How to accept a job offer (with email examples)

Accepting a job offer feels like the easy part. The interviews are done, the decision is made and all that is left is to say yes. Then you sit down to write the email and realise you are not sure what to include, whether to confirm the salary in writing or how to say yes without sounding either over the top or oddly flat.

A clear, well-written acceptance sets the terms straight, makes the start date real and leaves the hiring manager feeling good about their decision. A rushed one can leave a salary figure unconfirmed or a start date vague, and those small gaps have a way of becoming problems later.

In this blog, we explain what accepting a job offer involves, what to check before you say yes, how to accept step by step, four email examples you can adapt and what happens once your acceptance is sent.

What does accepting a job offer involve?

Accepting a job offer means formally confirming to the employer that you will take the role on the terms they have offered. In the UK, an offer and acceptance can be verbal or written and both can be legally binding, so the professional approach is to confirm in writing even if you have already said yes on the phone.

A good acceptance thanks the employer, states clearly that you accept, confirms the key terms and asks about next steps. That written confirmation is not a formality. It is the record both sides will refer back to if the contract that follows says something different from what was discussed.

What to check before you accept a job offer

Once you have said yes, it is much harder to raise questions. Spend an hour on these checks before you send anything.

Compare the written offer to what was discussed

Read the offer letter or email line by line and check it against your notes from the process. Job title, salary, bonus or commission structure, holiday allowance, working pattern, location and start date should all match what was agreed in conversation.

In our experience, most discrepancies are honest mistakes made by someone typing up an offer quickly. They are also far easier to fix before acceptance than after. If something differs, ask about it politely and get the corrected version in writing.

Make sure the salary conversation is finished

Accepting is not the moment to open a negotiation. If you want to discuss the salary or the package, do that first, reach agreement and then accept the revised terms. Accepting and then asking for more damages trust at exactly the point you want to be building it.

Read more: How to negotiate salary after you get a job offer

Check the notice period and start date work

Look at your current contract and confirm your notice period, then check it against the proposed start date. If the two do not fit, say so now rather than promising a date you cannot meet. Employers would much rather adjust a start date at the offer stage than discover a problem two weeks before day one.

Ask for time if you need it

If you have questions or another offer in play, it is normal to ask for a day or two to consider. "Thank you, I'm delighted to receive this. Could I come back to you by Thursday once I've reviewed the details?" is a professional response that no reasonable employer will object to.

Read more: What to do if you're not sure about accepting a job offer

How to accept a job offer step by step

Once you are happy with the terms, accepting is a short and simple process. Follow these steps.

Step 1. Reply to the person who made the offer

Respond to whoever sent you the offer, usually the hiring manager, HR contact or recruiter, and reply within the same email thread so the offer and your acceptance sit together. If you are working with a recruiter, tell them first so they can confirm to the employer and keep the process moving.

Step 2. Accept in writing, even after a verbal yes

If you accepted on the phone, follow up with an email the same day. Verbal acceptances are binding in the UK but hard to evidence, and the written version protects you if anything about the terms is later disputed.

Step 3. Include the four essentials

A good acceptance email does four things in a few short lines:

• It thanks the employer for the offer.

• It states clearly that you accept the role, naming the job title. 

• It confirms the key terms, at minimum salary and start date. 

• And it asks what happens next.

That is all it needs. Resist the urge to add new questions, new conditions or a long paragraph about how excited you are.

Step 4. Keep it short and professional

Five to eight sentences is the right length. Use the same tone you used in your interviews: warm, direct and professional. Proofread it once, then send it. You have already impressed them. The email only needs to confirm the decision.

Job offer acceptance email examples

Every situation is slightly different, so here are four versions you can adapt. Replace the details in brackets and keep the structure.

Example 1: A standard acceptance

Subject: Job offer acceptance: [Your name]

Dear [Name],

Thank you for offering me the position of [Job title] at [Company]. I am pleased to formally accept.

As discussed, I understand the starting salary is [£X] per year with a start date of [Date]. Please let me know if there is anything you need from me before then, or any paperwork I should complete.

I am looking forward to joining the team.

Kind regards,

[Your name]

Example 2: An acceptance confirming your notice period

Subject: Job offer acceptance: [Your name]

Dear [Name],

Thank you for the offer of the [Job title] role. I am happy to accept.

I will be handing in my notice today. My notice period is [X weeks], which means I can start from [Date]. Please confirm that date works for you, and I will send across my signed contract as soon as it arrives.

Thank you again. I am very much looking forward to getting started.

Best wishes,

[Your name]

Example 3: An acceptance after negotiating the package

Subject: Job offer acceptance: [Your name]

Dear [Name],

Thank you for the conversation yesterday and for confirming the revised offer. I am pleased to accept the position of [Job title] at [Company].

To confirm the agreed terms: a salary of [£X], [X days] annual leave and a start date of [Date], with the hybrid arrangement of [X days] in the office each week. If anything in the contract differs from that, could you let me know before I sign?

I appreciate the flexibility on the package and I am looking forward to joining.

Kind regards,

[Your name]

Example 4: An acceptance with a question about onboarding

Subject: Job offer acceptance: [Your name]

Dear [Name],

Thank you for offering me the [Job title] position. I accept with pleasure, and I have attached the signed offer letter.

I understand the start date is [Date] and the salary is [£X]. Could you let me know what my first week will look like and whether there is anything I can read or prepare in advance?

Thank you again for the opportunity. I am looking forward to meeting the wider team.

Best wishes,

[Your name]

What happens after you accept a job offer?

Your acceptance is the start of a new process rather than the end of the old one. A few things happen next, usually in parallel.

Your contract and pre-employment checks

Most employers send a formal contract shortly after acceptance, along with requests for right-to-work documents, references and any role-specific checks. Read the contract properly, check it matches the offer, and return what is asked for promptly. Delays on your side slow your own start date.

Read more: What happens after you accept a job offer?

Handing in your notice

Once you have the written offer and ideally the contract, resign from your current role. A short letter or email followed by a conversation with your manager is the standard approach, and how you handle it says a lot about you.

Read more: How to hand in your notice

Dealing with a counter-offer

If you are good at your job, your current employer may try to keep you. Counter-offers are common and can be tempting, but they rarely fix the reasons you started looking, and accepting one after you have said yes elsewhere damages your reputation with the employer you turned down.

Read more: Why you shouldn't accept an employer counter-offer

Accepting a job offer well is a small task that carries more weight than it looks. Check the terms, finish any negotiation first, then say yes clearly and in writing, confirming what you have agreed and asking what comes next. Done properly, it takes ten minutes and it sets the tone for everything that follows.

The candidates who start new roles smoothly are rarely the ones who moved fastest at the offer stage. They are the ones who checked the details, confirmed them in one clear email and walked into day one with nothing left to sort out.

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