How to Respond to a Job Offer Email: 6 Ready Templates
I got a job offer over email on a Friday afternoon, and I hit reply and said “Yes, I accept” before I'd even scrolled down to read the compensation details in the same message. Two days later, I found out the base salary was $5,000 lower than what the recruiter had said out loud on our last call, and by then I'd already told my current boss I was leaving.
That's the risk with job offer emails specifically. You don't get small talk to buy time or body language to read. The words in your reply are the entire negotiation, and once you hit send, you can't walk any of it back.
So I started keeping a set of email templates on hand for how to respond to a job offer email in almost any situation: accepting outright, negotiating salary, asking for a few more days, declining without burning the relationship, and the messier situations in between.
Here's every version, ready to copy and adjust for your own offer.
How to respond to a job offer email (start here)
Before you write a single word back, check the email for these five things. Missing one of them is how people end up accepting a role at a lower salary than they thought, or agreeing to a start date they can't make.
- Base salary and pay frequency. Confirm the number and whether it's annual, monthly, or hourly.
- Start date and any contingencies. Background check, references, or drug screening can push a start date later than what's written.
- Benefits and time off. Health coverage, PTO, and remote or hybrid terms are often summarized in a separate benefits document, not the offer email itself.
- Bonus and equity. Note whether a signing bonus or equity grant is guaranteed or tied to a later approval step.
- The response deadline. Most offers list one. If it isn't there, ask for it in your first reply instead of guessing.
Once you've confirmed those, pick the template below that matches your situation.
Email Template 1: Accepting the offer as it stands
Use this when the offer matches what you discussed, and you're ready to say yes without changes.
Subject: Re: [Job Title] Offer, [Your Name]
Hi [Hiring Manager's Name],
Thank you for the offer. I'm happy to accept the [Job Title] position with a start date of [Date] and the compensation outlined in your email.
Please let me know if there's anything you need from me before then, and I look forward to getting started.
Best, [Your Name]
Email Template 2: Accepting, but asking to negotiate salary or terms
Use this when the role is right, but the salary is not, and you have a specific figure or benefit you want to negotiate.
Subject: Re: [Job Title] Offer, [Your Name]
Hi [Hiring Manager's Name],
Thank you for the offer. I'm excited about the [Job Title] role and the team, and I'd like to accept once we can align on compensation.
Based on my experience and the market for this role, I was hoping for a base salary closer to [Target Number]. Is there flexibility to get there, or is there room to revisit the sign-on bonus or PTO instead?
I'm confident we can find something that works for both sides, and I'm ready to move forward once we do.
Best, [Your Name]
Email Template 3: Asking for more time to decide
Use this when you need a few days, whether that's to weigh another offer or just think it through.
Subject: Re: [Job Title] Offer, [Your Name]
Hi [Hiring Manager's Name],
Thank you for the offer. I'm honored to be considered for the [Job Title] role. This is a big decision, and I'd like to take [Number] business days to review the details fully before I respond.
Would [Specific Date] work as a deadline on my end? I'll follow up by then either way.
Best, [Your Name]
Email Template 4: Declining the offer
Use this when you've decided against the role, whether you took another offer or the fit wasn't right.
Subject: Re: [Job Title] Offer, [Your Name]
Hi [Hiring Manager's Name],
Thank you for the offer and for the time your team spent with me throughout the process. After careful consideration, I've decided not to move forward with the [Job Title] role at this time.
I enjoyed learning about the team and would welcome the chance to reconnect down the road if the timing lines up better.
Best, [Your Name]
Email Template 5: Confirming a verbal offer in writing
Use this when you get the offer on a call and need it in writing before you respond further.
Subject: [Job Title] Offer, Written Confirmation
Hi [Hiring Manager's Name],
Thank you for the call earlier and for walking me through the offer. Before I respond, could you send over the written offer with the salary, start date, and benefits details we discussed?
I'd like to review everything in writing so I can give you a firm answer.
Best, [Your Name]
Email Template 6: Withdrawing after you've already accepted
Use this only when your circumstances have truly changed. This one costs you some goodwill, no matter how you phrase it, so keep it short and take responsibility rather than over-explaining.
Subject: [Job Title] Offer, Update
Hi [Hiring Manager's Name],
I need to let you know that I'm withdrawing my acceptance of the [Job Title] offer. My circumstances have changed since we last spoke, and I won't be able to move forward.
I recognize this puts you in a difficult position, and I apologize for the disruption. Thank you again for the opportunity.
Best, [Your Name]
Common mistakes when replying to a job offer
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Try Lindy: When you want help getting the tone right
A template gets you most of the way there, but you still have to fill in your own numbers, your own reasons, and the right tone, often while you're stressed about a decision that affects your income and your next few years. That's the part an email template alone can't do for you.
Lindy is a company-wide AI teammate that lives in Slack: @mention it in a channel and the whole team gets answers, or DM it privately as your own assistant with access to your inbox, calendar, and private memory.
Drafting a job-offer reply is one of those personal jobs. Tell it the number you're hoping for, the time you need, or how you want to decline, and it handles the wording for you.
- Builds in the specifics you give it, like a target salary number or a deadline you need.
- Saves every draft to your inbox for review, so nothing sends without your approval.
- Learns from your edits, so future drafts sound more like you over time.
- Works the moment you get the offer, whether you reach it by text or email.
Between the templates above and a tool that can draft the reply for you, you've got what you need to respond to a job offer email, whatever situation you're in.
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FAQs
1. How soon should I respond to a job offer email?
Respond by whatever deadline the offer states. If none is given, timing expectations vary a lot by employer, anywhere from 24 to 48 hours to a week or two, so don't assume you have more time than you do. If you're not sure, ask directly: “Is there a deadline for getting back to you?”
2. Is it okay to negotiate a job offer over email?
Yes, it is okay to negotiate a job offer over email. Email gives both sides a written record of the agreed salary, benefits, start date, or role details. Keep your ask specific, like a target salary number backed by current market data, or a particular benefit.
3. What should I say if I need more time to decide?
If you need more time to decide on a job offer, thank them for the offer, state how many days you need, and give the exact date you will respond by. A clear deadline sounds more professional than a vague request for “some time.”
4. How do I decline a job offer without burning the relationship?
To decline a job offer without burning the relationship, keep it brief, thank them for their time, and leave the door open if you mean it. A long explanation is not required and can make the message harder to close.
5. Can an AI assistant draft my reply for me?
Yes, an AI assistant can draft your job offer reply. Tools like Lindy can create a first draft for an acceptance, counteroffer, or decline, so you are editing a starting point instead of writing from a blank page. You still choose what gets sent.
