How to write a job offer email
The job offer email is all about closing the deal. Watch our video to learn how to write a job offer email that gets accepted by your top candidate.
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Download our job offer letter template
Check out our job offer letter template to help you write an offer letter that gets accepted by your top candidate.
More tips on writing and negotiating job offers
We’ve got more of what you need to make attractive job offers to your preferred candidates. Check out these related articles and guides for writing and negotiating job offers.
Job offer FAQs
Employers may approach job offers in different ways. Job offer letters typically include the job title, start date, work hours, office location, salary and benefits information. You may also choose to give candidates additional information to allow them to accept or decline your offer. This could include attaching a few important documents, such as company policies, benefits info and compensation structure.
Employers typically send a job offer email after extending an initial offer over phone or video chat. According to an Indeed survey, 72% of candidates received a job offer in one week or less after their final interview,* so it’s common to send written job offers shortly after making a hiring decision.
*Source: Indeed survey, n=750
Written job offers typically present candidates with the basic terms of employment. Employers often provide additional information, such as company policies, at the time the employee is onboarded and officially begins their employment. An employment contract, on the other hand, is a legally binding document that usually has more specific terms and conditions that must be agreed to by both the employee and the employer. Employment contracts are not typically used for the average worker in the United States because employment is generally at-will.
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Video transcript
Today’s hiring question comes from Hank, a construction company owner. He asks, “We’re ready to make an offer, but what goes into an offer letter?” Congrats on finding someone, Hank. But before you pour the concrete, let’s go over the blueprints.
Offer letters
According to a recent Indeed survey, 47% of candidates received their job offer within one week of their final interview. So don’t make your top candidate wait too long. Hiring someone is exciting, so call them up to deliver the good news. It’s more personal than an email and you can gauge their interest, adjust numbers and nail down a start date before sending them the official letter. Oh, sorry. I’ll call you back.
Add curb appeal
Keep in mind, the main goal of an offer letter is to encourage your top candidate to accept. So make it enticing. Start with an email subject line that’s informative of under 50 characters and includes your company name. Let’s take a look at this one. Your journey awaits. Not informative. Let’s try to tighten it up. Informative.
Now, in the opening line of the letter, address them by name. Congratulate them and be enthusiastic. You can make your opening line as formal…”Congratulations from Hank’s classes. We are happy to offer you the position of Project Manager.” Or casual as you like, depending on your company.
The must-haves
And now for the nuts and bolts of your letter. Always include the job title start date, office location, salary and benefits.
Attachments
You want to give candidates enough information to accept or decline your offer, so help them along by attaching a few important documents, such as company policies, benefits info and compensation structure.
Every good offer letter needs a good call to action, so ask your candidate to reply to the e-mail by a certain date. And if all goes well, to sign the offer and return it back to you.
Post a job
Looks like it’s time to clean up and clock out. And that’s okay because you’ve got all the tools you need to write a compelling offer letter. But first, you have to post a job. When you’re ready, go to indeed.com/hire and get your top candidates to go from our job site to yours.