Upon receiving a job offer, it is appropriate to send a thank you letter expressing your gratitude for being offered the position. Most commonly, this letter will be sent as an email to the hiring team, the employees or team you interviewed with, and/or Human Resources employee who extended you the offer. This email should be sent in a timely manner no more than 48 hours after receipt of the offer, although exceptions to this may apply depending on when you received the offer and how soon the company expressed, they’d like an answer. It is preferred that you type the letter in a word processor like Microsoft Word with proper formatting and save and attach the file to your email. Sending a thank you letter is a great way to show gratitude for the opportunity, and to foster positive relations, and assert yourself as a professional. Even if you decide not to accept the offer, sending a thank you letter allows you to remain in good favor with the company in case you want to pursue a position with them in the future.
What it should represent?
Sending a thank you letter is the perfect opportunity to thank the hiring team for their time in reviewing your application and making a decision and is potentially a great opportunity to disclose whether or not you plan on accepting the position. This is not a formal acceptance of the position and should not be treated as such, but it does help the employer know how to proceed following your letter. A follow-up email should then be sent informing them of whether you accept or decline. If you are accepting the position, this letter is in many ways your first formal impression as an employee. You can express excitement and optimism for your collaborative work in the near future and clarify the terms of your agreement. If you have any questions or concerns before formally accepting If you are choosing to decline the offer, being polite is key. It could be that you were impressed by the company but do not feel the position is the right fit for you. Regardless, you want to keep a positive relationship with the employer in case you find yourself applying for a position with them in the future.
Tip: If you have not come to a decision and need more time to consider the offer, a thank you letter is also a great opportunity to show gratitude and respond in a timely manner while expressing that you are still considering your options.
How to Write?
In the letter, you should begin by expressing your gratitude for being offered the position and thank them for their time spent interviewing you, reviewing your application, and deliberating. Next, you should specify whether you plan to accept or decline the offer. If declining, you are polite but very clear. In some cases, you may want to include a reason for declining, such as terms of the contract that were unfavorable, or the position being an improper fit for your skills or future career goals. If accepting, this is the time to ask any questions before moving forward with the formal onboarding process. Are there any parts of the offer you need to be clarified, or do you need more information on salary or benefits? You should ask these questions now before moving forward. If you would like to move forward with accepting the offer, you should also confirm where you can be reached (phone number, email, etc.) and where you would like any formal documents to be sent.
How to Format?
You should use a professional, business letter format. First, include your information (name, address, email, phone number). Then include the date and the contact information for the receiving party (name of the company, address, email, phone number). You should then open with a salutation, addressing the individual who sent the job offer. If this is not clearly stated, you can simply address the letter to the hiring department or “To who it may concern”. Then proceed to type your letter, which should be 1-2 paragraphs long. Also, close with a sentence thanking them once again. Close with “Sincerely” or another professional closing and type your name. A large space should be left between the closing and your typed name and a signature should be added, either digitally, or by hand, and then scanned to your computer.
Sample Job Offer Thank You Letters
Sample 1:
JANE DOE
123 Main Street | 111-111-1111 | [email protected]
01/01/2019
John Smith
Hiring Manager
The Good Company
3456 Park Ave.
Somewhere, USA 10000
Dear John Smith :
Thank you sincerely for offering me an opportunity to work at The Good Company. I appreciate the time and effort spent by your team to interview me and review my application.
I’m pleased to inform you that I feel that this position is an excellent fit for me and I’m happy to accept. Moving forward, I was wondering if I could get some clarification on your vacation policy before formally accepting. As we proceed, please feel free to call me at 111-111-1111 or email me with the next steps.
Thank you again for this offer. I look forward to working with your team in the near future!
Sincerely,
Jane Doe
Sample 2:
JANE DOE
123 Main Street | 111-111-1111 | [email protected]
01/01/2019
John Smith
Hiring Manager
The Good Company
3456 Park Ave.
Somewhere, USA 10000
Dear John Smith :
Thank you sincerely for offering me an opportunity to work at The Good Company. I appreciate the time and effort spent by your team to interview me and review my application.
I regret to inform you that I’m unable to accept this position. Although I’m impressed by The Good Company and your team, I do not feel that this position aligns with my future career goals. I hope that there may be future opportunities with The Good Company that better fit my needs.
Thank you again for the time and consideration in making this decision and I hope we can connect again in the future.
Sincerely,
Jane Doe
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