Writing an appointment letter is no small task. It can be exciting to find that candidate you’ve been searching for, and depending on the length of the hiring process, it can be a relief as well. It’s crucial, however, not to let any of these emotions seep through in your writing.If you write this letter poorly, or if you seem too eager to give the position to your candidate, it may cause the person to have second thoughts. If you’re so excited to find a replacement, is it hard to get people to stay with your company? What’s your company’s turnaround rate, anyway?By using our appointment letter templates, you can confidently approach and construct this letter. See the template below.
Appointment Letter Template
Below is a letter, written by Jack Muranaka. Jack has finished a long round of job interviews and has finally settled on a candidate for the organization’s open position. To his relief, the hiring process completed, and the prospect of a qualified candidate who can help the company move forward is often exciting. Jack does a great job of conveying his eagerness in a professional way.
Dear Chris Ludwig,
Upon reviewing your resume and interviewing you in person last week, we would like to offer you the position of system security technician at GHS Interactive Security’s Denver location as of August 18, 2017. Out of the 100 applicants who applied for this position, your skills, experience, and qualifications stood out as what best meets the company’s current needs and overall culture.
Included in this packet are the conditions of your employment, a small pamphlet detailing company benefits, and an official job offer document. If you wish to accept the position and the corresponding conditions, please sign the letter and send it back to the mailing or email address provided. Please ensure your response arrives no later than August 25, 2017.
If you choose to decline the offer, please respond as soon as you are able so we can consider another suitable candidate. If we do not receive a response by August 25, we will assume you have rejected the position.
If you have any questions or concerns about the benefits package or the conditions listed in this offer, do not hesitate to reach out to me. I would be happy to address any questions or concerns you may have. Looking forward to working with you.
Best,
Jack Muranaka
How to Write an Appointment Letter
The purpose of this letter is threefold: inform your chosen job candidate you’ve selected her or him for the position, provide a response timeline, and present the information needed to make an informed decision. It’s important this document strike the balance between excitement for the candidate and professionalism.
First, don’t waste any time getting to the point. Your first sentence shouldn’t end without telling the recipient she or he has landed the position. Next, specify the name of your company. This may seem pointless, but it’s important to remember your candidate has likely interviewed with several other organizations as well and might not remember your name or the name of your company. You’ll notice our appointment letter template explicitly lists the name of the business.
Follow the name of your company with an effective date of the offer. This also helps the candidate line up his or her memory with the interview. You should also include a deadline for response, which is a great way to gauge your candidate’s ability to meet deadlines, a great skill for any job. Next, make sure to inform the winning applicant what else is in the packet you’ve sent. In our template, Jack sent Chris a small pamphlet with information regarding the benefits package, but you may have already discussed that in your interview. Just make sure your candidate knows if you’ve included anything else with the appointment letter.
Close your note by inviting your candidate to contact you with any questions or concerns. This helps the person feel connected to the company already, and is sure to go a long way toward helping the potential employee to decide whether to take the job.
What to Avoid in Your Appointment Letter
One of the biggest mistakes you can make writing this letter is sounding too eager. If job candidates catch the scent of a desperate hiring manager, it’s one of the fastest ways to lose them. This communicates that your company might have a hard time holding on to employees, making applicants wary of such implications. Instead, write in such a way that the chosen candidate feels valued, but also gets the clear impression that you could easily move on to another applicant if she or he chooses not to accept the offer.
Another mistake that’s crucial to avoid in your appointment letter is omitting information. It can be difficult to cram a lot of details into just 200 or so words, but your candidate needs to have a clear picture of how best to move forward. When you compose your document, make sure you’ve included enough information that you won’t end up having a back-and-forth email conversation about what the person should do next.
How to Follow Up After Sending Your Appointment Letter
When it comes to following up with your appointment letter, the best policy is this: don’t. The very nature of an appointment letter puts the ball in the candidate’s court, and the best and only course of action at that point is to wait for a response. Following up plays back into the mistake of seeming too eager and might chase candidates away more than anything.
Make sure you provide contact information in your appointment letter, which includes an email address, mailing address, and phone number. The letter recipient should have no shortage of methods to contact you so you aren’t put in a position where you have to follow up with to ensure he or she received your note or to see if the person is still interested.
Top 5 Appointment Letter Writing Takeaways
1. Keep your language between delighted and professional
As mentioned above, the balance between enthusiasm and professionalism can be difficult to master. It’s important your candidate feels valued and that he or she will make a good fit for the team, but also that this person isn’t the only qualified candidate should she or he decline the offer.
2. Keep it short and sweet
There is a lot of ground to cover in an appointment letter, but that doesn’t mean you need to write a multi-page missive. You need to master the art of brevity so you can communicate multiple ideas in short phrases, as illustrated in our template.
3. Don’t assume the person remembers everything from the interview
You likely conducted countless interviews before deciding to send the letter to your chosen applicant, so you know how it feels when resumes and names blur together. It’s the same for your candidate, so don’t make any assumptions. Include your full name and your organization’s, as well as your location.
4. Set a deadline
One way to clearly communicate your company has several other qualified candidates to choose from is by giving a response deadline. This conveys a sense of urgency to the candidate and lets the person know the position is highly sought-after.
5. Offer help with any questions or concerns
Regardless of company culture, your co-workers become a family of sorts. Help your candidate feel welcome by extending an invitation to contact you if necessary.
