How To Present A Job Offer (So They Say Yes)

Post A Job For Free, Promote It For A Fee

Post a Job

Finding the perfect candidate can be a daunting and time-consuming task. When you finally find the right person for the job, it’s important to make a great first impression with a job offer. Though this seems like it’s the easiest part of the hiring process, presenting a job offer is an art in itself.

Don’t forget your employee’s perception of your company and brand begins at the interview stage. You want to ensure the process is smooth all the way through, especially for the high-quality candidate you’re planning to hire. They may have other offers they are considering or a job they’re not quite convinced to leave. Here’s how to make the most out of your job offer.

Key Takeaways

• Before you hire a new employee, be sure you have all of the relevant information, such as job title, compensation, benefits, and start date, nailed down. This will make the offer process much easier and ensure you, the hiring manager, and the candidate is all on the same page.

• Even if the majority of your communication with your candidate has been via email, be sure to call or video conference when extending a job offer. This makes the job offer feel more personal and helps your candidate feel invested.

• Expect and prepare for potential negotiations. Be sure you’ve done your market research on appropriate compensation for the role you are hiring for.

Before You Hire

Before you hire a candidate, there are a number of things you need to nail down as the employer. Your offer letter will need to include things like job title, compensation, benefits, and start date, all of which the candidate should understand before the job is even offered. Gathering this all ahead of time ensures you’re both on the same page.

Be sure you and your team are in agreement on who the role reports to and what the pay range will be. Discuss final compensation with the hiring manager and any potential bonuses or benefits. Of course, these things will all be subject to negotiation if your candidate so chooses, but having this upfront will speed up the process significantly.

Make the Job Offer

In the best-case scenario, make the job offer in a face-to-face environment. However, this may not always be the most efficient way to do this, so making the job offer over the phone is highly recommended. Extend the offer to a candidate over the phone so your candidate has the opportunity to verbally accept, reject, or negotiate your offer.

If you work in human resources, encourage the hiring manager to make the job offer directly. Some employers may want to opt for email communication in this instance, but we highly recommend making the call. It makes the job offer more personal and will set you up for success.

It’s a good idea to also share why you hired them. Explain your excitement with specifics about how they may have stood out against their competition. Be sure to articulate any stand-out qualities noticed by other interviewers and share them with your candidate. This will excite them and make them feel encouraged to join your team.

Another thing to note is that it’s important to move quickly. The job market is highly competitive, so many candidates will apply for multiple positions at a time. This means they could be getting multiple job offers. The longer you wait, the higher the chance that your ideal candidate will be lost to another employer.

Follow Up With an Email

After you’ve called or met with your candidate, let them know you’ll be following up with an email with their official offer letter and any other necessary paperwork you may need. Some companies opt to choose offer letter templates that can help you save time when preparing offers. For businesses without templates, it’s recommended to include the following information.

• Job title. Include the exact job title you’ll be offering to your candidate. If you choose, this includes any specific requirements or responsibilities that come with this title.

• Salary. Include the annual gross salary the employee will take home as well as how often they will be paid (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly) and if they will receive their pay by direct deposit or check.

• Bonus information. If your candidate is eligible for any bonuses, include what they are and what performance criteria they must hit to receive them.

• Benefit information. Include any benefit information you are providing, including vacation days, sick days, insurance, retirement plans, flexible work opportunities, tuition reimbursement, childcare, travel reimbursement, and more.

You will also want to have a place on the official offer letter where the candidate will sign and date the letter. This will be signed by the hiring manager and a final copy should be sent back to the employee for their own records. It’s also a great idea to forward any relevant company information in this email exchange, such as an employee handbook.

Some employers may experience a situation where a candidate is looking to negotiate on terms. This can be simplified by asking for a response deadline so that the employee gets back to you within a reasonable timeframe. This will help speed up the negotiation process without hindering the start date you’ve set in place.

How to Present a Job Offer FAQ

1. How do you present an employee job offer?

   The best way to present an employee with a job offer is to first ensure you have all of the relevant information you need to compile their official offer letter. Be sure to act in a timely manner, so you don’t lose your candidate to another job offer. It’s recommended to call or video conference the candidate to extend the offer.

   During the conversation, be sure to share the job title, compensation, and bonus information, and agree on a start date. Once this is agreed upon, follow up with an email with the official job offer attached as well as any other relevant company information such as an employee handbook.

2. What should you say when presenting an employee with a job offer?

   First, be sure to articulate all of the benefits that come with the acceptance of the job offer, including compensation, bonus information, and benefits.

   Be sure to tell them specifically why you hired them and how they may have stood out against other competing candidates.

   It’s a good idea to explain why you think they will make a good fit in the company and on their specific team, what you were impressed with in their skill set, what you like about their personality, and what they can potentially bring to the team.

3. How can you convince an employee to accept your job offer?

   The best way to ensure a candidate accepts your job offer is to make the interview process seamless, efficient, and easy. The interview process is the first perception an employee has of your business, your brand, and how you handle your internal affairs.

   One of the best ways to do this is to ensure you go above and beyond with communication. Be sure you communicate early and often, keeping communication smooth and clear. And, of course, offer them a competitive and desirable salary to show how much you value their skillset.

Author

Caitlin Mazur

Caitlin Mazur is a freelance writer at Zippia where she has written 140+ articles that have reached over 1 mil viewers as of June 2023. Caitlin is passionate about helping Zippia’s readers land the jobs of their dreams by offering content that discusses job-seeking advice based on experience and extensive research.