When the Job Search is Over, be Sure

Using a job acceptance letter when offered a position shows true professionalism. It is a way of saying “thank you” to the person who hired you, and giving them assurance that they made the right decision. You have presented yourself to them as a professional with your resume, cover letter, reference sheet, salary history, letters of recommendation, follow up note, and any other personal marketing materials you’ve used while job hunting. You went out of your way to make sure that the interview went well, and probably did your homework on the company before going in for that first interview. Now using a job acceptance letter will be a capstone on all your work, and perfect the positive professional image you’ve tried to convey throughout the job search and hiring process.

Of course, if you’ve never written one before you may have questions as to what it should contain and how it should look. Here are the basics: it should be on the same paper your resume and cover letter were on, preferably a light gray or ivory linen, laid, or parchment paper or one of the new sandstone papers. It should have a letterhead that matches the other personal marketing materials you’ve used. It should be personally addressed to the decision maker who hired you. The job acceptance letter should also be placed in either a matching business sized envelope, or a large white envelope to avoid folding, and should be personally addressed. If your own handwriting isn’t very legible, print the address, or have a friend with great handwriting address it for you.

It should also be short. Show that you respect the hiring manager’s time by being direct, while still polite. You can say everything you need to say in two or three paragraphs which are quick to read. When writing the job acceptance letter be straightforward and professional. Let the hiring manager know that you are looking forward to being a part of the team at your new company. Let him or her know that you appreciate the opportunity and will do your best. Let the decision maker know that you are aware of any special conditions of the job offer, and will adhere to them. That will avoid any misunderstandings down the road. Also make sure that the job acceptance letter states that you understand the starting date of your employment with this new organization, and assure the hiring manager that you will be there on the specified date, and time, ready to get busy. Sign it using blue ink in your pen so that they know it is not a photo copy, and hand deliver it to the decision maker’s administrative assistance. In this manner you will show yourself to be a true professional, and someone they will want to work with in the future.