If you’ve just got a job offer from a new employer- congrats. That’s because your job offer signifies a successful end to several days or even weeks of preparation for an interview.
A job offer means that you’re being given an opportunity to serve an employer of your choice and progress further in your career.
After all, you deserve some kudos for the fact that you did well at the interview and could impress the recruiter that you’re in a better position than others to fill up a vacancy and play the role.
However, your work doesn’t stop when you receive a job offer. You actually have to send an email of letter to accept the job offer. That’s because your letter will remain in records of the employer.
There’re several reasons why an acceptance letter- as it’s called- is important. Therefore, I’ll explain the significance of an email of letter to accept a job offer.
Importance of Job Acceptance Email
Most people underestimate the importance of an acceptance letter. There’re reasons why you should send an email or letter to accept the job offer for various reasons.
- A job acceptance email indicates that you’re ready to work on terms and conditions of the employer.
- It is also proof that you’re accepting the salary and perks offered by an employer.
- An acceptance letter is record of when you would be joining the employer.
- Such a letter indicates the designation at which you’re joining the new employer.
- An acceptance letter is a guarantee that you’ve will work for the organization in accordance with their internal rules and regulations.
Above all, you’re clearly sending a message to the new employer that you would be joining the organization from a specific date. This means, they needn’t look for other candidates to fill the vacancy that’s been given to you.
So how does one get about writing a letter to accept a job? Actually, it’s very simple and requires no complex words. In this article, I will discuss some best ways to write an acceptance email or letter.
Accepting a Job Offer Physically
So far, we’ve been talking about accepting a job offer by writing an email or a letter once you get an offer letter. Some organizations have an altogether different rule. They ask the incumbent to visit their offices and sign an acceptance form or a letter.
In such cases, you have little choice than to sign the letter of acceptance given by the organization, in its own specific format.
And then we also have instances where an employer invites the incumbent to the offices and personally hands over the job offer. In these cases, you’re expected to sign on a copy of the job offer and write a simple sentence stating your acceptance.
On campus hiring and during open interviews, an employer sometimes hands over a job offer personally too. These kinds of offer letters are simple.
It would have all the details printed and the employer will only fill in the blanks to include your name and date of joining. In such cases too, you don’t need to write an acceptance letter: a simple sentence of acceptance on the copy of this template would be usually enough.
If you’re called to an office to collect your job offer, the best thing to do is carry a letter of acceptance with you.
However, hand over the letter of acceptance only when you’re happy with the pay, terms and conditions of the job. Accepting a job offer in haste can lead to several unnecessary problems after you join an organization.
Accepting a Job Offer Over Video Call
As you’re aware, we’re living in the new normal following the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, most interviews and interactions between an employer and candidate occur over Zoom or other video conferencing software.
Therefore, there’s a good chance that your employer could make an offer over such a platform.
That’s because video conferencing platforms used by companies also allow document sharing. Hence, you might receive a job offer over some video conference software.
If this occurs, there’s nothing to worry. You can immediately type out an acceptance letter on your computer and share it online with the interviewer or the employer. Or you can write a brief email immediately to signify your acceptance.
Writing a Job Acceptance Letter
This brings us to the vital question: how to write an acceptance email or acceptance letter. That’s because most people are unaware of the system of writing a letter of acceptance. Others simply don’t know how to write one.
If you’re among any of these categories of people, don’t worry. Because in this article, I will discuss various ways and means to write a letter of acceptance that’s necessary to accept a job offer.
Write the Proper Name & Designation
Obviously, an email or offer letter will be signed by someone in charge of appointing you to hat role. It could be a Human Resources Manager or the employer themselves. Usually, the letter or email will bear their name and designation.
Therefore, on your letter of acceptance, address the letter clearly mention the name and designation of the person issuing your job offer. And include the full address of the company as well. Use the name, designation and address, regardless whether you’re writing an email or a physical letter.
And don’t forget to add the date on which you’re writing the letter. Even if you’re writing an email accepting a job offer, mention the date on the right-hand corner of the letter.
Subject Line
In the subject line of the email or a physical letter, clearly mention the words “Letter of Acceptance.” That has a direct impact on the person who receives your email.
A lot of incumbents commit a mistake by writing words such as “Thank You Letter.” This is very ambiguous since a thank you can be for anything such as rejecting a job offer or expressing gratitude for an interview call.
The subject line should always mention what the email or letter is all about. Therefore, use the words “Letter of Acceptance” only.
If you wish, you can add the designation or post at which you’ll be joining the organization. For example: “Letter of acceptance for post of marketing executive,” is also acceptable. However, whether or not to include the designation is solely your choice.
Expressing Gratitude for the Job
As a rule, always begin the letter of acceptance by expressing gratitude for the job. You can thank the person that signed your letter of offer in a few words.
