How to Make a Job Offer

You have found the best person for a job and now it’s time to make the job offer. Think of the job offer as an opportunity to welcome an employee to your company and set the tone for a good work relationship.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Date and time you would like the employee to start
• Name and title of the person the new employee will report to
• Rate of pay or range for the job including all forms of compensation for a salaried position like bonuses or incentives
• Information about the benefits for the position

1. Decide when you are going to make the call. You may also decide to make the job offer in person.

2. Call or tell the person “Congratulations, we are delighted to offer you the position of Administrative Assistant at Acme Frisbee Company. We would like you to start on Monday, January 15 at 9:00 am.” A job offer is great news make sure it sounds that way.

3. Tell the person about any steps that have to be taken, and passed, before they can start the job like a drug test or physical.

4. Ask the person what questions they have about the job and the job offer. For questions that you can’t answer tell the person when you will get back to them with the information.

5. Negotiate the rate of pay if you are hiring for a salaried position. Employers usually make job offers at 80 to 90 percent of the maximum they are willing or able to pay.

6. Thank the person and tell them you are looking forward to their first day of work. If the person turns the down the job offer ask them why. Thank them and ask if you can keep in touch. You never know if they could be a candidate again in the future.

Tips & Warnings

• Before you make the offer double check the pay or rate that the candidate is looking for. Nothing is worse than offering a person 40 thousand a year for a job when they won’t move from the job they have for less than 60 thousand.
• For an hourly employee who has met all the right people and completed your employment process there is no reason you can’t make the job offer in person. For salaried positions offers are more likely to be made over the phone or take more time for negotiation of salary and benefits.
• If your company sends out offer letters check it before it is sent, especially if you don’t write it. You don’t want a future employee reading a letter that has the wrong salary, job title or start date.
• Never send offer letters to a person’s current place of employment. It doesn’t matter if it is email, fax or snail mail someone in the company can find the letter.
• Don’t offer things that you may not be able to provide. If you tell someone that they will get 4 weeks of vacation and no one else in the company gets more than 3 you will have a very happy employee or company.
• Make sure the position you are making the offer for is ready to start. Is the equipment purchased? Is there a desk where the person will work? Don’t have an employee start to find out their first day that their boss is away in Europe