Hiring can be chaotic without a system, especially when you’re scaling your team. A standardized offer letter template that’s well-crafted, reusable, and customizable brings order. It helps reduce the time spent drafting new letters for each offer, include legal clauses and mandatory employment information, and ensure that every candidate receives the same core information.

In this guide, you’ll learn what to include in a job offer letter and how to format it properly. We’ve also provided a few free templates you can use right away and quickly edit in Proton Docs.

What is an offer letter and how does it help your business?

An offer letter is a formal document that a company sends to a candidate who has been selected for a job. It outlines the key terms of employment and serves as an official confirmation of the job offer. The candidate typically needs to sign and return it to accept the offer before receiving a full employment contract. Usually, a job offer letter is just a summary of the proposed employment terms.

A job letter template can help your business in a number of ways, as it:

  • Keeps things consistent across departments and hiring managers since everyone gets the same clear, professional-looking offer.
  • Covers all key terms, so you won’t forget to include details like the job title, salary, or start date.
  • Helps you stay out of legal trouble by adding disclaimers and at-will employment clauses (if applicable).
  • Saves time, as you can reuse the template for similar roles and just make quick edits when the details change.
  • Makes it easier for candidates to understand your offer and accept the job faster.

General offer letter template

Here’s a standard offer letter template you can use right away:

[Company name]
[Street address]
[City, State/Province, ZIP/Postal code, Country]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [Website]

Date: [Current date]

Offer of employment

To: [Candidate full name]
Email: [Candidate email address]
Phone: [Candidate phone number]

Dear [Candidate first name],

We’re excited to offer you the position of [Job title] with [Company name] in our [Department/Team name]. We were impressed by you and believe you’ll be a valuable addition to the team.

Job details

  • Job title: [Job title]
  • Department: [Department name]
  • Reporting to: [Manager name, Title]
  • Start date: [Start date]
  • Employment type: [Full-time / Part-time / Contract / Temporary]
  • Work schedule: [e.g., Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM]
  • Expected working hours: [if applicable]

Compensation and benefits

Your total compensation package includes:

  • Base salary: [e.g., €60,000 per year / €25/hour]
  • Pay frequency: [Monthly / Biweekly / Other]
  • Bonuses or commission: [if applicable]
  • Equity or stock options: [if applicable]
  • Health and wellness benefits: [briefly list key offerings]
  • Paid time off: [e.g., 20 vacation days, 10 sick days, public holidays]
  • Retirement plan / pension: [brief details]
  • Other perks: [e.g., Remote work stipend, learning budget]

A detailed benefits guide will be shared with you in your employment contract.

Conditions of employment

Please note the following conditions apply to this offer:

  • Successful completion of background or reference checks. [if applicable]
  • Proof of your right to work, such as a valid ID or visa. [if applicable]
  • A probationary period of [X months], during which your performance will be reviewed.
  • Your employment will be [at-will / fixed-term, ending on [date])].
  • [X days] notice period.
  • You will be asked to sign additional agreements, such as confidentiality or non-compete clauses. [if applicable]

Accepting the offer

To accept this offer, please sign and return this letter by [deadline date]. You can return it by replying to this email / sending a signed PDF to [HR contact email]. If we don’t hear from you by this date, we may move forward with other candidates. Once we receive your acceptance, we’ll follow up with your employment contract and onboarding materials.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out to [Contact person’s name, Title] at [email].

Disclaimer

This letter outlines the proposed terms of employment but is not a contract of employment. Final employment is subject to contract and the fulfillment of any outlined conditions.

If you’re happy with the terms above, please sign below to indicate your acceptance.

Candidate:
Signature: _______________________
Full name: [Candidate full name]
Date: ___________________________

Employer (on behalf of [company name]):
Signature: _______________________
Name: [Hiring manager or HR rep name]
Title: [Job title]
Date: ___________________________

We’re thrilled at the idea of you joining us and can’t wait to see what we’ll achieve together.

Warm regards,
[Your name]
[Your title]
[Company name]

Download our free job offer templates

a preview of an offer of employment

Below, you’ll find more free offer letter templates our team created for you — feel free to download, customize, and reuse them to simplify your hiring process. Our free templates include:

  • A general offer letter template (which you can see above)
  • A temporary employment offer letter
  • An internship offer letter
  • An informal job offer email
Download our free offer letter templates(new window)

How to use thе templates:

  1. Explore the folder and open the template you need.
  2. Select Create a copy in the top-right corner.
  3. Log in or sign up for a Proton Account. The document will be instantly added to your Proton Drive, so you can edit it right away.

