Free Job Offer Letter Template

A job offer letter is the first formal document a new hire receives from you, and it does two jobs at once: it makes the candidate feel confident about saying yes, and it sets the legal and practical terms of employment in writing before day one. Get it wrong and you create ambiguity that surfaces months later; get it right and onboarding starts smoothly. Below is a template you can copy, the elements every offer letter needs, and the language that quietly causes problems.

What every offer letter must include

• Job title and reporting line. The role, and who the person reports to.
• Start date. A specific date, not “early next month.”
• Compensation. Salary or hourly rate, pay frequency, and any bonus or commission structure stated clearly.
• Employment type and hours. Full-time or part-time, exempt or non-exempt, expected schedule.
• Benefits summary. A short list, with a note that full details are in the plan documents.
• Contingencies. Background check, references, right-to-work verification — anything the offer depends on.
• Signature blocks. Space for the candidate and the employer to sign and date.

The offer letter template

Copy the text below and replace the bracketed fields.

[Company Name]
[Company Address]
[Date]

Dear [Candidate Name],

We are pleased to offer you the position of [Job Title] at [Company Name], reporting to [Manager Name, Title]. We were impressed by your background and believe you will be a strong addition to the team.

Start date: [Start Date]
Compensation: [$X] per [year/hour], paid [frequency]
Employment type: [Full-time / Part-time], [exempt / non-exempt]
Benefits: You will be eligible for [health insurance, PTO, retirement plan, etc.], as described in our plan documents.

This offer is contingent on [background check / proof of eligibility to work / references].

This letter is not a contract for a fixed term of employment, and employment with [Company Name] is [at-will / subject to the terms of an accompanying employment agreement].

To accept, please sign and return this letter by [Response Deadline]. We are excited to welcome you aboard.

Sincerely,
[Your Name], [Your Title]

Accepted: ______________________ Date: ____________
[Candidate Name]

Language that gets employers in trouble

1. Annual salary framed as a guarantee. Writing “you will earn $60,000 per year” can be read as a promise of a year of employment. State the rate as “$60,000 per year, paid monthly” and keep at-will language nearby.
2. Vague bonus promises. “Generous annual bonus” is a future dispute. Either specify the formula or call it discretionary.
3. Forgetting the contingencies. If the offer depends on a background check, say so before the candidate resigns from their current job.

Send it for signature the right way

Email attachments get printed, signed, scanned, and lost. Send the offer as an e-signature request instead: the candidate signs in their browser in under a minute, you get a countersigned copy with a timestamp, and the whole thing is filed automatically. That signed letter becomes the first document in the employee file — see our checklist of e-signatures for HR onboarding for what comes next. If you are not sure signing electronically counts, it does: read why e-signatures are legally binding.

Need related documents? Pair this with a contractor agreement template for non-employees.

This template is general information, not legal advice. Employment law varies by state and country — have counsel review your standard offer letter.