A letter of acceptance for a verbal offer is the professional way to solidify the agreement. It acknowledges that the applicant has received the employer’s offer and accepts the terms and conditions of the employment. Since the offer was verbal, the letter will give the applicants understanding of the offer.
Companies differ in their hiring practices. Some have a multi-step process that may take weeks or even months. Others may give a verbal job offer during an interview.
Selection Process
It depends on the company’s selection process, workplace culture, the position being offered and company policies. Therefore, if the applicant is serious about the verbal offer, he or she should get something in writing as soon as possible.
A verbal job offer is considered a gentlemen’s agreement, which means both the applicant and the employer agree on the terms of the job. It is often accompanied by a handshake that may be considered binding by some but not necessarily by all.
After a verbal offer, there may be some things the employer needs to do before offering a contract or a job offer in writing.
Some, but not all, of those things include checking:
• For a criminal record
• The credit report
• Any character references given
• Any previous work experience given
When a verbal job offer is given before any of the above things have been checked, it shows a deep level of trust between the parties.
An acceptance letter for a verbal job offer is not much different from an acceptance letter for a written job offer. The one major difference is the letter for a verbal offer needs to request written confirmation of the job offer. Until the applicant gets written proof that he or she was offered a job, the employer could withdraw the offer.
The letter of acceptance should include:
• A formal acceptance of the job
• A thank-you to the employer for offering the job
• A statement of the job title
• The terms and conditions including salary, starting date and benefits
• A statement of enthusiasm for the job
• The request for written confirmation of the job
Even though the applicant has been offered the job, he or she should still try to make a good impression and show commitment to the job to the new employer. This is why it is important to follow proper business etiquette when writing a letter of acceptance.
The letter should have a polite and courteous tone and state the starting date for employment as well as the salary offered and any other benefits that go with the job such as vacation time and insurance.
demonstrate enthusiasm
It is also important to demonstrate enthusiasm for the job. The applicant can state that he or she is looking forward to working with the team and contribute his or her skills to the benefit of the company. Enthusiasm should be genuine and appealing and not be saccharine and over-the-top.
Since a verbal job offer may not be binding, it is better that the applicant not resign from his or her job before a job offer is given in writing.
Once the job offer is confirmed in writing, the applicant can cancel any other interviews they may have arranged and declined any other job offers they may have been given.
clearly state the terms and conditions
The acceptance letter represents the word of the applicant and should be considered binding. This is why the letter should clearly state the terms and conditions and request to have them confirmed in writing.
Below is a sample letter of acceptance for a verbal job offer. It should be written in formal business-letter style with no typos or grammatical errors. It can be sent by certified mail, so the applicant is sure it was received by the proper person.
Sample Letter Of Acceptance Of Verbal Offer
Applicant’s Name
Applicant’s Address
City, State, Zip Code
DATE
Employer or Human Resource Person’s Name
Name of Company
Address of Company
City, State, Zip Code
RE: Acceptance of job offer
Dear Name of employer of Human Resource Person:
This letter is a follow-up to our discussion on the phone on DATE. At that time, you offered me the position of POSITION with Name of Company.
I am happy to accept the job offer and want to thank you for the opportunity to work for your esteemed institution. I am eager to make a positive contribution to the team.
As we discussed, I will begin at 9am on DATE and my starting salary will be AMOUNT. I understand that I will have two weeks of vacation annually, and life, health and dental insurance benefits for my family and myself.
Please let me know if there are any additional forms I should give. I am looking forward to written confirmation that the employment terms and conditions in this letter are correct. I can be reached at Email Address and at Phone Number.
Thank you again for offering me the job.
Sincerely,
Applicant’s Signature
Printed Name of Applicant
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