7 key components of an effective job offer letter template

When drafting a template, make sure the offer letter includes these essential sections:

1. Header and company information

Set a professional tone from the start by including:

  • Company logo, placed at the top for branding and recognition
  • Company name – full legal name of the organization
  • Business address, including street, city, state/province, ZIP/postal code, and country
  • Contact details, such as phone number, email, and website
  • Date of the letter, so the timeline is clear for both parties

2. Candidate information

Include the candidate’s full name and preferred contact details, such as their email address and phone number. This personalizes the offer letter and clarifies who the letter is for. Since most communication happens digitally now, there’s usually no need to request a mailing address at this stage.

3. Job details

Here is where you should clearly outline the key aspects of the role:

  • Job title (e.g., Marketing Manager)
  • Department or team (e.g., Marketing, Product, Support)
  • Reporting to (name and title of the manager or supervisor)
  • Start date (include any flexibility, if applicable)
  • Employment type (e.g., full-time, part-time, contract, temporary)
  • Work schedule (e.g., Monday–Friday, 9 AM–5 PM, flexible hours)
  • Expected working hours (if different from the standard schedule)

4. Compensation and benefits

Provide a clear overview of what the candidate will receive in exchange for their work, keeping this section transparent but high-level — detailed benefits can be shared in a separate document or onboarding pack:

  • Base salary or hourly rate (e.g., €60,000 per year, €25/hour)
  • Pay frequency (e.g., monthly, biweekly)
  • Bonuses or commission structure (if applicable)
  • Equity or stock options (if offered)
  • Health and wellness benefits (e.g., medical, dental, mental health support)
  • Paid time off (e.g., vacation days, sick leave days, holidays)
  • Retirement plans or pension contributions
  • Other perks (e.g., remote work stipend, learning budget, gym membership)

5. Conditions of employment

Briefly clarify any requirements or terms that must be met before or during employment, leaving the full legal details for the employment contract. This may include:

  • Background or reference checks that must be completed successfully for the offer to become official.
  • Proof of work eligibility – requesting documents confirming the candidate’s right to work, like ID or visa.
  • Probationary period, including duration and expectations.
  • Employment status, such as at-will (either party can end the employment anytime) or fixed-term (the role has a defined end date) contracts.
  • Termination clauses, including notice period.
  • Legal disclaimers, such as confidentiality, intellectual property, or non-compete agreements.

6. Information on how to accept the offer

Let the candidate know exactly how to move forward and who to reach out to if they need help:

  • Deadline to respond, which also helps you plan next steps. If the candidate doesn’t reply in time, you can move forward with other applicants.
  • How to accept, such as signing and sending a PDF to a specific email address or replying to the current email.
  • Disclaimers or legal notes, such as “This letter is not a contract of employment.”
  • Contact person for questions or clarifications.
  • What happens next, such as receiving a full contract, onboarding materials, or a welcome email after accepting the offer letter.

7. Signature section

Wrap up the offer letter with a space for both parties to make it official:

  • Candidate signature and date to confirm they have accepted the offer and the terms outlined.
  • Employer signature and date, usually signed by the hiring manager or HR representative.
  • Optional note, such as a short message like “We’re excited to welcome you to the team!” If you’re using an e-signature platform, mention that here so the candidate knows what to expect.

Don’t forget to review before sending

Before you hit send, take a moment to double-check the details:

  • Spelling and names
  • Dates and salary
  • Contact information
  • Tone and clarity, which should be warm, clear, and professional.
  • Formatting – use consistent fonts, spacing, and company letterhead (if any).
  • Version history – if this is a template, confirm it’s the most up-to-date version. Proton Drive allows you to view and restore previous versions of your files, with version history going back up to 10 years.
  • Legal review – if you’re unsure about language or clauses, have HR or legal take a look.

Whether you’re hiring your tenth employee or your hundredth, having the right tools in place makes all the difference. With Proton Docs, built right into Proton Drive, you can safely customize your offer letter templates, securely share them with your team — and revisit past versions anytime, thanks to version history that goes back up to 10 years.