What You Should Do After Accepting a Job Offer
Beyond celebrating, patting yourself on the back, and calling all your close friends and loved ones, make sure to do these things after accepting a job offer.
Congratulations! You made it through the phone screening, the pre-employment tests and the in-person interviews. You're finally looking at the job offer. You're about to join the 172,000 Americans who start a new job every month.
After you've called your parents and texted your best friend to share the good news, it's time to sit down and make a list of the next steps.
Believe it or not, there are some things you need to do after accepting a job offer. We'll walk you though five important ones.
1. Review the Offer Letter
By the time you get an actual offer, you've probably talked to so many people it's hard to keep everything straight. Maybe you thought the hiring manager said you would receive two weeks of vacation. You're almost positive you're eligible for the company's medical benefits.
Before you formally accept the job offer in writing, make sure you agree with everything in their offer letter. Is the job exactly the same? Is the salary exactly what you agreed to?
2. Accept the Offer in Writing
You may have already told the the hiring manager you would take the job, but it's still important to send an email to formally accept it. This is also a good time to confirm all the important details, like the start date and your official title.
Remember to confirm the benefits, too. A job is a lot more than just the salary. Make sure you confirm the health benefits, pension plan and investment opportunities if they're part of the deal.
3. Tell Your Current Boss After Accepting a Job Offer
If you have a good relationship with your current boss, this can be a challenging conversation. But you've heard the cliche about not burning bridges? This is the time to make sure the bridge between you and your current boss stays nice and strong. You never know where someone will end up.
You'll want to determine your last day, typically two weeks from the date of this conversation. You'll also want to find out the procedure for turning in any company equipment, like a laptop or cell phone, that you've been using.
You may also be asked to participate in an exit interview. There may be additional paperwork for you to fill out with your current company.
4. Inform Other Companies
If you've been actively looking for another job, you may have applied to several companies. You don't need to let every one of them know you've accepted an offer.
However, if you've interviewed somewhere else, let your contact there know you've accepted a position and are withdrawing your name for further consideration.
If you've been working with a recruiter for another company, be sure to update him or her on your status. This is especially important if your new job involves hiring. Developing your own recruiting pipeline is invaluable.
5. Complete New Hire Paperwork
It's not unusual for companies to send their new hires paperwork to fill out before their start date. This could be payroll information, direct deposit forms or benefits enrollment.
It's important to complete and return all the paperwork the company sends you within a day or two. If you haven't already, you may be asked to submit to a drug test and background check, as well.
Final Thoughts
You may be tempted to update your social media accounts with your new position immediately after accepting a job offer. Hiring experts recommend you wait until you've actually started the job before you do this, just in case.
If your new role is a management position, we have helpful information on ways to succeed as a team leader in this article.
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