How to Respond to a Job Offer with Questions: Ultimate Guide

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Like greased lightning, activities in the labor market have illuminated through the skies and kept job seekers’ competition soaring like an eagle.

With this in mind, it is apparent that seasoned applicants quintessentially overshadow newcomers because they are “savvier” in dealing with recruitment-related processes.

One of these hiring procedures is responding to a job offer, which can be a real piece of work when you do not know what to say or what to ask your prospective employer.

Chances are you would just likely swallow the proposal right off the bat without chewing it.

Ready to discover new ways to respond to a job offer with the most polite and reasonable questions? Let’s start with a quick synopsis of the topic.

 

How can we respond to a job offer with questions?

To respond to a job offer with questions, start by thanking the hiring manager for the opportunity. Do not state whether you will be taking the job or not. Next, pose your questions in a straightforward, concise manner. Do not apologize for asking questions. Finish your email off professionally by saying you look forward to hearing back from them.

After landing a job, the last thing you want to do is hang your boots up after a week or so. That is, you don’t want to end up quitting the job because of unmet expectations.

This means that you need to possess effective negotiation skills just like responding to a job offer without accepting it or, to put it simply, put on some delaying tactics.

Although strategies as such are superficially and generally frowned at by many, there are actually some situations that would require one to do so.

Touching back on asking questions after receiving the job offer, you had better fully understood the scope of the job, as well as some basics of the industry you’re getting yourself into.

Doing so should keep you away from having any unrealistic expectations that could negatively affect your performance once you start working.

So, what exactly is a job offer? And, what’s in it for you? Let’s answer these two questions first before going to the plausible questions that you can ask before officially signing up for a job.

 

Understand the ins and outs of a job offer

After doing all necessary assessments, the hiring team, together with the corresponding department in need of the position, has to concur on whether to accept or reject an application.

The recruitment staff will then have to inform unselected applicants that they failed the application process, and “the chosen one” will get contacted soon.

Depending on the urgency of the job, the selected applicant would, and should, be informed within a week or two after completing all necessary evaluation processes.

Job postings are typically available for thirty days in job advertisement platforms, and hence, hiring procedures are also expected to last within this time frame.

As a job seeker, knowing the meaning behind different job application statuses would save you a lot of time, money, not to mention effort, so you had better find these things out at your own will.

Also, getting the hang of recruitment-related activities will keep your anxieties at bay.

So, it is your job to do some research before randomly submitting cover letters and resumes online.

For example, a job posting could be removed before your interview all of sudden.

Some reasons behind this include a filled-in position, shortage or surplus of applicants, and the ad platform’s subscription expiration.

These are just a fraction of all the things you need to know before dealing with job-offer-related concerns, which are slightly more complicated.

As the name suggests, a job offer is a verbal or written proposal coming from an employer that briefly explains the employment conditions offered to a potential employee.

It concisely tells you details about the job title, type of employment, starting date, main tasks, responsibilities, as well as compensation and benefits package.

Basically, a job offer is an overview of your expected life as an employee in the organization you are applying for, and it is basically equivalent to the table of contents page of a book.

Because it is just a summary, it is too brief to let you know everything that you need to know about what you are getting yourself into.

Hence, the best time to actually ask for further clarifications about the job is right after receiving a job offer.

In a nutshell, you should never, ever worry and feel sorry about being a bit inquisitive at this point.

 

Steps to responding to a job offer by asking questions (with examples)

For the most part, responding to the job offer is just a cakewalk. This is true if you’re applying for your dream job in the most ideal company you think you could ever be a part of.

In other cases, though, this could be tough especially if you are only taking the chance because it is what’s available at the moment, and, perhaps, you do not have much time to twiddle your thumb for other opportunities.

You know you have to take the risk, but you are also aware that you need to make sure that nothing goes wrong once you step on the gas pedal.

So, here are the easy-to-remember yet hard-to-forget steps in responding to a job offer by asking questions.

Afterwhich, you’ll be able to see the whole picture by reading sample scripts. 

 

Greet and say thank you

Compliments and gratitude are two of the most effective strategies we can use to get the upper hand in any kind of situation, apart from apologizing and explaining, of course.

All I’m saying is that you could never go wrong by starting your message with a simple, non-pretentious greeting, as well as a complimentary statement.

Clearly enough, someone’s taking the time to reach out to you and let you know that you are valuable enough to be needed for a particular role: This is why starting with some pleasantries is utterly the best thing to do.

If you are responding via email, you can start your message with greeting expressions like “I hope this email finds you well,” “Hope all is well with you,” or their alternatives, as listed below:

Examples:

 

However, if you are dealing with a call or an actual spoken conversation, you may simply use temporal greetings like “Good morning,” “Good afternoon,” or “Good evening.”

In spoken contexts, the use of overly formalistic language can be easily misperceived as being presumptuous or audacious, and hence, it is better to stick with customary greetings.

You may also say “How are you?” or “How are you doing today?” in spoken contexts if you have already interacted with the person a couple of times before the job offer.

Then, you could proceed with some gratitude statements to let the employer know that you appreciate their decision of choosing you over the other candidates.

You may choose gratitude expressions like the examples below:

Examples:

 

Elaborate on your question accurately and objectively

The next thing you have to remember is to elaborate on your question as dispassionately and as precisely as you can, whatever the question is.

You want to remain objective because it simply has a calming effect on the addressee, most especially during formal discussions. It also helps set a neutral territory between you and the employer.

Any linguistically competent person can easily detect a touch of negative emotion such as agitation or annoyance, which can lead to undesirable consequences.

You also need to be as accurate as possible with the questions that you want to ask, for you do not want to mislead the addressee in his or her interpretation process.

Doing so also prompts an accurate and honest response from your addressee, which is basically what you want to be able to clearly decide on whether to accept the job offer.

For the most part, the need for accuracy and objectivity are self-explanatory, and they are to be done so you could smoothly proceed with your recruitment process.

If you have more than two questions, writing them in bullet form would make your email more visually attractive and, therefore, easier to read.

The questions you would likely ask after a job offer pretty much revolves around both general and specific points. 

General questions may include something about the company culture, compensation and benefits plan, major and minor responsibilities, educational advancement, and training opportunities.

Ask these questions only when you haven’t discussed them yet during the interview.

Examples:

 

Meanwhile, the more specific questions that you would likely ask are related to the onboarding process, fulfillment of requirements, and useful information about immediate colleagues and superiors.

Examples:

 

You would want to avoid asking anything that is based on rumors, speculations, and personality types of the people you are about to work with.

Also, in writing your statements, it is always recommended to do away with anything containing a negative connotation, even if that is what you feel in reality.

 

End with a positive note

Thirdly and finally, you should never forget to end your message with a positive note to induce a positive reaction from your message receiver.

This would also help you establish a worthwhile and professional relationship with your prospective employer that should last for a long time.

Also, you need to use an empathetic tone in your closing remarks to avoid indiscriminately sounding offensive by questioning the job offer details.

Empathy is different from sympathy in the sense that the latter is less effective in achieving better responses from an addressee.

Understanding what “empathy” really is will help you craft your message more persuasively, thereby making it more effective in the context of doing fairly sensitive inquiries.

To end your message positively and empathetically, you may say something along the lines of the following:

 

 

The most important questions to ask before accepting a job offer 

When you receive an email that contains a job offer, it can be hard not to become over-excited and respond hastily. 

However, you should do your best to keep your fingers away from the keyboard! After you have taken a moment to jump up and down with excitement, consider what questions you have for your potential employer. 

There are a range of topics it would be good to get clarification on before signing an employment contract.

And while you should always read every contract you sign, it can be difficult to absorb all the information quickly when you are in a pressurized environment. It is therefore always a good idea to ask for key information in advance. 

Furthermore, contracts are written in so-called “legalese,” which can make them difficult to understand. If there are pressing questions in your mind, don’t be afraid to ask the person you’re corresponding with for a straightforward answer. 

In fact, not asking the questions you have about a job would be foolish.

After all, accepting a new position is a big commitment. You are effectively signing away up to 48 hours of your week to do tasks on someone else’s behalf. 

It is therefore essential that you are completely happy with your decision and have weighed up all the costs and benefits of a role before you press send on an acceptance. 

If you are wondering what questions it would be good to have answers to before accepting a job, look no further. Below is a comprehensive list of the most important queries to ask before signing your name on a new employment contract.

 

23 important questions to get to the bottom of before accepting a job offer

1. What are your company’s policies on mental health days, personal days, sick leave, and vacations? 
2. Are there opportunities for advancement in this role? 
3. How soon after beginning my employment will I receive my health insurance benefit? 
4. What do you offer in terms of retirement benefits? 
5. Is there a probationary period written into the contract?
6. Will I have the opportunity to attend trainings and professional development courses?
7. Is there anything I should know before beginning with the onboarding? 
8. Who will my immediate supervisor be? 
9. What are the benefits offered with this position? 
10. Is there any flexibility to work remotely?
11. May I speak to an employee performing a similar job before I decide whether to accept the role? 
12. How would you describe the workplace culture at your company? 
13. How does your company or organization define success? 
14. Is there room to negotiate the salary?
15. What are your company’s most important values? 
16. Do you offer paid time off?
17. Do you offer a signing bonus? 
18. What do you expect in terms of the output for this role? 
19. Is there a three-month review? 
20. Could you describe what a normal day look like in this role? 
21. Are there bonuses or commissions available in this role? 
22. Will I be working in a team or is the work largely independent? 
23. What are my most important responsibilities?

 

Questions vs. demands when responding to a job offer 

There is a difference between asking a question when responding to a job offer and making a demand when responding to a job offer. 