For example, you could use words such as “Dear Ms./ Mr. XYZ, thank you for the offer letter, appointing me to the post of AAA,” as the opening line. This has a superb impact on the reader. That’s because you’re acknowledging their and the organization’s efforts to hire you and send you an offer letter.
You could also use words such as: “Dear Ms./ Mr. XYX, please accept my heartfelt gratitude for sending me the letter of offer for the post of AAA at your organization.”
Instead of using fixed templates, you could also use some creative words that would make your letter of acceptance memorable. However, take care to ensure that your letter of acceptance doesn’t sound comical in any way.
Accept Terms and Conditions
Now comes the most important part of your letter of acceptance. And that’s accepting the terms and conditions of the organization. Generally, these would be very clearly defined on the letter of offer. Therefore, take enough time to read them carefully and understand their implications on your job.
Actually, there’s nothing much to worry about with these terms and conditions. At the same time, you’ve to make sure that all the clauses are suitable for your career growth.
For example, a notice period that’s too long can become an impediment if you wish to look for another job in future. And the clause that a company can fire you anytime they wish means you would have no job security.
Therefore, read the terms and conditions carefully. And write on the letter of acceptance that you fully accept these terms and conditions in the second or third para of the letter.
This is very important because there should be no ambiguity later that could lead to a dispute between the employer and you at a later date.
Acceptance of the Salary
As a rule, all offer letters or email will mention your salary, allowances and other perks if any. Go through these carefully. You’ve to comprehend that your income is taxable. Therefore, all pay you get under various heads also comes under the ambit of the Internal Revenue Service while some are exempt.
Often, some employers will make a package in a manner that reduces your Income Tax liabilities. Others might not.
Therefore, read the salary and perks part of your letter of offer very carefully because you don’t want to be paying taxes on money that you would get only for the company use such as expense allowances to entertain company clients.
Mention clearly on your letter of acceptance that you’re ready to work with the salary and perks if any, offered in the job offer later. You can do so in the third para or fourth para of the letter.
Assure Your Best Services
And in the final para of the email or physical letter, assure the organization of your best services. Once again, you can thank them for providing you with an opportunity to work for the company.
Obviously, it goes without saying that you have to perform well at the given job. However, stating that on your letter of acceptance is good corporate and business etiquette. It implies that you’re serious about the job and are happy to have it.
In this para, mention clearly the date from which you would be joining the services of the organization. This is an important feature of the record since your letter of acceptance will be retained by the employer. It is also a record of the date from which you join the new job.
Signing Off
Always sign off the letter or email by writing your full name and address at the bottom. On emails, it’s not possible to sign. Therefore, writing your full name would be enough.
There’s no need to be very elaborate while signing off. That’s because you’ve already said whatever you wanted to in the first few paras of the acceptance letter.
However, you can add words such as “best wishes” and “best regards” to give your letter of acceptance a very professional read. That’s the correct way to also conclude every business letter and would speak well of your business and corporate etiquette.
Disputing a Job Offer
The above seven steps to write a letter of acceptance are fine if you’ve got no problems accepting the terms and conditions as well as the pay and perks.
But what would you do if there’s some dispute over some terms and conditions or the pay? This could occur for several reasons.
- You didn’t bargain for your salary.
- The terms and conditions could be unfair and harmful for your career.
- The letter of offer violates certain clauses of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) or contravenes some other laws.
- You assumed that the employer would make a fair offer but are disappointed at the salary and terms and conditions because you believe they favor the company more.
- Perhaps you failed to comprehend what the employer or interviewer were saying at the interview about terms, conditions and pay when you were at an interview.
These are rare scenarios. Nevertheless, you should be prepared to deal with such occurrences because they can harm your future prospects.
If you find the offer letter is unfair or doesn’t deliver what the interviewer had said, you can still accept the job offer. However, you have to dispute the terms and conditions or salary and seek redress.
In such a case, you’ll have to give specific details about the rules and regulations or clauses of your job offer that you don’t agree with. And state clear reasons for disputing these terms and conditions or salary.
You can state that you’re accepting the job offer, subject to change or revision in the clauses of the job offer.
There’s no need to worry when you dispute any clauses on an offer letter. That’s because an employer has already spent resources to hire you.
The very fact that they’re making an offer is a clear indicator that the organization is interested in your services. This offers you some leeway to bargain even at the last moment.
Wrap Up
Nowadays, there’re more than one way to accept a job offer, as I’ve described above. Some organizations would be satisfied with a simple email stating you accept the job offer. Others might actually demand a letter, printed on paper and signed by you.
It all various according to the employer. At the same time, it’s your duty to send a letter of acceptance to an employer.
Because not sending one could imply that you’re not interested in the job and cause you to lose the appointment. The employer might make an offer to some other candidate.