Perhaps the most rewarding feeling ever is when you have successfully secured a spot for an interview for your dream job. And there’s no greater feeling when you know you nailed that final interview and you know you got that job in the bag. After all your struggles, all you have to wait for is that piece of paper that secures that spot in the company. You may also see offer letter examples
In the hiring manager’s perspective, hiring people can be quite as stressful as well. Imagine going through tens or even hundreds of applicants for just a single position? It can be an ordeal; going through, examining and choosing the most qualified applicant to be a part of the team is not as easy as it sounds. The slight lapse in judgement can lead to an imbalance in the workplace. You may also like formal letter examples and samples
An appointment letter is a legal document from the employer given to an employee. It is a letter that requests certain candidates to join in a specific job position. It is a binding piece of document that confirms that the employer has chosen the qualified candidate and have accepted the terms of agreement in exchange for salary. It also serves as the culmination after all the discussions, negotiations and reviews. You may also see complaint letter examples & samples
It serves as a guarantee that a candidate has successfully acquired the job position after the entire job process. It goes into great detail about the terms and conditions concerning the job and also the roles, responsibilities and what is expected from the new employee. Therefore, an appointment letter is and should be straightforward as much as possible. You may also like business reference letter examples
It must contain all the necessary information regarding the nature of the company, complete job description and the key components of the employee’s job. It must not have any room for errors and contradictions as it can cause confusion on the employee’s part. You may also check out application letter examples & samples
Ultimately, it serves as the binding contract since it indicates the company’s policies, terms and conditions for employment. However, these are only briefly discussed since there is a specific manual intended to go into detail on each terms and policies.
Anyhow, despite it being direct and to the point, it should be also welcoming and not cause any intimidation. It must effective discuss ll the relevant information needed for the employee to understand the terms of employment. It must provide all the relevant information so that the employee can quickly finalize their decision, sign the papers and ready themselves for the first day on the job. You might be interested in acknowledgement letter examples & samples
The main difference between an appointment letter and offer letter is the stage within the employment process with which each letter represents. Essentially, an offer letter reiterates the decision of the employer to give the candidate an employment opportunity and important details such as salary and starting date. On the other hand, an appointment letter is handed after the offer has been accepted by the candidate. It guarantees the job position to the candidate and contains terms of agreement for employment. You may also see how not to write a business letter
After rigid examination and interviews, the employer will come to a point when the perfect candidate for the job has been chosen. After the decision of the employer, an offer letter is given to officially invite the candidate to join the company on or before a given date. It is common practice to give the candidate enough time to decide before responding to the offer letter. Doing this gives the candidate enough time to resign from a current employment and join the new company on the agreed date. You may also like two weeks notice letter examples
As the name would entail, an offer letter is an offer made in behalf of the company to the candidate. It usually has these three necessary components: date of joining, salary package and the position offered. It can also contain various medical plans or benefits that the company is offering. In addition to this, the offer letter also indicates the needed documents and certified copies that the candidate needs to submit.
On the other hand, an appointment letter is given near or at the exact date the candidate is expected to start or after the probation period in the new company. It is common that an appointment letter is presented after the requirements from the offer letter is accomplished and verified by the employer. Unlike to the offer letter that only offers a job position, an appointment letter serves as an evidence that the candidate has been formally appointed and is in fact taking the position. You may also check out notice letter examples
Opposite to an offer letter, the appointment letter details the legal terms and conditions the comes along with the job position. It details the information regrading the particulars of the job, the roles and responsibilities and not only the salary and the starting date. Generally, the appointment letter includes the legal terms of the employment agreement, responsibilities, duty hours, compensation, bonuses, benefits, transfer terms, leave entitlement, and a termination or resignation clause. You may also see business proposal letter examples
As a summary, an appointment letter is always preceded by an offer letter. While an offer letter only gives the description of the offer made by the company to the candidate, the appointment letter legally binds and is the proof that the company has indeed hired and taken the candidate for the job.
As mentioned before, an appointment letter goes into detail regarding all the relevant information about the job. It does not merely stop at the mention of the salary and the starting date. Here are the essential contents of an appointment letter:
As the hiring officer of the company, you need to make sure that the appointment letter you are about to issue to a qualified candidate is accurate and polished. There must be no errors and even minor mistakes as it can confuse the candidate. So before anything else, you must draft an appointment letter to make sure all the relevant and important information are included in the appointment letter. You may also see how to write an official letter
1. The appointment letter should have the company’s letterhead and must be in a block style business letter. In addition to the format, all lines must be flushed left, the date should be indicated above the letter, four spaces down should have the candidate’s name and address, tow spaces after come sin the salutation, lastly, begin the letter tow spaces after the salutation. From the address until the body of the letter, a single spacing for each line must be implemented.
2. Just like any letter, it must begin with a friendly and welcoming opening. The purpose of the letter must also be included in the introduction. For example; “We are pleased to offer you the position of Marketing Assistant in Parim Inc. with a starting date of Monday, October 25, 2018.”
