How to accept a job offer

When accepting job offers,  there are a series of formalities to adhere to.

These job offer acceptance formalities can pose a few potentially confusing questions.

How long should I wait before accepting a job? How formal does my acceptance need to be? Do I still need to write an acceptance letter, or a job offer acceptance email, or will a verbal acceptance suffice?

You want to avoid confusion and make sure your job offer response is appropriate. We’ll show you how to accept a job offer, how to negotiate a job offer, and how to hand in your notice.

How to accept a job offer – summary

1. Take some time to consider the offer – you can accept a job offer verbally over the phone
2. Follow up with a job offer acceptance email/confirmation letter
3. Negotiate the terms of a job offer if necessary
4. Think of any questions to ask before you start a new job
5. Find out the process of handing in your notice
6. Make sure all details are finalised – and get excited for your first day at a new job!

1. Receiving a job offer – first stage

The question of how to accept a job offer starts with what to do when you first receive the offer.

Most employers will offer you the job by phone call, either personally or via a Recruitment Consultant.

Accepting a job is a big decision, so take some time to think about it, and ask the employer or the recruiter any questions you have at this stage.

If you want the job but are unhappy with some of the terms of the offer, it may be that you spend some time negotiating at this stage before accepting the job offer.

Scroll down to find out more about how to negotiate your job offer.

Of course, if you’ve been waiting excitedly for the call, and you know that everything about this job is right for you, you can verbally accept it over the phone at this stage.

When accepting a job offer verbally, say ‘thank you’ for the opportunity, show how excited you are about the offer, and make sure to clarify any question marks you have regarding the offer.

It’s not a problem if you haven’t been able to confirm your start date yet; just inform the employer or Recruitment Consultant that you will let them know as soon as you can.

After this first communication, you should receive a written formal offer, either by email or by post.

It’s important that you have written confirmation of the job offer. So, if the Employer or Recruitment Consultant doesn’t inform you of this during your phonecall, ask them about it or request that you receive the offer in writing, even if they weren’t planning to send one.

2. How to accept a job offer by email/letter

When you receive a written job offer, it’s polite to respond to it via a job offer acceptance email reply or a job offer acceptance letter, even if you’ve already verbally accepted the offer.

What does a job offer acceptance email need to contain? A job acceptance letter can be fairly brief, but needs to contain the following:

• An expression of your gratitude for the job offer and the opportunity
• Written formal acceptance of the job offer
• The terms and conditions (your salary, job title, and any other benefits)
• Clarification on your starting date

It’s also important to make sure it’s a well-constructed and formal job offer acceptance email. See it as your chance to show the employer that they made the right decision offering you the job.

So, when writing your job offer acceptance email or your job acceptance letter, make sure you use proper language (no slang), address the Hiring Manager directly, and use a spell check to ensure proper spelling and grammar.

If you’ve applied for an internship, it is also common courtesy to write an internship acceptance thank you letter or email.

For an internship confirmation letter, you can use exactly the same format as you would for a job offer acceptance.

Use the job offer acceptance email template below to get started:

3. How to negotiate a job offer

Employers expect candidates to have questions about the role, the company, and the terms of the job offer (usually the salary).

In order to negotiate your salary successfully, make sure you’ve done your research on your market value. And consider what your absolute minimum would be (it’s unlikely you would have gone this far if you aren’t happy with the basic salary they offer, or you haven’t discussed your salary expectations).

If you do wish to negotiate salary, ask the Hiring Manager or Recruitment Consultant whether there is any flexibility, as well as how often salary reviews will take place.

If they say no, take time to consider the offer as a whole, including other benefits and room for progression.

If they say that there is some flexibility, explain to them how your worth – your experience, qualifications, and knowledge – justifies this higher salary.

Don’t get disheartened if the salary offer is lower than you expected or if the employer won’t budge, especially in entry-level graduate jobs.

A lower offer doesn’t mean that the employer doesn’t value or respect you. And there are plenty of other things to look for in a company besides salary.

4. Questions to ask an employer before starting a new job

• Is the salary negotiable?
• How many days annual leave will I receive?
• Does annual leave carry over if it’s not used?
• When do you need a decision by?
• What benefits are included in the package?
• What opportunities are there for growth and professional development?
• What are the working hours?
• Will I be required to work outside of these hours at all?
• What paperwork do I need to bring on my first day?

5. How to hand in your notice

For some people, working out how to accept a job offer is more tricky. If you’re already working in another job, you will need to officially resign, usually in the form of a resignation letter.*

*Processes for handing in your notice differ from place to place, so if you’re unsure, check your contract or staff handbook; these should tell you how to resign.

What does a resignation letter need to include?

• Details of the position you are leaving
• How much notice you are giving (this needs to be whatever is specified in your contract, usually 1 month for entry-level or graduate jobs)
• When your last day will be
• A thank you for the opportunity to work at the company
• Finally, wishing the company good luck/a concluding sentence

Use the resignation letter template below to get started: