A good offer deserves a good reply. Your acceptance email is more than a “yes”: it confirms in writing what both sides agreed, and it is often the first document you will both come back to. Here is what to include, what to leave out, and a sample reply.

Read the whole offer before you reply

Check the basic salary and the total package, the allowances, the start date, the probation period, the notice period, the location, the job title, annual leave and health insurance. Compare each one with what was said in your interviews.

If something is unclear, do not rush to accept. Send a short thank-you and give the date you will confirm by: “Thank you for the offer, I am delighted. I will confirm my decision by Thursday.”

If you want to negotiate, do it before you accept

Once you say yes, the terms are agreed. If one item matters to you, raise it now, calmly, and base it on facts such as the market rate or another offer. Ask for specific items rather than “a bit more”.

Ask for the offer in writing

If the offer came by phone or in a short message, ask politely for an offer letter or contract that sets out every term: “Could you please send the offer letter with the full terms, so I can confirm in writing?” Do not resign from your current job until you have it. If the role is in Saudi Arabia, check that the contract recorded on Qiwa matches what you agreed.

What to put in your acceptance email

Reply to the person who sent the offer, and copy anyone who was copied on it. Then include:

• A clear subject line: “Acceptance of offer: Senior Accountant, Sara Khan”.
• A thank-you in the first line.
• A clear yes: “I am pleased to accept the position of…”.
• The key terms, repeated: job title, salary (say whether it is basic or total), start date and location.
• The next steps: documents, medical or visa steps, and who to contact.

Accept in writing and repeat the terms you are accepting. A clear email protects both sides.

Choose a start date you can keep

Your start date has to fit your notice period. If you need to relocate, add the time for visas and travel. Offer a realistic date rather than the earliest one, because moving it later is awkward for both sides.

What not to do

• Do not accept with a one-line message. Repeat the terms, so nothing is left to memory.
• Do not accept with a hidden condition such as “I accept, but…”. State any condition before you accept, or accept without one.
• Do not resign before you hold the written offer and have finished any checks it depends on, such as medical or reference checks.
• Do not reopen the salary after you have said yes.
• Do not leave other employers waiting. Tell them your decision politely and thank them.

A sample reply to adapt