How to accept a job offer

Dealing with interview rejection is one part of the job search process. But what about the other side of the coin? Have you thought about the best way to accept a job offer? Yes, that’s right. There’s a knack to accepting a job offer. Just because you receive an offer doesn’t mean you should accept it right away. 

There are a few pit stops to make before sealing the deal!

4 things you must do before accepting a job offer

Don’t be hasty

Don’t feel pressured to accept the job offer on the spot, especially if you’re not 100% sure about the role. It’s perfectly reasonable to ask for a day or two to consider the offer. Just be sure to show lots of enthusiasm and thank the employer for the offer at the same time!

Check in with your other applications

Chances are you’ve been attending several job interviews at the same time. Don’t feel you need to accept this job offer because it’s the first one. If there’s another job you’re more interested in, call the employer. Tell them you’ve had an offer elsewhere, but you wanted to see if they were interested in hiring you before you accept the offer. This may prompt them to make you an offer. Sometimes employers just need a little nudge!

Understand the salary/package

Be sure to understand the salary, package and any bonus schemes before accepting the job offer. Although money shouldn’t drive your decision, it’s still an important part of accepting a job offer. Ideally, you’ll have already asked about salary during your interview. If the salary isn’t what you expected, you may have to negotiate. But always check your salary to make sure it’s competitive first.

Resolve any outstanding questions

Finally, make sure you resolve any major outstanding questions. It’s important to feel sound in your decision to accept a job offer. So be sure to pop the hiring manager an email or phone call to clarify your queries.

How to accept a job offer

Once you’ve made the decision to accept a job offer, it’s time to let the hiring manager know!

Verbal acceptance

You can accept a job offer verbally over the phone. This is most common when you receive a job offer over the phone. A verbal job offer is usually followed by a written job offer to make the offer more official. So you’ll usually have to follow this step with a written acceptance letter.

In writing

Whether you received your job offer verbally, by post or by email, you can accept the offer via email. Be sure to send the acceptance letter directly to the hiring manager.

Example job acceptance email

Dear [Name],

Thank you for extending a job offer to me for the position of [job title]. It is with great pleasure that I will be accepting your offer.

To confirm, my starting salary will be [£amount] and my package includes [X] days of annual leave and private healthcare.

I am very much looking forward to joining the team and getting started on [DATE].

Please let me know the next steps and what documentation you will need to see.

Kindest regards,

[Your Name]

Onto higher peaks

Getting a job offer is a fantastic feeling. It means someone is recognising you for your skill and potential. They know your worth. Just make sure the job offer also meets your expectations before sending through your acceptance!

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