Should You Write a Formal Job Offer Letter?

Confused about whether or not you should write an offer letter?

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A job offer letter is a formal written document sent by an employer to the job candidate you are offering employment too. Typically, the hiring manager or HR department will reach out with a phone call to let the person know they are being offered the position. Most times (not always) depending on companies policies the phone call is followed with a formal offer letter.

The hiring process can be strenuous for both applicants and the hiring managers. As if there wasn’t already a ton of things to think about when it comes to making an addition to your staff. As an employer in the hiring process, you have invested a ton of time screening applications and interviewing potential fits all in the hopes of finding the right fit. In addition to all of this, you also have to offer the person the job, onboard them, and train them which is entirely another project.

So, why add a formal letter to the process?

Before you throw out writing an offer letter all together you might just want to consider thinking about the applicant you want to move forward with. Being someone on the other side of things isn’t always easy, in fact, most of the time for job seekers it’s an incredibly stressful and discouraging process. They might have been on the search for months, done countless interviews that got them nowhere and by this point they are probably desperate to find something. While they may just accept the job when you verbally offer it to them, it isn’t the best practice.

An offer letter is written to basically let your new hire know exactly what they are getting when they come onto your team. Even though you may give your new hire a feel for basics on what to expect during a phone call, you may not outline the conditions of employment clearly enough. Miscommunication during this process could result in turnover because the candidate got less than they expected.

The details you include in an offer letter are what will tell your potential new hire exactly what they are getting and if they want to proceed and accept your offer.

The job offer should include the following basics:

• Job description
• Job title
• Reporting structure
• Start date
• Salary
• Benefits and eligibility
• Probationary periods
• Acknowledgment of Offer and Acceptance
• And any additional applicable information.  

This will help both you and the employee understand the details and conditions of employment which in turn will result in a more positive experience.

For a more detailed overview of what you should include check out our guide on How to Write an Offer Letter.