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.
Are you guilty of sabotaging your own job search along with the opportunity to earn more money? Heather Eagar, a former professional resume writer and creator of ResumeLines.com, provides reviews of the top resume writing services that put you
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