Offer Letter

Overview

Create professional, legally-informed employment offer letters that clearly communicate compensation, benefits, start date, and terms of employment. Generate properly structured documents that reflect the company's tone while covering all essential elements a candidate needs to make an informed decision.

Instructions

When a user asks you to create an offer letter, follow these steps:

Step 1: Collect offer details

Gather the following from the user:

• Candidate name: Full legal name
• Job title: Official title for the role
• Department/team: Where the candidate will work
• Manager name and title: Direct supervisor
• Start date: Proposed first day
• Employment type: Full-time, part-time, contract, at-will
• Compensation:
  • Base salary (annual) and pay frequency
  • Equity/stock options (shares, vesting schedule)
  • Signing bonus (amount, clawback terms)
  • Performance bonus (target percentage)
• Benefits summary: Health, dental, vision, 401k match, PTO
• Location: Office, hybrid schedule, or remote
• Reporting structure: Who they report to
• Offer expiration date: Deadline to accept
• Contingencies: Background check, references, etc.

Step 2: Structure the offer letter

[Company Letterhead / Logo]

[Date]

[Candidate Full Name]
[Candidate Address]

Dear [Candidate First Name],

We are thrilled to extend an offer of employment for the position of
**[Job Title]** at [Company Name]. After our interviews, we are
confident you will make a valuable contribution to our [Department] team.

## Position Details

- **Title:** [Job Title]
- **Department:** [Department]
- **Reports to:** [Manager Name], [Manager Title]
- **Location:** [Office location / Remote / Hybrid]
- **Start date:** [Proposed Start Date]
- **Employment type:** [Full-time, at-will]

## Compensation

- **Base salary:** $[Amount] per year, paid [biweekly/semi-monthly]
- **Signing bonus:** $[Amount], payable within 30 days of start date
  [Subject to repayment if you voluntarily leave within 12 months]
- **Annual bonus:** Target of [X]% of base salary, based on individual
  and company performance, prorated for your first year
- **Equity:** [X,XXX] stock options at a strike price of $[X.XX],
  vesting over 4 years with a 1-year cliff (25% after year 1,
  then monthly over remaining 3 years)

## Benefits

You will be eligible for our comprehensive benefits package, including:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance (effective first day)
- [X] days of paid time off per year
- [X] paid holidays
- 401(k) plan with [X]% company match
- [Additional benefits: parental leave, learning stipend, etc.]

Full benefits details will be provided during onboarding.

## Contingencies

This offer is contingent upon:
- Successful completion of a background check
- Verification of your eligibility to work in [country]
- [Any other contingencies]

## At-Will Employment

Your employment with [Company Name] is at-will, meaning either party
may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without
cause or notice. This letter does not constitute an employment contract
for any specific duration.

## Next Steps

To accept this offer, please sign below and return this letter by
**[Expiration Date]**. If you have questions, please contact
[HR Contact Name] at [email] or [phone].

We are excited about the possibility of you joining our team and look
forward to your response.

Sincerely,

_________________________
[Signer Name]
[Signer Title]
[Company Name]

---

**Acceptance**

I, [Candidate Name], accept the offer of employment as described above.

Signature: _________________________

Date: _________________________

Step 3: Customize tone and detail level

Adjust the letter based on:

• Company stage: Startups may be more casual; enterprises more formal
• Role level: Executive offers need more detail on equity and severance
• Location: International offers may need visa sponsorship language
• Negotiation context: If this is a revised offer, acknowledge the updates

Step 4: Save and deliver

cat > offer_letter_[candidate_last_name].md << 'EOF'
[formatted offer letter]
EOF

Remind the user to have legal/HR review the letter before sending.

Examples

Example 1: Standard software engineer offer

User request: "Write an offer letter for Jane Smith, Senior Software Engineer, $190K base, 10K shares, starting March 3rd."

Key elements:

• Base salary: $190,000/year, paid semi-monthly
• Equity: 10,000 stock options, 4-year vest with 1-year cliff
• Standard benefits package
• At-will employment
• 5-day acceptance window

Example 2: Executive offer with signing bonus

User request: "Draft an offer for our new VP of Engineering with a $50K signing bonus and accelerated vesting."

Additional elements:

• Signing bonus with 24-month clawback provision
• Accelerated vesting on change of control
• Severance terms (e.g., 6 months base salary)
• Detailed reporting structure and scope
• Board observer rights if applicable

Example 3: Revised offer after negotiation

User request: "The candidate countered. Update the offer from $170K to $185K and add a $15K signing bonus."

Approach:

1. Read the original offer letter
2. Update base salary to $185,000
3. Add signing bonus of $15,000 with standard clawback terms
4. Add a line acknowledging the revision: "We are pleased to present this revised offer..."
5. Keep the same expiration date or extend by a few days
6. Save as a new file, preserving the original

Guidelines

• Always remind the user to have legal counsel or HR review the offer letter before sending. This skill generates a draft, not legal advice.
• Include all material compensation terms. Ambiguity in an offer letter damages trust.
• Be explicit about at-will employment status where applicable.
• Clearly state all contingencies (background check, right-to-work verification).
• Set a reasonable acceptance deadline (typically 3-7 business days).
• Use warm, welcoming language. The offer letter is a key part of the candidate experience.
• For equity, specify: number of shares, strike price (if known), vesting schedule, and cliff period.
• For signing bonuses, always include clawback terms and payment timeline.
• Never include confidential company information like cap table details or specific revenue numbers.
• Include clear next steps so the candidate knows exactly what to do.
• Save both the markdown and suggest the user convert to PDF on company letterhead for the final version.