It may be that you have received an offer that will only accept it if certain terms are met or if the contract or job description is altered to fit your needs. If so, you might be wondering how to phrase these conditions without compromising your ability to accept the position on the table. 

When informing an employer that you are not willing to accept a job offer unless certain conditions are met, be as polite and straightforward as possible. It is crucial that you do not phrase your demand as a question. 

Asking a question implies that you are willing to accept a variety of answers, or that you will assess your position once you have received clarification. 

When you know that you definitely can’t accept a job if it doesn’t come with certain benefits, or if the role involves things you aren’t willing to do, then you should lay your cards on the table. 

It is much better to set out your ground rules when you are able to negotiate rather than to accept a package you aren’t happy with the idea that you will be able to backtrack later. 

After all, once the dotted line has been signed, you’re contractually bound to the conditions the agreement contains. You don’t want to find yourself writing a resignation letter for a job you just started because you accepted unfavorable terms. 

 

How to make a demand when responding to a job offer in an email 

It might seem intimidating to make a demand of your future potential employer before you have even signed a contract. 

However, most employers want to hire people who are assertive, confident, and tenacious. Seeing you advocate for yourself may just be the confirmation they need that you are a worthwhile hire. 

After all, what is one of the things all successful people have in common? The ability to say no to things that don’t work for them. 

Plus, if you can negotiate successfully on your own behalf, you can surely negotiate effectively on behalf of an employer. 

Example 1

 
Example 2

 

Responding to a job offer by asking questions: Email Examples

And now to see everything I’ve explained from a bird’s eye view, let’s have a look at the sample email messages below, in which the first one is intended to accept the job offer, while the second is to ask for an extension of time.

The first example leans toward accepting the job offer but the applicant wants to clarify a few things before officially signing the document.

Example 1: (Accepting the offer with questions)

 

 

Meanwhile, the second example is aimed at asking questions because of unmet expectations based on the understanding of the applicant.

Here, you would notice how the applicant politely requests an extension of time before signing the job offer for some important reasons.

Example 2: (Delaying the acceptance with questions)

 

There are a wide variety of ways to compose a reply to a job offer. And the situation only becomes more complicated when you don’t want to say yes or no to the position right away. 

Whether there are open questions that you want clarification on before accepting the offer, or you are simply delaying the process while you wait to hear from other employers, it is important to show tact and to be professional. 

Here are two more examples of full-length emails to send when you want to respond to a job offer with questions. 
 

 

Questions to avoid when responding to a job offer

Last but not least, let’s also have a look at some questions that we have to avoid asking despite being realistic and reasonable.

Basically, although we can ask any questions we want before signing any official document and making a major decision, some of them can come across as unprofessional or just a bit over the top.

 

Question 1:  What are some of the worst sanctions an employee could experience in your company?

This question has to be avoided because would likely convey an applicant’s tendencies to perform badly once he or she starts working.

Asking about the worst things that could happen to you may reveal that you have done something suspicious in the past, even if that is not your real intention.

Blindly using words in the hopes of being creative, sounding smart, or for the sake of being able to ask something could mislead any reader or listener.

So, avoid anything that might communicate such a message.

 

Question 2: I’ve heard some bad things about the hiring manager. Are those rumors true?

Next, asking something that is based on speculations and rumors is, obviously enough, a self-denigrating act.

So, even if you have heard the information from someone whom you think is a reliable source, you still need to be keen and cautious with your words.

This is something you have to be careful of even if you know the recruiter or hiring manager because this would reveal one’s tendency to believe in ambiguous, subjective reports.

 

Question 3: I didn’t know the job entails graveyard shifts and traveling. Why didn’t you tell me about these things before?

Finally, blatantly confronting the recruiter about some changes in your agreement is also something you have to steer clear of.

Instead, you have to go with better and more polite ways of clarifying the employment details without sounding confrontational and unprofessional.

You had better make use of the expression “initially under the impression that” instead of structuring your sentences using negative verbs.

 

Frequently Asked Questions on “Responding to Job Offers”

 

How do you politely respond to a job offer?

Politely responding to a job offer entails the use of the consultative language register, such as the communicative strategy we use when talking to a superior or professor. The use of an empathetic tone is also recommended in a polite response.

 

How can we respond to a job offer while waiting for other opportunities?

The easiest way to respond to a job offer while waiting for other opportunities is to overtly ask for an extension of time or grace period without giving an explanation why. To do this, we can simply state that we would like to request a few days to a week to critically review the details stated in the job offer.

 

How can we respond to a job offer over the phone?

The best way to respond to a job offer given through a phone call is to ask for a written document detailing the employment conditions. However, if you are being offered an ideal job that you have long been waiting for, then you can immediately let the recruiter or hiring manager know the soonest date that you can start working.

 

Conclusion

Like any other task, responding to a job offer can be tricky especially when you do not know how to predict your prospective employer’s response.

Thus, religiously researching every nook and cranny of the job, the company, and the industry beforehand will make you gain the upper hand as an applicant.