Offer Letter Samples for Different Jobs: Full-Time, Part-Time, Contractor and Intern
An offer letter confirms the job, pay, start date, key terms and how to accept. This guide gives four word-for-word samples with [placeholders]: full-time, part-time, contractor and intern. The type of worker changes the wording, so check each clause against local law and have a qualified person review the final text before you send it.
Read this first: samples are not legal advice
The samples below are plain starting points, not legal documents tailored to your situation. Employment law differs by country, and often by state or region, covering contracts, notice, working time, pay, benefits, probation, restrictive terms and how a worker is classified. A letter that is fine in one place can be unlawful or unenforceable in another. Before sending anything, replace every [placeholder], remove clauses that do not apply, add the terms your local law requires, and ask a qualified employment lawyer or adviser to check the letter, especially for contractors, where a wrong label can create legal risk. Many employers send the offer letter followed by a longer employment contract or agreement, and the letter should not contradict it. Keep the tone clear and warm, because the offer is also a piece of candidate experience. If you want a general template and guidance before you read the four versions, see /offer-letter-template. Nothing here promises that a letter will be enforceable, and nothing replaces local advice.
Sample 1: full-time employee offer letter
[Company letterhead] [Date]. Dear [Candidate name], We are delighted to offer you the position of [Job title] at [Company name], reporting to [Manager name and title]. Your intended start date is [Start date]. Your work location is [Office address or remote arrangement]. Your normal working hours are [Hours per week] hours per week, [Days and times]. Your starting salary will be [Amount and currency] per [year/month], paid [monthly/other] in line with our payroll schedule, less any deductions required by law. You will be eligible for [Bonus or commission, if any, and a reference to the plan]. Benefits include [Leave entitlement, health cover, retirement contribution, other benefits as they apply]. Your employment will be subject to a probationary period of [Length], if allowed in your location, during which [Notice terms]. After that, either party may end employment by giving [Notice period] written notice, or as required by law. This offer is conditional on [Right to work verification, background or reference checks that are lawful and relevant to the role, any licence needed]. You will be asked to sign our [Employment agreement and confidentiality terms], which will set out the full terms. If any detail in this letter conflicts with the agreement, the agreement applies. To accept, please sign and return this letter by [Deadline date]. We look forward to working with you. Yours sincerely, [Name, title]. Accepted: [Candidate signature] [Date].
Sample 2: part-time employee offer letter
[Company letterhead] [Date]. Dear [Candidate name], We are pleased to offer you the part-time position of [Job title] at [Company name], reporting to [Manager name and title]. Your intended start date is [Start date]. Your work location is [Location or remote arrangement]. You will work [Number] hours per week, normally on [Days and times]. Any change to your regular hours will be agreed with you in advance, and overtime will only be worked when agreed in writing and will be paid [Rate or time off in lieu, as local law allows]. Your pay will be [Hourly rate and currency] per hour, paid [weekly/fortnightly/monthly], less deductions required by law. Your benefits will be [Leave and other benefits, pro rata where they apply, in line with local rules]. Your employment will be subject to a probationary period of [Length], if allowed in your location. After that, either party may end employment by giving [Notice period] written notice, or as required by law. This offer is conditional on [Right to work verification and any other lawful, role-relevant checks]. You will be asked to sign our [Employment agreement], which sets out the full terms, and if anything differs the agreement applies. To accept, please sign and return this letter by [Deadline date]. We look forward to welcoming you to the team. Yours sincerely, [Name, title]. Accepted: [Candidate signature] [Date].
