Template · Offers and pre-employment
Verbal offer script
In short
A verbal job offer script is the talk track a recruiter or hiring manager follows when calling a candidate to extend an offer. This script covers the opening, the offer details in the right order, contingencies, handling questions and hesitation, and agreeing a decision date, plus a follow-up email that puts everything in writing the same day.
Verbal Job Offer Call Script template
Verbal Job Offer Call Script
Fill in the bracketed details before you call. Have the approved offer in front of you and know your negotiation limits before you dial. Aim for 10 to 15 minutes. Speak, do not read word for word.
Before the call
- Offer approved in writing: title, pay, start date, schedule, location
- Contingencies confirmed: background check, drug test, references, work authorization
- Your negotiation range and who can approve anything outside it
- What the candidate said they care about (pay, schedule, growth, commute, remote days)
- Written offer ready to send within an hour of the call
- A quiet place and 20 minutes blocked
1. Opening
"Hi [Candidate Name], it's [Your Name] from [Company]. Is now still a good time to talk for about 15 minutes? Great. I'm calling with good news. The team really enjoyed meeting you, and [Hiring Manager Name] and I would like to offer you the [Job Title] position."
2. Pause and listen
Stop talking. Let the candidate react. Note their first response, because it tells you how close they are to accepting. Then: "I'd like to walk you through the details, and then I'll answer any questions."
3. The offer details
"The role is [Job Title], reporting to [Manager Name], based at [Location / remote arrangement]. The starting pay is [$X per hour / $X per year], paid [weekly / biweekly]. [If applicable: There is also a [sign-on bonus / shift differential of $X / target bonus of X%].] The schedule is [days, hours, shift pattern], and we'd like you to start on [Start Date], which begins with [orientation / training] for [number] weeks. You'll be eligible for [health benefits starting on X, PTO of X days, 401(k) with X match]. I'll send all of this in writing right after we hang up."
4. Contingencies
"This offer is contingent on [a background check / a drug screening / reference checks / verifying your eligibility to work in the US]. You'll get an email with instructions within [24 hours], and it usually takes [3 to 5 business days]. On your first day you'll need documents for your Form I-9; the email lists what's accepted."
5. Check reaction and questions
"How does that sound to you? What questions do you have?" If they accept on the spot: "That's wonderful. I'll send the written offer now so you can review and sign it. Do you have a notice period to give your current employer?" If they want time: "Of course. What would you need to think through? When do you think you can let me know?" Agree a specific date and time, typically 2 to 3 business days.
6. If they negotiate
"Thank you for telling me. Help me understand what matters most: the base pay, the start date, the schedule or something else?" Do not agree or refuse on the call unless it is within your approved range. "Let me take that back to [Hiring Manager Name] and come back to you by [day/time]."
7. Close
"To recap: [Job Title], [pay], starting [Start Date], subject to [contingencies]. I'm sending the written offer to [email] in the next hour. I'll check in on [day] if I haven't heard from you. We're really excited about the possibility of you joining the team."
Follow-up email (send the same day)
Subject: Your offer from [Company]: [Job Title]
Hi [Candidate Name],
Thank you for your time on the phone today. As discussed, we're pleased to offer you the position of [Job Title] at [Company]. Your written offer letter is attached with the full details: [pay], [schedule], start date of [Start Date], reporting to [Manager Name].
The offer is contingent on [contingencies]. You'll receive separate instructions for those shortly.
Please review and sign the offer by [Decision Date]. If you have any questions before then, call or text me at [Phone].
Best regards, [Your Name] [Title], [Company]
Call record (for the recruiter)
- Date and time of call
- Candidate's initial reaction
- Questions asked and answers given
- Any negotiation request and status
- Agreed decision date
- Written offer sent (date and time)
How to use this template
- Get written approval of every offer term before you call, and know your negotiation range and who can approve exceptions.
- Fill in the bracketed details and review what the candidate said in interviews about pay, schedule and motivations.
- Call at a time agreed in advance, lead with the offer, then pause and let the candidate react before giving details.
