What Is a Job Offer Letter: With Examples of How To Respond

Updated 25 August 2023

When an employer sees you as a fit candidate for their job opening, they may send you a letter or email offering you employment. While this is an exciting time in your career, it's important to think through your decision before responding to this offer. You can decide whether you're happy with the terms of employment, if negotiation is necessary, or if you even want the position. In this article, we define what an offer letter is, explain what's included in one, share how to respond to one and provide examples of offer responses.

What is an offer letter?

An offer letter is a form of correspondence employers send to show they want you on their team. Oftentimes, employers send a job offer via email. This letter typically provides additional details about the position, such as your responsibilities, salary, benefits, dress code and other employee protocols. While you may be eager to respond to a job offer, thinking through an employer's offer can ensure you're making the right career decisions.

Related: How To Get a Job Fast

What is included in an offer letter?

While job offer letters may vary from company to company, most of them contain these common elements. In your job offer, you can expect to find:

The job title: what your title is when working at this company
Job description: a description of what your overall goals are, along with your day-to-day tasks
Salary: the amount you can expect to make yearly, along with any bonuses or commissions that go along with the job
Work schedule: the hours you're expected to work each week
Time off: how many paid vacation and sick days do you receive each year and when you can start receiving them
Benefits package: information about this package, including healthcare and retirement benefits
Reporting structure: details who you report to, along with who is reporting to you
Termination conditions: conditions that would lead to your termination

How to respond to an offer letter

Once you receive a job offer, you can then respond. There are a few steps you can follow to respond to this letter:

1. Send a quick acknowledgement

The first thing to do is to respond quickly to the offer. Let either the employer or the recruiter, whomever you're working with, know that you received the offer and that you're going to take some time to consider it. This employer may expect this, and it's also polite to say thank you and let them know you're thinking about the role. By writing promptly, you may also show your enthusiasm for the role.

2. Consider the offer

Now, you can consider the offer. Think about the role that's being offered to you, the pay and benefits that come with it and anything else that is important to you. Only accept the job if you feel that it's what you're looking for in your career. If you have any uncertainties or clarifications pertaining to the offer or the company, reach out to the recruiter or employer and ask follow-up questions.

3. Decide if you want to negotiate

The job offer includes the terms of your employment, including information like your salary, benefits and paid time off. Decide if these terms meet what you're looking for, or whether you want to negotiate a better deal. If you decide you want to negotiate, you can send a counteroffer rather than a refusal or acceptance letter.

4. Accept or decline the offer

If you decide not to negotiate, your other options are to accept or decline. Whichever you decide, you want to respond with a formal email, letting the employer or recruiter know of your decision. When declining, you may include your reasons, but this isn't necessary. Although, if one of your reasons for declining is the salary, the employer may come back with a better offer.

5. Write your letter

Now it's time to write your response. If you're declining, you can simply thank them for the offer and state that you're not taking the job. You may also include your reasons for declining, but this is optional. When accepting the job, you can include a little more information. Again, start by thanking them for the offer, then move on to your acceptance. In this letter, you can also confirm the terms of your employment, so that there is a written record. Finally, you can confirm your start date and express your excitement about starting.

Example offer response letters

Use these example responses to offer letters to guide you with your own response:

When you want to negotiate

This is an example of someone negotiating for a higher salary:

Hello Zakaria,

Thank you so much for the job offer. Canggih Tech seems like a wonderful company to work for, and I truly enjoyed discussing this opportunity with your hiring team. Before I accept this job offer, I want to discuss the compensation package you offered.

While $3,000 per month is a good offer, upon research based on the current market and my level of expertise, I feel that $4500 per month for a programmer analyst in Singapore is more in line with my expectations. If you wish to discuss this increased compensation, let's schedule a time to talk over the phone.

I hope we can come to a mutual agreement, and I am quite eager to get started with your team.

Best,

Yew Kiong

The model shown is for illustration purposes only, and may require additional formatting to meet accepted standards.

When you need an extension

This is an example of someone asking for more time to give their decision:

Good afternoon,

I am writing to respond to your generous job offer for the copywriting position. First, thank you so much for this exciting opportunity. It was a pleasure getting to meet with the marketing team to learn more about your company's needs.

I see that the deadline to accept this offer is this Friday. I am wondering if you could extend it to the following Monday. I want to thoroughly think through this offer, as location may be a concern for me. Due to the significant time required to travel to the office, I want to ensure the logistics are all in order before fully committing to anything.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Thank you,

Meng Fai

When you want to accept the offer

This is an example of someone accepting a job offer:

Hi Kumar,

Thank you so much for the job offer. I can confidently say I am eager to start with the team and accept your offer. As long as it works with you, I am hoping to begin this role in two weeks, as I need to give my current employer ample notice.

I feel that your offer of $50,000 is fair for this role. Of course, as we have discussed, I am eager to progress through the company and am open to promotion opportunities in the future. Based on what I've learned during my series of interviews, I can see myself staying with the company for a long time to come. I value that you take employees' health and well-being seriously, creating a positive work environment for everyone.

As I get onboarded, I would appreciate it if we could have a brief phone call, so I can ask you a few questions. I am free anytime in the afternoon. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to prepare in the meantime. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Ching Yee

When you want to decline the offer

This is an example of someone declining a job offer:

Dear Ray,

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to work at Chin Ho Lim Beverages Pte Ltd. While this is a great opportunity for me, I'm afraid I'm unable to accept your offer this time. Since I have been actively interviewing, I have received several other job offers. I have found my ideal position with another company and am starting with them in a couple of weeks.

I wish you all the best in finding the right candidate for your team. Perhaps in the future, there shall be an opportunity that is mutually beneficial for your company and for me. It was great learning about all the amazing things your company does for its employees, and I do hope we can connect on social media.

Regards,

Peng Chew