is often a point of contention in job offer letters, and removing ambiguity here would help get things started on the right foot.
4. Benefits and Perks
Outline what benefits are included in the compensation package, like pension contributions, holiday pay, and any unique perks like flexible work policy.
5. Working Hours and Location
Clarify the core work hours, if any, as well as the physical location to report to. If flexible working or remote work arrangements are options, be sure to mention that as well.
6. Conditions of employment
Do you require any references? Or a background check? Do you need the candidate to sign a confidentiality agreement? This is the place to tell them.
7. Expiration Date
Tell the candidate when to respond to the offer letter with their decision.
Having a well-written job offer letter communicates the details of the position to the candidate, but it also sets a foundation for professional and transparent communication between you and your new team member.
Best Practices for Writing a Job Offer Letter
The job offer letter you send the job candidate is the very beginning of your working relationship - and the way you word it can go a long way towards setting them up for their early success.
There are some best practices for writing a job offer letter which I suggest you follow:
- Use a Positive, Welcoming Tone: Make a good first impression and make the candidate feel welcomed. It’ll help them feel valued and be excited about the opportunity to work for you.
- Be Clear and Concise: Avoid any ambiguous language and speak in direct terms. Be straightforward and to the point.
- Personalise the Letter: Even if you use a template, customise it to be specific to the candidate and use their name and the role they interviewed for (you should do the same when you send an interview invite email). That shows your genuine interest in them and that you respect them as an individual.
- Encourage Questions: Invite curiosity and give the candidate the chance to ask about any specific details of the offer. Provide the contact details of any specific person in your organisation they can come to for questions.
Job Offer Letter Templates
Job offer letter templates make the onboarding process fast, easy, and simple. It gives you a standardised way to onboard your new employees that makes sure the working relationship goes off to a smooth start.
I’ll show you a job offer letter template example you can use. Feel free to copy and customise it to fit the role and your company culture.
Standard Job Offer Letter Template
Template for job offer letter
Hey + [name],
Following on from our call, we’re writing to formally invite you to join us as a member of xxx, as a [role].
As we’ve discussed, if you accept, your start date with us would be [date].
It’s been a pleasure getting to know you throughout the interview process. We’re very excited to have you join us and help us deliver an excellent service to our customers. We’ve all loved getting to know you so far, and we’re excited to have you join the team.
As a company, we will face many exciting challenges over the coming months and years.
Adjustments & accommodations
Please let me know if you have any adjustments or accommodations that you’d need support with so we can make sure we’re setting you up for success :)
Compensation Package
Salary: you’ll be joining us on a base of £[x] per annum.
Pension: xxx
Holiday: All our team enjoy 25 days of holiday, plus public holidays.
Other benefits: xx
Probation
xxx from your start date will mark the end of your probation period. We see this time as an opportunity to focus on getting to know our processes and culture, and to mark the early days of your time here.
What you should do now
Please take the time to consider our offer and respond in writing within 5 working days to confirm if you’ll be joining us. If you have any questions about it, you can ask me directly.
Best wishes,
[Your name]
P.S. Our culture runs on feedback, so we’d love to know your thoughts on our hiring process…
This template gives the candidate a warm welcome and gives them all the details they need to make an informed decision about whether to accept your offer. It also invites interview feedback from the candidate that you can use to improve your hiring process. It’s informative, it’s engaging, and it makes the candidate feel excited to join your team.
Use Charlie to Create Your Job Offer Letter Templates
Extending a job offer is an important step in the recruitment process. It creates a solid foundation for the new team member to grow professionally and add value to your organisation. It’s worth adding a personal touch to these letters, and a job offer template can help you do that in a standardised way.
For more templates you can use as part of your recruitment strategy, Charlie has a whole library of useful HR templates you can download.
Charlie can also help you store all your HR documents in one place. Give it a go and try Charlie for free today.
