Even if you decline a job offer, it’s always wise to send a follow-up with your thanks for the opportunity. It gives you a chance to be gracious and leaves open the possibility of a future relationship with the company.
Why Send a Job Offer Thank-You Letter?
The main purpose of the letter is to express gratitude for the offer. It allows you to state your intentions to accept or decline the offer in writing and also allows you to clarify the terms of your agreement. If you don’t plan on accepting the job, use the letter to very politely decline the role. After all, you might want to apply to another job at the company in the future, so it’s a smart idea to maintain a good relationship with the employer.
Information You Should Include in Your Letter
The content of your letter will differ slightly depending on whether you choose to accept or decline the offer. In either circumstance, the most important thing to include in your letter is your appreciation for the offer. If you accept the job, you may also want to include:
The terms of the offer. While this letter isn’t a legal document, it can be helpful for both you and the employer to clarify the terms. Include your start date, the job title, and any other terms that seem relevant. Your contact information. Including your phone number, email address, etc., ensures that the employer can get in touch with you if they have any last-minute information about start times or documents to bring with you. Any questions about specifics. For example, you may need clarification on salary, benefits, or the official start date.
This is not the place to negotiate a counteroffer. You’ll want to say “thank you” for the offer, and you can also use the space to express your desire to keep in touch, leaving an opening for future association.
How To Send Your Letter
You can send the thank-you letter as an email or a hard copy through the mail. If you send your letter as an email:
Paste the letter into the body of the email or send it as an attachment. Choose an appropriate subject line. Put your name and the words “thank you” in the subject line of the message: “First Name Last Name – Thank You.”Include your contact details in your signature.
If you send your letter through the mail:
Write your letter in business letter format. Use an appropriate salutation, e.g., “Dear Mr. Jones.” Choose a professional close, e.g., “Best regards.”
Regardless of how you send it, be sure to thoroughly proofread your message, so you appear professional and polished. Edit it carefully for spelling, grammatical, and formatting errors. Double-check the spelling of the name of the person who offered you the job as well.
Job Offer Thank You Letter and Email Samples
Download the job offer thank you letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples. August 1, 2022 Harold LeePrincipalSuburb Elementary School123 Business Rd.Business City, NY 54321 Dear Mr. Lee, Thank you so much for hiring me for the teaching assistant position. I appreciate the time you took to interview me, and I am very glad to become a part of the staff at Suburb Elementary School. I am ready to meet the students on September 1st and can’t wait to begin planning sessions with Jane Smith on August 12th to help get her classroom and curriculum set for the new year. Please let me know if these dates are still correct or if anything changes. I look forward to starting my position and, once again, I’d like to thank you for this great opportunity. Sincerely, Signature (hard copy letter) Rachel Applicant Thank you for hiring me for the retail sales position. I’m thrilled to be joining the sales team of the premier jewelry store in the city. I’m looking forward to meeting the rest of the staff and to beginning training for the position on Monday, July 10th. Please let me know if there’s anything special I need to bring to my first day of work. I look forward to starting. Thank you so much for the opportunity. Sincerely, Jane Smith Dear Ms. Lee, Thank you so much for offering me the job as an administrative assistant. It was a pleasure meeting you and your staff at my last interview. I am sorry to let you know that I will not be accepting the position at XYZ Company at this time. While the opportunity at XYZ is very exciting, I must make a different choice at this time. I look forward to keeping in touch with you and hope that we will associate in the future. Once again, thank you so much for this opportunity. Sincerely, Angela Garcia
