Ever wondered what is one of the toughest jobs for HRs?
What is the one function of HR that ensures that the right people enter the organization?
It’s one of the most important and, yet underpaid jobs: Recruitment and Hiring.
Recruitment of employees is not an easy task. HRs’ take days to review the resumes and sit through several rounds of interviews to find the right candidate for a job position.
But what happens after the recruitment phase is over?
After all the effort you take as an HR manager to evaluate the resumes and choose the right candidate, the next job is to make a unique job offer to the selected candidate.
What Is A Job Offer?
A job offer is an invitation to a potential candidate to work in your organization in a specific position.
Also known as an employment offer letter, it includes the key details about the job such as the job details, salary, compensations, benefits, etc.
Different organizations have different company policies to offer jobs. If the job is offered verbally, the selected candidate gets a call from the managers.
Sometimes organizations also send an e-mail or a write-up to the selected candidate.
But whichever policy is adopted by the organization, in the end it has to be followed up by a formal job offer letter agreement where the details of the job employment are clearly specified in a proper letter format.
What Is Included In A Job Offer Letter?
A job offer letter, also called a Letter of Intent, is sent by the employer to the potential hire which ensures and guarantees the candidate receiving the letter, for a position in the organization.
The formal offer of employment includes a sample job offer email along with a formal job offer attachment that covers the employment conditions and other relevant information
A job offer letter includes certain details of employment such as
Importance Of Job Offer
So you were successful in finding the perfect candidate for the vacant position. But now what?
The next step is to put that job offer in writing.
Job offer letters initiate the employment relationship with an employer. You have the freedom to mention everything about the roles and responsibilities of the candidate, just make sure you don’t end up promising more than you can deliver.
Keep the tone direct and positive. Let the candidate know that you acknowledge their skills and experience they bring to your company.
This encourages the potential new employee to accept the offer, and if not, then it gives them the confidence to look for other potential opportunities without hurting the reputation and relationship with a company.
It also serves as a legal agreement between employee and employer, so you need to make sure all the details in the agreement are legit and in accordance with the company policies.
Every organization may have different situations that can require different job letters for employees.
Being clear about the position offered to a candidate is key to maintain a healthy relationship between the organization and employee throughout the employment period
Keeping that in mind, you have collected the data required to draft a sample offer letter.
Here are 10 job offer letter templates that will assist you in your time of need.
1. General Job Offer Template
If you have found the perfect candidate for a particular position in your organization, then a general job letter should do the job for you.
The template can be customized according to the details you think will be applicable for that candidate to turn his/her response in your favour.
You should draft the letter in such a manner that all the possible details that could be required by the candidate are properly mentioned like position details and salary details, etc.
If you have certain company policies and norms that you would like to convey, you can attach that as well with the offer letter email along with documents such as KYC details that are required to be signed by the candidate, should they accept the offer.
Here is a template you can download and edit by clicking below.
2. Formal Job Offer Template
When your organization is offering a full-time position to a candidate, then the formal job letter template comes into the picture. This type of offer letter contains a sample job offer email and also a formal job offer attachment.
Now usually some extensive terms are added to this type of job offer such as
1. Details of the position
2. Remuneration
3. Bonus and Compensation
4. Benefits of Employee
5. Privacy policy
6. Termination conditions
Here is a template you can download and edit by clicking below.
3. Informal Job Offer Template
This kind of job offer is not as comprehensive as the formal job offer. It is a brief version of the standard official employment offer.
An informal job letter consists of terms and conditions that are agreed upon with the candidate at the time of the hiring process.
Being clear about the position of the candidate and its related details for both the employer and employee is the right direction to start on a good note. Won’t you agree?
So, here is a template for you that you can use when authoring a job position for the selected candidate. This letter enables the candidate to acknowledge your offer via email.
This letter sample will be less formal and will cover the basic details of the job offer before sending the comprehensive one.
Here is a template you can download and edit by clicking below.
4. Part-Time to Full-Time Job Offer Template
There can be certain instances where you would like to switch a part-time employee working at a particular position in your company to work as a full-time employee.
But how do you formally make an offer for this position to the candidate?
We have curated the perfect template for you to send to the said candidate with all the detail that can be required for this proposal.
While sending this letter sample you need to make sure that the candidate is on the same plate as you and is ready to agree to the company policies applicable to a full-time employee.
Here is a template you can download and edit by clicking below.
5. Warm-Up Job Offer Template
There are a lot of instances where you conduct an interview and select a candidate but you still want a face-to-face interview with the candidate to discuss the important details regarding the employment terms and conditions.
In such cases, you can send a warm-up offer letter to discuss and negotiate with the candidate on a one-on-one basis.
Here is a template you can download and edit by clicking below.
6. Internal Job Offer Template
Sometimes you might offer new positions in your organizations that are perfect for the employees already working in your company.
Even though it is for an existing employee, the company has to issue a formal letter stating the change in position and the details adhering to it.
The HR Team sends an offer letter to make the offer official and follow standard company procedures to make it legal.
Pro Tip: You can keep the email tone positive to get the employee excited and motivated for the new job role.
Here is a template you can download and edit by clicking below.
7. Workable Job Offer Template
This template is used by the HR of the company to send to the new employees in a team. The workable offer letter has a limited validity period.
The selected/potential candidate or workable get this formal offer letter from the HRs of the company.
Here is a template you can download and edit by clicking below.
8. Internship Appointment Template
Sometimes companies offer a position to the freshers or students who have recently graduated or are seeking to increase their knowledge in the form of internships.
The duration of this type varies from 3 months to 6 months depending on the company’s requirement.
It has become very popular to take a qualified candidate as an intern and give them knowledge and hands-on experience in their field of interest.
