Free Offer Letter Template

What is an offer letter?

An offer letter is the letter an employer sends a chosen candidate to offer them a job. It is also called a job offer letter or an employment offer letter. It usually follows a verbal offer and turns it into the written terms the candidate signs to accept.

It confirms the essentials: the job title and manager, the start date, the schedule and location, the pay and how it is paid, the benefits, any conditions the offer depends on, and how the employment relationship works. In the United States, most offer letters also state that employment is at will, so the letter is not read as a promise of a job for a fixed period.

Why you need one

A verbal offer leaves both sides to remember the details, and those details are exactly what new hires and employers later disagree about.

• Clear terms. The candidate sees their pay, benefits, and start date in writing before they resign from their current job.
• No implied promises. The at-will statement and the “entire offer” clause stop an enthusiastic interview comment from being read as a guarantee of a job, a raise, or a bonus.
• Conditions in writing. If the offer depends on proof of the right to work, a confidentiality agreement, or a background check, the candidate agrees to that up front.
• A deadline. An expiry date keeps your hiring moving and lets you go back to your next candidate if the first one does not answer.
• A record. The signed letter shows exactly what was offered and accepted, which matters for payroll, benefits enrollment, and any later dispute.

What to include in an offer letter

These are the elements that matter most, and where each one lives in this letter.

1. Position and start date

Give the job title, the manager the new hire reports to, a short summary of the duties, and the first day. Section 1 holds these, and lets you adjust duties as the business changes.

2. Schedule and location

Say whether the job is full-time or part-time, the expected hours, and where the work happens: an office, remote, or hybrid. Section 2 covers this.

3. Compensation

State the salary or hourly rate, how often it is paid, and whether the job is exempt or non-exempt from overtime. Add any bonus, commission, equity, or signing bonus, with its conditions. Section 3 covers pay, and ties any bonus to the plan in effect at the time.

4. Benefits and time off

List the main benefits, such as health insurance, a retirement plan, and paid time off, and when each one starts. Section 4 covers benefits and says each one is governed by its own plan documents, so the letter does not lock you into today’s plan forever.

5. Conditions of the offer

List what the offer depends on: proof of the right to work, signing your confidentiality and invention assignment agreement, and any background or reference check. Section 5 covers conditions, and has the candidate confirm that no agreement with a former employer stops them taking the job.

6. The employment relationship

In the United States, state that employment is at will and that the letter is not a contract for a fixed period. Section 6 covers this, asks for notice if the employee resigns, and tells you to replace it with local notice and probation terms if the job is outside the United States.

7. Acceptance and expiry

Give the candidate a deadline to sign and a person to contact with questions. Section 9 covers accepting the offer, and Section 8 makes the letter the whole agreement.

Best practices for offer letters

• Make the verbal offer first. Call the candidate, then send the letter the same day while they are excited about it.
• Keep it consistent with the job posting. Pay, title, and location should match what you advertised and discussed.
• Avoid promises you cannot keep. Leave out phrases like “permanent position” or “job security” that can undercut at-will employment.
• Check local law. Pay transparency, background checks, and notice periods vary by state and country. Adjust the letter where the candidate will work.
• Set a reasonable deadline. Three to five business days gives the candidate time to decide without stalling your hiring.

How to fill in this letter

1. Name the company and the candidate. Use the company’s legal name and the candidate’s full name, and date the letter.
2. Describe the role. Fill in the title, manager, duties, start date, schedule, and location in Sections 1 and 2.
3. Set the pay and benefits. Fill in the salary or rate, pay frequency, overtime classification, any bonus, and the benefits in Sections 3 and 4.
4. List the conditions. Add any background or reference check to Section 5, or write “None”.
5. Set the deadline and contact. Choose the date the offer expires and who the candidate can ask questions.

Any blank you would rather the candidate complete, such as the signing date, can stay empty. When you send the letter in Inkly, you place a field over that line and the candidate fills it in when they sign.

Offer letter vs. independent contractor agreement

Both bring someone in to do work for your business, but they create different relationships. An offer letter hires an employee: you set their schedule and duties, pay them through payroll with taxes withheld, and offer them benefits. An independent contractor agreement engages an independent business for a defined job: they decide how to do the work, invoice you, and handle their own taxes.

The label alone does not decide which one applies. If you control how, when, and where the person works, they are likely an employee, so start from this letter.

How to get it signed

Once it is filled in, save the letter as a PDF, sign up for Inkly, and upload it from your dashboard. Add the candidate as a signer, place their signature and date fields, add your own signature for the company, and send. The candidate signs from a link in their email on any device, without creating an account, and you get the signed PDF back with an audit trail of who signed and when.

If you hire often, save the letter for reuse on Pro and Teams, so the next candidate only needs a name and an email address, and automatic reminders follow up until they sign. When a hiring manager also needs to countersign, add them as a separate signer.