Sample 3: independent contractor offer letter
[Company letterhead] [Date]. Dear [Contractor name or business name], Thank you for discussing the services we need. We would like to engage you as an independent contractor to provide [Description of services and deliverables] to [Company name], starting on [Start date] and continuing until [End date or completion of the project], unless ended earlier under this letter. You will be paid [Fee, fixed price or day or hourly rate, and currency] on receipt of a valid invoice, payable within [Number] days. [Expenses will or will not be reimbursed, with prior approval]. You are responsible for your own tax, insurance, equipment and any social contributions, to the extent required by local law. You will decide how and when the work is carried out, subject to agreed deadlines and quality standards, and you may work for other clients, provided there is no conflict of interest or breach of confidentiality. You are not an employee, and this letter does not create employment, a partnership or an agency. You will keep our confidential information private, and [Ownership of the work product and intellectual property will pass to or be licensed to Company name, subject to payment]. Either party may end this engagement by giving [Notice period] written notice. This engagement is conditional on [Any required licences, insurance or right to work or business registration]. To accept, please sign and return this letter by [Deadline date]. We look forward to working with you. Yours sincerely, [Name, title]. Accepted: [Contractor signature] [Date].
Sample 4: intern offer letter
[Company letterhead] [Date]. Dear [Candidate name], We are delighted to offer you an internship as [Internship title] at [Company name], within the [Team] team, supervised by [Supervisor name and title]. The internship begins on [Start date] and ends on [End date]. You will work [Hours per week] hours per week, [Days and times], at [Location or remote arrangement]. During the internship you will [Learning goals and typical tasks], and your supervisor will meet you every [Frequency] to give feedback. The internship is [Paid at a rate of Amount per period, or unpaid where local law and educational arrangements allow, or for course credit through name of institution]. [Expenses such as travel will or will not be covered.] You will receive [Leave or time off for study or exams, as applicable]. This internship is for a fixed term and does not guarantee a job at the end, although we will consider interns for future vacancies. Either party may end the internship early by giving [Notice] notice. You will keep our confidential information private and follow our workplace policies. This offer is conditional on [Right to work or permission to work, confirmation from your school or university if needed, and any lawful, role-relevant checks]. To accept, please sign and return this letter by [Deadline date]. We hope this will be a valuable experience. Yours sincerely, [Name, title]. Accepted: [Candidate signature] [Date].
How the four types differ
The four types differ as follows.
| Type | Best for | Watch out |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time employee | Ongoing core roles | Probation, notice, benefits and statutory rights vary by country; a separate agreement is usually needed |
| Part-time employee | Fixed or reduced hours | Many places require equal treatment with comparable full-time staff and pro-rata benefits; hours must be clear |
| Independent contractor | Specific projects or services where the business does not control how work is done | Classification: if you control hours, methods and tools, the person may be treated as an employee |
| Intern | Structured learning for a fixed term | Rules on unpaid internships, minimum wage and school credit are strict in many places |
In short, an employee gets a job and is covered by employment law, a contractor sells a service and runs their own business, and an intern is on a time-limited learning arrangement whose legal treatment depends on location. Never label a person a contractor or an intern only to avoid cost, because courts and tax authorities often look at the real working relationship, not the label.
Clauses to check locally
Check these against the law where the worker will be.
| Clause | What to check locally |
|---|---|
| Probation | Whether it is allowed, how long, and what notice applies |
| Notice | Minimum periods and what happens on termination |
| Working time | Maximum hours, breaks, overtime and rest days |
| Pay | Minimum wage, frequency, deductions, bonuses, and whether pay must be written in the letter |
| Leave | Annual leave, public holidays, sick pay, parental leave |
| Restrictive terms | Non-compete and non-solicitation, restricted or unenforceable in some places |
| Confidentiality and IP | Ownership of work and any special wording |
| Conditions | Background, health and credit checks, restricted for some roles |
| Right to work | Documents and timing |
| Classification | Employee, contractor or intern tests |
| E-signature | Whether an electronic signature is valid for this document |
Also check equal treatment, data use and any local-language requirement. Check each point in your own country, and document who reviewed it.