- Go through role, pay, schedule, start date, benefits and contingencies in that order, and invite questions.
- Agree a specific decision date rather than leaving it open, and do not make promises that are not in the approved offer.
- Send the written offer and follow-up email within an hour, and log the call outcome in your ATS.
Why make the offer by phone first
A verbal offer by phone lets you hear the candidate's reaction, answer questions while they are hot and catch problems before a document goes out. A candidate who goes quiet when you say the pay is telling you something you would never learn from an unopened email. For salaried and professional roles, call first and email within the hour. For hourly volume hiring, many teams skip the call and send a text and email offer, which is fine as long as a recruiter is available to answer questions the same day.
The call never replaces the written document. Follow up with a proper offer letter and ask the candidate to sign it or return an offer acceptance letter; the call creates momentum, the letter creates the record.
How to make a verbal job offer: the order matters
Lead with the offer itself. Recruiters who open with ten minutes of small talk make the candidate anxious and steal the moment. Say the words "we'd like to offer you," then stop. After the reaction, give details in a predictable order: role and manager, pay, schedule, start date, benefits, contingencies.
State pay as a specific number, not a range. If you say "between 52 and 56," the candidate hears 56 and negotiates from there. Mention any contingency clearly on the call. A candidate who resigns from their current job before a background check clears, without being told the offer was conditional, is a real risk for them and for you.
Handling hesitation, counteroffers and negotiation
If the candidate hesitates, ask what they need to think through rather than pushing for a yes. Common answers are a pending offer elsewhere, a counteroffer they expect from their current employer, or a partner they need to talk to. Each needs a different response, and you only find out by asking.
When they ask for more money, do not answer on the spot unless you are inside your approved range. Ask what matters most, take it back and give a time when you will call. A recruiter who agrees to a number on the call and then has it overruled loses credibility, and sometimes the candidate. Treat the decision date as a commitment on both sides, and use an offer reminder email if it is close and you have not heard back.
Legal notes on verbal offers
In most US states, employment is at will, and a verbal offer does not create a contract for a fixed term. But what you say on the call can still be used against you. Do not promise job security ("you'll never have to worry about layoffs here"), future raises or promotions that are not approved, or a guaranteed schedule you cannot guarantee. Some states and cities have pay transparency or salary history rules, so do not ask for current pay on the offer call where that is banned, and quote pay consistent with the posted range. If you have to withdraw an offer later, a documented call and email make it far easier to handle correctly with an offer withdrawal letter. Rules vary by state and country.
Mistakes recruiters make on offer calls
- Leaving a voicemail with the offer. Schedule the call by text instead: "Do you have 15 minutes at 4pm today?"
- Reading from the script in a flat voice. Know it well enough to speak naturally.
- Letting the hiring manager freelance. If they make the call, brief them on exactly what is approved.
- No decision date. Open-ended offers drift for a week while the candidate interviews elsewhere.
- Waiting a day to send the written offer. Send it within the hour while the call is fresh.
Frequently asked questions
What do you say when making a verbal job offer?
Open with the offer itself, pause for the candidate's reaction, then cover role and manager, pay, schedule, start date, benefits and any contingencies. Invite questions, agree a decision date and confirm you will send everything in writing.
Is a verbal job offer legally binding?
In most US states employment is at will, so a verbal offer generally does not guarantee a job for a fixed term. Promises made on the call can still create legal risk, so stick to approved terms and confirm everything in writing. Rules vary by state.
How long should an offer call take?
Typically 10 to 15 minutes. Long enough to cover the details and answer questions, short enough that the candidate does not feel pressured.
What should the verbal offer follow-up email include?
A thank you for the call, the job title, pay, schedule, start date and manager, any contingencies, the attached written offer, a deadline for signing and a direct phone number for questions.
Should the recruiter or the hiring manager make the offer call?
Either works. Recruiters are usually better at handling negotiation and contingencies, while a call from the hiring manager can feel more personal. Many teams have the manager make the call with the recruiter on the line or briefed beforehand.