What to check before you accept a job offer
Reading the offer and contract, asking questions, and accepting or declining politely.
Take a moment before saying yes
Being offered a job is good news, and it is natural to want to accept at once. Still, the offer is the start of an agreement that will shape your working life, and the best time to understand it is before you sign.
It is normal and polite to thank the employer and ask for the offer in writing, and for a day or two to read it. A serious employer will expect this. Be careful with anyone who pressures you to accept immediately, or who asks you to pay a fee for the job, a uniform, training or a medical check before you start.
What the offer should tell you
A written offer or contract usually states:
- Your job title and who you will report to.
- Where you will work, and whether you may be transferred.
- The start date.
- The type of contract: permanent, fixed-term (with an end date), part-time, or for a specific project.
- Probation: how long it lasts and what happens at the end of it.
- Pay: the amount, whether it is before or after deductions, and how often and how it is paid.
- Allowances and benefits, such as transport, housing, medical cover or leave.
- Working hours and days.
- Leave: annual leave and other kinds.
- Notice period: how much notice you and the employer must give to end the contract.
If something important is missing, ask about it before you accept.
Understand the pay
Make sure you know whether the figure in the offer is gross (before deductions) or net (what reaches your account). Deductions usually include income tax and contributions to social security, and sometimes others such as a health scheme. Your take-home pay will be lower than the gross figure.
Ask when the first payment will be made. Many employers pay at the end of the month, so plan for your costs in the first weeks, such as transport and lunch, before your first salary arrives.
Ask questions, politely
If anything is unclear, ask. Good questions are short and specific:
- "Could you confirm whether the salary stated is gross or net?"
- "How long is the probation period, and how is performance reviewed during it?"
- "Is there a written job description I could see?"
- "What are the working hours on Saturdays?"
Asking questions doesn't make you look difficult. It shows you take the job seriously. Keep the tone warm and thank them for the offer.
Discussing the terms
Sometimes there is room to discuss the terms, such as the start date, the salary within a range, or an allowance. If you want to discuss something, give a clear reason: the experience you bring, a professional qualification, or the cost of moving to a new town. Ask once, calmly, and be ready to accept the answer. Some employers, especially in public service, have fixed salary scales, and there is no room to change pay.
Before you sign
Read the full contract, including the small print, before you sign. Check that the job title, pay and start date match what you were told. Look for clauses about working for other employers, confidentiality, and anything you must repay if you leave early, such as training costs.
Keep a copy of everything you sign: the offer letter, the contract and any job description. If you don't understand a clause, ask the employer to explain it, or ask someone you trust who knows employment matters.
Accepting the offer
Accept in writing, even if you have already said yes by phone. A short email is enough:
"Dear Ms Kimaro, thank you for offering me the position of Customer Service Officer. I am pleased to accept, and I confirm that I will start on Monday, 3 March. Please let me know if there is anything I should bring or complete before then."
If you are currently employed, give your present employer the notice your contract requires, and leave on good terms. You may need them as a referee one day.
Declining politely
If you decide not to accept, say so quickly and politely, so that the employer can offer the job to someone else:
"Dear Mr Lyimo, thank you very much for the offer of the Sales Officer position. After careful thought, I have decided to accept another role that is closer to my field. I appreciated meeting your team and hope our paths cross again."
A polite refusal keeps the door open. The same employer may advertise a job that suits you better in future.
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