Job Offer Letter Template

A Job Offer Letter is the document a company sends to a chosen candidate to put an offer in writing — the role, the start date, the pay, and who they will report to. HR teams, recruiters, and hiring managers use one to confirm a verbal offer, set clear expectations, and give the candidate something concrete to accept. Typical fields include the company and candidate names, the position, the proposed start date, the salary, the reporting manager, any contingencies such as references or a background check, an acceptance statement, and dated signature lines for both the employer and the candidate.

The candidate's signature is what closes the loop: it converts an offer into an accepted one that both sides can plan around. That is why this layout keeps the offer details easy to read and places an acceptance statement and a two-party signature block at the end, with printed name, signature, and date lines. To be clear, this is a general-purpose layout with the sections most offer letters share — not legal or employment-law advice. Employment and offer rules vary by country and state, so have your HR team or an attorney review the wording before you send it.

How teams use this form

A startup sends the letter the same day a candidate verbally accepts, so nothing is left to memory. A recruiter uses one to list contingencies clearly — a satisfactory reference check and proof of work eligibility — so the offer is unambiguous. A mid-size company keeps a signed copy per hire on file as the record that the candidate accepted the stated terms. The common thread: a written, signed offer removes doubt on both sides.

Customize it before signing

Open the Word (DOCX) download to edit the salary, start date, and contingencies, and to add benefits, bonus, or equity details if your offer includes them. Insert your company name and logo, name the reporting manager, and adjust the acceptance deadline. The fillable PDF suits signing on paper or on a device without shifting the layout; keep the acceptance statement and signature block intact so the accepted offer is complete and dated.

Common mistakes to avoid

Do not leave the salary or start date blank — those are the details a candidate needs to decide. Do not bury the contingencies; state plainly if the offer depends on a background check or references. Do not forget the acceptance statement and the candidate's signature, since an unsigned letter is only a proposal. And do not imply guarantees about tenure that your employment terms do not actually provide.

Example scenario

A marketing team offers a coordinator role at $52,000 per year, starting the first Monday of next month, reporting to the head of marketing. The letter notes the offer is contingent on two references and asks the candidate to sign and return it within five business days. The candidate signs and dates the acceptance line, the hiring manager countersigns, and both keep a copy. Onboarding then begins against a clear, agreed record.

Choosing PDF or Word

This page provides a printable fillable PDF and an editable Word (DOCX) file. Use the Word file when you need to change the salary, contingencies, or start date before sending, and the PDF when the offer is set and you just need to fill, sign, and return it. Both include an acceptance statement and dated signature lines for the employer and the candidate.