Writing an acceptance letter is cause for celebration, but it's important to remember that you don't have the job yet. Like other types of business letters, acceptance letters still need to be prompt, complete and professional to seal the deal.
When to Write an Acceptance Letter
The time to write an acceptance letter is after you've been given a job offer but before you've signed any sort of contract. This serves two purposes:
- It notifies the offering company that they should not offer the position to any other candidates. Wait too long to write an acceptance letter and you run the risk of losing the position you've been offered.
- It confirms the details of the job you're accepting. This is especially important if the entire interview and hiring process has been verbal. In the absence of any sort of contract or other documentation, an acceptance letter could serve as the only proof you have that a company has made certain salary, responsibility and benefit promises to you.
In some instances, and this is especially true with larger companies with streamlined human resources departments, the job offer will include all of the information you would have enumerated in an acceptance letter. In those cases, you simply need to verify that the job details are acceptable to you, and then sign and return the offer. If that's not the case, however, and an informal job offer is made, writing an acceptance letter is a smart way to secure the position and salary you've been promised.
Writing Acceptance Letters by Email or Traditional Mail
When writing an acceptance letter, you'll need to adapt what you write according to how you receive the offer. Depending on the company making the job offer, you may receive a job offer by email or traditional mail, and each requires a slightly different approach to writing an acceptance letter.
- For emailed job offers, unless it's indicated otherwise, it's perfectly acceptable to email acceptance letters.
- For job offers sent through traditional mail, consider both returning an acceptance letter via traditional mail and emailing notification of your receipt of the offer and acceptance. This way the employer knows that the employment process is proceeding properly and that you're eager to get started.
In general, regardless of mode of delivery, there are certain standard components to consider and include in all acceptance letters. Regardless of how you get it, be sure to consider including the following:
- Explicit acceptance of the position by title.
- Enumeration of the position specifics relating to your, like job title, salary, benefits and start date. If you have any questions regarding the major responsibilities of the position, you may also want to consider laying them out in your letter. Doing so can avoid any misunderstandings about the position before you start.
- An enthusiastic statement about the position and your future career with the company.
Remember that job acceptance letters don't need to be long or wordy but they should be complete. This is especially crucial if the hiring process has been entirely or mostly verbal.
Formal Letter Sample of an Acceptance Letter
Use the job acceptance letter sample below to write your own by customizing and adapting it to your needs. Even with customization, the job acceptance sample below shows you how to include all of the main components in a concise and professional manner.
[your address]
[hiring manager's name]
[company name]
[company street address]
[company city, state and zip code]
Dear [hiring manager's name],
I received your formal job offer today and, after careful consideration, I'm pleased to accept the [position title] position offered at [company name]. I recognize that this is an excellent opportunity to meet my career goals, and I look forward to becoming a valuable member of your team.
As we discussed, my starting salary will be [salary amount], and my benefits will include [list benefits, in bulleted list if necessary].
I've served notice with my current employer, and in an effort to give them adequate time to prepare for my departure and find a replacement, I've given them [number] weeks notice. With that in mind, I look forward to starting with [company name] on [start date].
As instructed, I've signed the offer, made a copy for myself, and sent the original back to you. If you need any additional documentation, information or confirmation on my part, please don't hesitate to let me know.
Thank you for this opportunity, and I look forward to seeing you again.
Sincerely,
[your name]
The Last Thing to Do When Writing Acceptance Letters
What's the last and most important thing to do when writing an acceptance letter? Proofread. A poorly written acceptance letter (or any other formal or business letter) that's riddled with typos and errors sends the wrong message to your future employer, and it can get you started off on the wrong foot. Make sure your job acceptance letters are polished and perfect and you'll make a good first impression before you're even in the door.
Jennifer Silva - Jenn is a professional writer and editor with experience in: technical communications (medical, manufacturing and publishing ...
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