Most companies are following this practice and we have a template that will help you if you want to send an internship offer to a candidate.
Here is a template you can download and edit by clicking below.
9. Part-Time Job Offer Template
Part-time jobs are contract-based jobs wherein a potential candidate does not have to report to office 24*7.
The working hours are pre-determined by the employer which is usually a fixed number of hours each day or each week.
Here is a template you can download and edit by clicking below.
10. Layoff Letter Template
Sometimes the HR/Manager of a company has to let go of some employees due to reasons varying from one company to another.
In such cases, a layoff letter is given to that employee stating the reason and the date it will be effective from (date).
This type of letter is issued by a company when they need to terminate an employee with reasons not directly related to the job performance or the professional behaviour of that candidate.
Restructuring, economic factors, mergers, allocations, buyouts, etc are some examples that can lead to this step by the managers for a candidate.
Here is a template you can download and edit by clicking below.
Guidelines On Writing A Job Offer Letter:
1. Company Logo
Make sure you use the official letterhead of your company with the logo. This will ensure professionalism and make your letter legitimate, encouraging the candidate to read the terms thoroughly.
2. Date And Contact Details
The date, full name of the candidate, and the address of both parties should be clearly specified in the email offer letter.
3. Opening Line
Depending on your company culture, you can make the tone of the opening line formal or casual.
4. Specific Details About The Job
This section of the standard offer letter includes the job title, expected start date, job location (remote or office), the type of employment (full-time or part-time), official address of the company, name of the supervisor or manager, and the terms and conditions of the company.
5. Contingencies
If the offer letter is contingent on the candidate completing certain documents or performing tasks, you need to mention it in the letter. This can include a background check, drug test, I-9 form, reference checks, etc. This can be collected even for purpose of health insurance offered by the company.
6. Salary
This includes the explanation of the annual salary structure of the candidate and the mode of payment. If you want you can also include the bonus and commission structure as well.
Note: The candidate has the right to negotiate the salary structure before joining your company.
7. Benefits
Provide a summary of the key benefits of the company that is provided to the employees.
This can include medical insurance, dental insurance, IRA, maternity leaves, health insurance, vacation time, or work-from-home options in certain circumstances.
8. Expiry Date
It depends on you if you want to include an expiry date in the offer letter.
If you wish to include one, make sure to keep it valid for at least one week, giving a chance to the candidate to properly evaluate the pros and cons before joining the company.
It also gives you time to find other prospects in case your preferred candidate does not accept the job position.
9. Signatures Required
It is important to make sure that the letter is authentic and mutually agreed upon by you and your potential hire.
A signature space should be included in the letter for such purposes.
If you do not have a dedicated HR manager for the same, the CEO or MD can sign the letter if the applicant accepts the job offered.
10. Closing Line:
This should include the contact information of the person whom the candidate can connect with in case he/she has some doubts regarding the offer.
How To Create Offer Letter Without Contractual Implications (only For The U.S.A.)
After the phase of recruitment is over and you have decided to hire a suitable candidate for a specific position in your company, you will give an offer letter to that said person for the position.
The employment letter will include the candidate’s signature on the offer letter stating he/she has accepted your proposal along with the terms.
However, as an employer, you should be careful about the tone and language used when drafting the letter to ensure that it is not mistaken as an employment contract or agreement.
To avoid creating a contractual agreement, you should mention a statement explicitly stating that the employment is at-will (except in Montana).
At-will employment is a doctrine that clearly states that the employment relationship can be subject to termination by the employer/employee at any point in time without any reason.
The employment-at-will is invalid the minute contract language is introduced.
You should be aware of the terms to include in the offer to not inadvertently add elements that can be harmful to your company.
Common elements such as the duration of the job, job requirements and responsibilities, and the grounds of termination or resignation should be avoided.
You can create a generic offer letter with a standard format that is flexible to use for all job positions in your company.
Offer Letter Vs Employment Contract
As an employer, you need to decide the status of the contract, that is if you want a binding contract with the candidate or not. Accordingly, you will either issue an offer letter or an employment contract.
An offer letter is unofficial by nature but an employment contract is the exact opposite.
An offer letter :
An employment contract :
Employee Of The Month Certificate
You can take an extra step to increase the morale of your employees by introducing a tradition of selecting an “Employee of the month” award.
It will recognize their dedication towards the work they do for your organization and will also make sure they know that your company will always recognize good work and reward it.
To make your life easier, here is an Employee of the Month certificate template that you can use to reward your potential employees.
Bonus – Here is format for “TERMS OF EMPLOYEMENT” as well
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Frequently Asked Questions ( F.A.Q.)
1. Is a job offer legally binding for a candidate?
Landing a job offer is a huge thing in this competitive economy. So if you get an offer letter, give yourself a cheer or two because you deserve it.
But before you sign the offer keep in mind that you are signing a binding contract with the said company. So as a candidate you need to read all the terms mentioned in the letter before signing it.
Once someone accepts an “unconditional” offer letter, they are in a legally binding contract with the company.
However, a conditional offer letter can be withdrawn if the candidate does not meet the requirement of the employer.
2. What is the difference between an offer letter and a contract?
Many people assume that an offer letter and contracts are one and the same thing. But they are not.
A job offer letter is a formal letter that contains the terms of employment.
A contract on the other hand gives out the roles and responsibilities of the candidate with an employment period.
However, both require the employee’s signature.
3. Can an employer take back a job offer?
Yes, an employer has the right to take back an offer at any time provided it is not accepted by the candidate.
4. When to send a formal job offer letter or a job offer email to a candidate?
Before sending a formal document, the candidate is usually contacted via phone.
Only when the potential candidate verbally accepts the job offer, a formal letter from the employer to the employee is sent to make the deal official.