Worked example with example numbers
These numbers are examples only. A small company offers a part-time bookkeeper role of 20 hours a week at an example rate of 22 per hour. Weekly pay is 20 x 22 = 440, so about 22,880 a year before tax if worked all 52 weeks, and a full-time equivalent of 40 hours would be 45,760 at the same rate. If annual leave for full-time is 25 days, a pro-rata share for a 20-hour week would be 12.5 days, subject to local rules. The recruiter checks that the letter states the hours, the rate, how leave is calculated and the notice, and that it matches the written agreement. The employer also asks whether the candidate can accept by Friday, which gives three working days after the offer call. Both the candidate and the manager receive the letter on the same day, and the offer is logged. If the candidate asks for 24 hours a week, the manager updates the hours and rate math before reissuing. The key habit is to recompute every number with the final inputs and to have a second person check the figures before sending, since a wrong salary or hour count in a signed letter is hard to undo.
Common mistakes with offer letters
Using the full-time sample for a contractor, which creates classification risk. Leaving a [placeholder] in the final letter. Stating pay in a way that is unclear, such as not saying gross or net, or not saying the currency or period. Contradicting the later employment agreement. Promising benefits, bonuses or promotion that the plan does not support. Setting an unreasonable deadline that pressures the candidate. Sending the letter before the manager and finance have approved the numbers. Making the offer conditional on checks that are not lawful or not relevant to the role. Forgetting to record who approved the offer. Not preparing a short call before sending, where you explain the offer in person. Withdrawing an offer after acceptance without understanding your local rules, which can create legal risk. Copying text from another country's template. Not keeping a copy of the signed letter. A good habit is a short checklist: numbers checked, placeholders removed, conditions lawful, agreement consistent, approval recorded, deadline reasonable, signed copy filed.
Where Rezumz fits
Rezumz includes offer letters with an approval step before they are sent and electronic signing, kept with the job and the candidate's record. You can start from your own wording, such as one of the samples above after legal review. Its electronic signature is a simple one, a typed name and a confirmation, and it does not verify identity, so some countries or contracts may need a stronger kind. Rezumz does not give legal advice, does not write the legal agreement for you, and people make every decision. It suits small and mid-size hiring teams, with the Team plan for four or more recruiters. It does not suit large enterprises that need deep HRIS or payroll links, and it does not do one-click multiposting to job boards. Prices: a free plan with 2 free candidate analyses, $29 a month, $199 a year, or a limited $499 lifetime option. Team is $79 a month or $699 a year for up to 10 teammates. See /pricing and the live demo at /demo.
Who this is not for
These samples are not for senior executive hires, regulated roles, or complex contracts with equity, relocation or multiple countries, which need a lawyer-drafted agreement. They are not for situations where you are unsure whether a worker is an employee or a contractor, because the answer depends on local tests, not on the sample. They are not a substitute for your national or state requirements, such as mandatory written statements of terms. If you hire in a country you do not know, take local advice before you send anything. If you only need a general layout, see /offer-letter-template, and to see where the offer fits in the wider process, see /recruitment-software. Rules differ by country and change over time, so check local law.
Frequently asked questions
What should an offer letter include?
At minimum: job title, manager, start date, location, pay and how it is paid, hours, key benefits, probation and notice if they apply, conditions of the offer, how to accept and by when. Rules on what must be written differ by country, so check local law.
How is a contractor offer letter different from an employee offer letter?
A contractor letter describes services, deliverables, fees and invoicing, and states that the person runs their own business, with no employment relationship. An employee letter covers a job, salary, benefits and notice. Classification rules are strict in many places, so take advice.
Do interns need an offer letter?
It is good practice. State the dates, hours, whether it is paid, learning goals, supervisor and that a job is not guaranteed. Rules on unpaid internships and minimum wage differ by country, so check local law before deciding.
Can I use one template for every job?
Use one consistent style but separate templates for employees, part-timers, contractors and interns, because the legal terms differ. Using an employee template for a contractor can create classification risk. Have a qualified person review each version.
Do I need a lawyer to review an offer letter?
For standard roles a template may be enough, but a local employment lawyer or adviser should review your final wording at least once, and for contractors, executives or multi-country hires every time. Laws differ by country and change.