3. As mentioned in the contents portion of this guide, it must describe and detail the job responsibilities, general working hours, probation period, etc. All the specifics and important details about the job must be included especially when the job requires travel and out-of-the-office activities. For example; “As a Marketing Assistant, you will be required to help out with the marketing efforts and travel to out-of-state clients as well as in-state clients 60 percent of the time, at a schedule that your reporting manager would determine.” You may also like thank-you letter examples
4. In addition to the roles and responsibilities, the letter must also include the employee’s remuneration or compensation, medical, dental an other benefits, and other terms that have been discussed during the interview. You can also give out a company handbook together with the appointment letter that informs the employees about holidays, company procedures, dress codes, and other details that an employee should have knowledge about. You may also check out employee reference letter samples
5. In another section of the letter, ask the employee to acknowledge the letter in a designated place. Also mention the date you want the letter to be signed and returned. In this section, also inform the employee that a copy will be given to him/her once it has been signed by the signing authority.
6. The last part of the letter or the closing paragraph should always have a positive tone. It should emphasize how the company looks forward to the employee’s participation in the company. For example; “We look forward to your response to this letter. Your skills and experience would be valuable for this role. For any questions or further explanation, you could get in touch with at [email protected]. We at Parim Inc. look forward to building a positive working relationship.” You might be interested in how to write a personal letter with examples
7. Lastly, always end the letter with a courteous letter closing such as “Sincerely, Regards, Yours truly, and Yours sincerely.” These are the most fitting closing to use in a business setting.
8. Lastly, proofread your daft before finalizing and printing the final copy. Correct errors especially with crucial details such as the amount for the compensation, working hours or shifting schedule, travel and leave policies, etc. It is important to avoid errors in the appointment letter not only because it legally binds the employment of the employee, but also because it can be a basis for any actions regarding the employee’s employment with the company. You may also see complaint letter examples
Before writing an appointment letter, it is important to divide the document into different sections with specific purpose for each section. Start by sharing the decision of the employer to hire the candidate. Provide the details of the position, including the title, a brief description (or a reference to a job description printed elsewhere), the start date and time, and the reporting structure for the role. You may also see what is an application letter?
In the US, majority implement a at-will employment relationship, this means that either the employer or employee can end the the said relationship at any time with or without notice. If this applies to your company, it is better to indicate and clarify this detail in the letter.
In the second paragraph of the letter, start by stating the salary for the position. Clearly explain how and how often the employee will be paid, briefly detail ny benefits and offerings that will be included in the employee’s compensation. In addition, explain what will be expected in return from the candidate for example the total hours the candidate will dedicate to the company each week, at which facility will the candidate be working, and when the reporting hours will be. You may also like new hire welcome letter examples
Like any organization, your company has a set of rules and policies to be followed by all employees regardless of position. Although it is better to include a separate copy of a handbook, if it is necessary for the employee to know regarding specific rules, explain it in the letter. For example, if the company has a strict dress code to follow better explain it in the letter beforehand. You may also check out termination letter examples & samples
In some cases, a company might implement a contingent basis for employment, meaning the position does not officially belong the employee until certain conditions are met. If this applies to your company, explain it in the appointment letter. If the employee needs to complete a probationary period, submit a background check or finish any task before the position is officially theirs, it is a must to include this information in the appointment letter. You may also see recommendation letter examples
Instructions on how the candidate can accept or reject the position must be stated clearly in the letter. If you require the response to be submitted in a specific timeline, inform the candidate. For example, your employee may need to return signed acceptance documents by a certain date.
It is expected for candidates or would-be employees to have more questions about the position before formally accepting the role. It is also expected that the employer cannot explain all the details regarding the employment in such a short letter. In this case, inform the candidate where he/she can turn to for more questions. Indicate the designated person in the company where the candidate can ask questions and have other details about the job clarified. Include the name, position and department where the assigned person is. You may also like what is a resignation letter?
If available, take advantage of your company’s legal team. It is bet to get legal sign-off from your in-house legal team to make sure all the information you have included are still within employment law of your state. If you have a small organization and a legal team is not available, consider utilizing the services of an employment lawyer or specialist.
Avoid these common mistakes in writing an appointment letter:
1. Not providing contact information: Even if it’s not your direct number, providing a point of contact gets everyone off to a good start. You can also include landmarks if your building is slightly obscured or which door to enter when your office is located in an office complex. You may also see official resignation letter examples
2. Not asking for a signed copy: Having a signed agreement on file may come in handy in the future for everyone involved.
3. Not identifying reporting relationship: New employee may confuse you as their reporting head since you have made the offer in behalf of the company or department. Make it clear that he/she will be reporting to a different person as their head or person-in-charge. You may also like how to write a job resignation letter
In conclusion, the appointment letter is a crucial part of the whole employment process. It should be written accurately and clear as possible in order to avoid miscommunication and confusion. As the hiring officer of your company, make sure all the information you include in letter are factual and directly approved by the higher authority. You must be able to clearly communicate what is needed from the employee and what he/she gets in return. We hope this guide has helped you as you write your own appointment letter. You may also check out reference letter examples
