Why would a recruiter ever stress over writing an offer letter to candidates? A hello, pleasure to work with you, your salary, etc. should do the job, Right?
No! Just No! A King Kong sized gargantuan No!
In recruiting, making a job offer to a candidate is a pivotal point. After investing time, company resources, and efforts, you’ve decided this person is worth employing. You want them to join you with enthusiasm and a willingness to give their best. And so far, their involvement is the indication that they like you.
Now, is there any good reason to mess up at this point?
A Job Offer Letter Matters More Than You Could Imagine
Mostly, it’s the beginning of the negotiation phase between you and a prospective employee.
What begins with a simple ‘You’ve been accepted!’ could end with a legally binding contract. You don’t want needless discussions at this junction over an implied clause because the candidate misunderstood something you didn’t pay attention to.
Here’s what a good, appropriately written offer letter does.
- It officially conveys your desire to recruit the candidate
- Describes job duties specifically
- States the compensation plans
- Asks for the candidate’s consent
- Clarifies the agreement’s conditions
If you create an inconsistent letter that promises an unreasonable future of the candidate’s career at your organization, it’s bound to come back and bite you.
Then, What Should You Say When Writing a Job Offer Email to Candidates
- Be Specific About What’s Negotiable and What’s Not
Usually, employers are open to discussing things like date of joining, stock options, signing bonus, transport facilities, etc. Some even negotiate the salary and ask the candidate for a ballpark number.
Before composing the email, talk to the HR. Brush up on the company protocols, conduct video sessions with the candidate to grasp their ideas/expectations before offering the job.
To put it plainly, be very clear about what flexibilities you should and are allowed to offer.
- Understand the Job Inside Out
What does the job offer entail? Know everything from financial benefits, salary, term, daily tasks to job specifics, location, dates, etc.
Proactively answer any reasonable question that the candidate may put up during negotiation.
- Clarify Your Intent
Do you need the candidate to sign the offer document and email it back to you? Is the offer document also the candidate’s legally binding contract? Or do you just want an acknowledgment and the candidate is free to assess the offer before giving a final yes or no?
Make it clear. Don’t leave any scope for miscommunication.
- State Every Step of the Hiring Process
Outline the phases. Very clearly.
- What are the documents they are supposed to fill?
- Is there an online background verification they need to go through?
- Do they need to visit the office before joining to sign anything?
- Do you need anything more than stated so far? Photographs? Digital signature? Residence proof?
Don’t expect the candidate to magically agree to everything you say and run senselessly to fetch every document that you forgot to ask them for in the offer letter because they should’ve known!
It doesn’t work that way.