# Offer letter

An offer letter is the formal written document an employer sends a candidate after extending a job offer, laying out the role, compensation, and start date in writing. It usually follows a verbal offer made by phone or in a final interview conversation.

It's the point where an offer becomes something a candidate can review and respond to, rather than a spoken number.

**Offer letter** — An offer letter is the written document an employer sends a candidate to formalize a job offer, typically after the candidate has already been told verbally that they're being offered the role. It generally states the job title, reporting structure, base salary or hourly rate, start date, and whether the position is exempt or non-exempt, full-time or part-time. Many offer letters also reference additional compensation, like a signing bonus or equity, though the full detail on those often lives in a separate document. An offer letter is usually not the same as a binding employment contract, especially in the US. It's a formal statement of the terms being offered, and accepting it, often by signing and returning it, is what turns a verbal offer into something documented on both sides. Some offer letters state that employment is at-will, or note that the offer is contingent on something else being completed first, like a background check clearing. Once signed, the offer letter becomes the reference point both sides go back to if a question comes up later about what was actually agreed to.

The offer letter typically arrives once negotiation, if there was any, is mostly settled, since renegotiating terms already in a signed document is more awkward than negotiating before it's sent. A candidate weighing more than one offer often asks for a deadline extension, and how flexible an employer is on that timeline is itself a signal about the role.

Intervieux's employer tools include offer management with a public accept or decline page a candidate can respond to directly, plus e-sign for the underlying documents with an audit trail of the process.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is an offer letter legally binding?

It depends on the wording and jurisdiction. Many offer letters aren't a full employment contract, especially in at-will settings, though the stated terms are still what both sides typically reference if a disagreement comes up.

### What's usually not included in an offer letter?

Full benefits plan details, detailed equity vesting terms, and specific policies like PTO accrual are often handled in separate documents rather than spelled out completely in the letter itself.

### Can an offer letter be contingent on something else?

Yes. It's common for an offer letter to state the offer depends on a background check, reference check, or proof of eligibility to work clearing first, sometimes called a contingent offer.

## Related pages

- [Contingent offer](/glossary/contingent-offer)
- [Counteroffer](/glossary/counteroffer)
- [Browse open roles](/jobs)

## Offers that move as fast as the process

Intervieux lets employers send an offer with a public accept or decline page a candidate can respond to directly, keeping the final step as fast as the interview that led to it.

Start practicing free: https://www.intervieux.ai/register · Hire with Intervieux: https://www.intervieux.ai/employers/signup