I accepted a job offer verbally, but I have not received any written job offer from the employer. I am worried

Question

I do not have many details about how the hiring process works. The only thing I know is that I accepted the job on the phone more than 1 month ago but I have not received a formal written offer. Aren't I supposed to receive one detailing the salary, the benefits and other details? I do not know what to think. Can anybody give me any idea about what is possibly going on here? Thank you.

I have contacted the person by email and she sent me an email about a staff meeting that will take place in three weeks. She told me she wanted me to start working on September 20th because there was a delay in the hiring process because she was waiting for one of my references to write a recomendation letter on my behalf. The employer said that somebody should call me to schedule a physical either this week or next week. Even though I still do not understand why I have not received a written job offer and they have not asked me to bring any papers in order to process my employment.

I already sent a letter of acceptance confirming what we talked on the phone about salary and benefits even though the employer told me she was not really sure about the exact salary and benefits. I wrote the letter base on the salary and benefits she mentioned on the phone and the agreed start date.

Answer 1

When you receive a verbal job offer the correct procedure is to immediately send a letter detailing the substance of your conversation and thanking the person with whom you spoke. This would have covered you in this case. You say it has been a month but you do not say when you were supposed to start. Is the start date approaching? If so, a simple letter stating that you understand that you were to start on x date would work. Something like this:

Dear xxxxxx:

It was a pleasure to speak with you recently regarding the position of xxxxxx. I look forward to working with you and I am sure that I will be a positive asset to your staff. As agreed, I will report to work on xxxxxxx.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

If there is a problem I am sure they would contact you.

Answer 2

RE:
I accepted a job offer verbally, but I have not received any written job offer from the employer. I am worried
I do not have many details about how the hiring process works. The only thing I know is that I accepted the job on the phone more than 1 month ago but I have not received a formal written offer. Aren't I supposed to receive one detailing the salary, the benefits and other details? I do not know...

Answer 3

Verbal Job Offer Follow Up

Answer 4

Have you heard anything from them at all since 1 month ago? If they are following up with you but just have some delay, and you want the job, I would say something like, I am definitely interested in this opportunity, what is your timeline for finalizing an offer? They will either discuss the timeline with you, in which case you can have time to decide if you want to wait but also can then say something like, ok, I will have to consider your timeline when responding to other opportunities; or they will say, we definitely want you and the offer is final now, in which case you can say, great, I look forward to receiving your offer letter in the next couple days – do you have my address or would you prefer my fax number? and ask what start date they are requesting.

If you haven’t spoken with them at all in a month, then maybe they were asking, in a little too enthusiastic way, are you interested, and you thought they were offering the job. It's not final until it's in writing, even then it could be withdrawn but it gets less likely and usually only for cause at that point. Anyway employers are not always great at communication either so they may have given you the wrong impression. If you haven’t heard from them in awhile I would follow up, and say something like, from our last conversation I thought we had established mutual interest and were pretty close to finalizing an offer – have you made any progress on staffing this position?

Keep in mind even if they were a bad communicator and even already hired someone else, they may have another position, or it may not work out, or they may know someone who is hiring. So stay upbeat and professional and confident with them and you may just get the job you want.

Good luck.

Answer 5

If you are not happy with the original amount then don't start the job. Once you start the job then they kind of have you where they want you. Don't start the job until you have the offer in writing. I've been in the position of having the verbal offer, and then when I got there I wasn't given the job that I was offered but another lesser job. They probably did only make you the offer because of the wage you stated. Don't be surprised if they do a back paddle when you ask for more.

Answer 6

Yes you should have recieved that paperwork,
But, did they offer to meet in person?
to set up a meeting of sorts to describe the job position?

If you are just calling someone and get offered a job, I would have to question that, do you know these people? what is the job? these would help answer you question fully.
FIRST!!- look up the company in which you have been giving a job and make sure that it is even legit!
don't give out personal information, to a company in which you have never seen, met the people, or even know exsists!
I would do my own personal check on the this company.

I would say get back in contact with this buisness, and ask for a meeting to discuss pay, hours, benefits etc.
If the conversation falls flat, and they are unwilling to give you more about the company in it's self---don't get involved.

If they are a legit buisness and see you as a potintial asset to this company they should have already got back in contact, and got you started, I question the fact that
1) you were hired over the phone-
2) they have sent you no information
3) that they personally did not set up a meeting to get to know and to check the person they want working for them.

I hope I helped,I personally would not continue to wait for this job if you have performed the above, and still have recieved nothing.
Consider yourself to good to be working for them.

Answer 7

Whatever you do, if you have a present job, do not tell them anything. You must have a written job offer before telling your present employer you will quit. That way if your present employer lets you go, you know that you WILL have a job with another employer. If the new employer does not hire you, you have recourse with the documentation they gave you.

With regard to why they have not contacted you with a written offer, there are two obivious reasons why:

1) They have found someone else to their liking and have no interest in you anymore. Hard fact, but true.

2) Their human resource department is somewhat behind on paperwork, approval process, background checks, or laziness. My guess is the latter as I have seen many incompetents who are employed in human resource departments. If you are dealing with governmental agency, be prepared to wait.

Good luck and keep looking for other jobs while awaiting this one.

Answer 8

If you have not received a written offer then I too would be worried.

Call the person who offered you the job and inquire about the a written offer.

Being that you waited a month without follow up may reflect negatively on you.

Best of luck. I too am job hunting.

Answer 9

Many smaller companies don't usually send written job offers. I started working for a smallish (20 million in sales) online company when the company owner called me up and offered me the job. I've been there three years now and got my first raise after 1 week.
Unless you're choosing between a number of competitive offers, I don't really see the point. If he doesn't follow through with his verbal promises, you can easily leave without loosing anything.
Don't read more into it than you should.
Best of luck!

Answer 10

Many times HR depts confirm a position verbally. Although 30 days seems alittle long without an email or phone call, being August/September may have contributed to the delay.

Call the company today, don't wait. Ask to speak specifically to the person who "hired" you. If they aren't available, and no one can help you, it's time to physically visit the company.

Do not delay, the job offer might have fallen from the sky, but the paycheck won't.