You’ve made it through the time-consuming stages of the hiring process, from job posting to interviews, to candidate evaluations. You’ve found the right person for the job, and you can’t wait to have them join your team.
There’s just one thing left to do! It’s time to craft the perfect offer letter.
At CareerPlug, we know that the offer letter is one last step in providing a positive candidate experience so that you can close the deal with your top candidates. That’s why we created five offer letter templates that you can use in a variety of circumstances to make the final stage of your hiring process a little easier.
Use these offer letter templates as a guidepost to ensure professionalism and feel confident that you’re including all the right information for your new hires.
What is an offer letter?
Though a job offer can be made verbally to candidates, it’s also important to put an offer in writing in the form of an offer letter.
An offer letter outlines the details of an offer with specific information about the role. Sending offer letters to candidates is how you officially make sure they are interested in the role and that they agree to the job terms.
For some great tips on putting together your offer and presenting it to your soon-to-be new hire, check out this video from our Senior Director of Human Resources, Natalie Morgan:
What should be included in offer letters?
Offer letters can be customized to fit your needs as a company. You can add personal touches that align with your company’s brand and values, but there are a few things offer letters in most circumstances should always include like:
- Job title
- Type of employment (full-time or part-time)
- Start date
- Compensation
- Benefits
- At-will statements (for all states but Montana)
Some other elements you might add:
- Any contingencies (like background checks or drug screens)
- Company logo
- Job description
- Work schedule
- Bonus information
- Offer letter expiration date
Offer letter templates
We have created a variety of templates for you to choose from so that you can find one that’s right for the position you are hiring for.
Under each template section, you’ll see two options. To download a PDF version of each offer letter, click the blue button. You can edit these using a PDF editor or by simply copy and pasting the content into a new document. Alternatively, if you click on the Microsoft Word template button, a Word doc will download right to your computer that you will be able to edit in Word.
General offer letter template
For most positions, this general offer letter template should do the trick. This example of an offer letter shows that it’s ok to keep it simple and leaves plenty of room for customization.
Internal/promotion offer letter template
It’s a good idea to send an offer letter even when you are offering a job to someone that already works for your company. Your employee will likely already be aware of the details of the role, but be sure to include information like the title of their new position, new compensation, and other relevant changes.
Give your employee time to review this internal change or promotion and be sure to make yourself available for answering any questions. Here’s a template that you can use when sending an offer letter to someone that already works for your company.
Formal offer letter template
For certain companies and positions, you might be inclined to draft a more formal offer letter. This kind of letter is usually more comprehensive with a highly professional tone. Small touches, like breaking your offer letter into sections (as seen in our template) or even including a table of contents can make an offer letter more formal, perfect for those top choice candidates that you are offering an important role within your company.
Casual offer letter template
Though offer letters are professional types of correspondence, they don’t all have to be formal. If you’re looking for an offer letter that gets the point across in a more casual way, then this template is right for you.
Internship offer letter template
If you are adding an intern to the team, it’s a good idea to send an offer letter that outlines the details of this position. Since many internships are unpaid, this offer will be a little different.
Tips for delivering your offer letter
58% of candidates turn down offers due to a negative candidate experience, so make sure you’re keeping a strong candidate experience until the very end, even at the offer stage.
Delivery of the offer is just as important as the offer itself. Don’t send an offer letter without a conversation. Invite candidates in to deliver your offer in person or schedule a video call to present your offer virtually.
At CareerPlug, we schedule a quick meeting with candidates to go over the details of the offer and answer any additional questions they might have. This is a good time to let candidates know when we need an answer and that we are available to answer any other questions as candidates consider the offer.
Show enthusiasm when presenting your offer to candidates. We like to make the offer conversation feel like a big deal — because it is!
If you are transparent in earlier stages of the hiring process regarding elements of the role like compensation, benefits, and job responsibilities, then the offer letter should just be reinstating things your final stage candidates already know. Candidates appreciate this transparency and it can help you feel more confident that candidates you send offers to will accept.
If you are sensing hesitation with your candidate, it’s ok to ask them if they are weighing other options or if they’re willing to share what’s holding them back. Remember, not everyone is going to be a match for your company, and that’s ok. You can learn something from every hiring process and make adjustments as you go.
The offer letter is one of the many important stages in a good hiring process and a positive candidate experience. We hope that these offer letter templates will be helpful for the next letter you need to send. Happy hiring!
