Asking out of curiosity - what is the major difference between offer letter, job letter, joining letter, and appointment letter?
Hi Nisha,
Please see the below comments on each Letter.
Offer Letter :
An offer letter is basically a document that employers will send to announce a job offer to a particular candidate. When a company decides to hire a job candidate, it often sends an offer letter to let him or her know that they got the position. This letter is usually processed as the next step after the interview process which contains superficial information about the potential position and company’s location and the proposed salary.
Joining Letter :
A joining letter is a letter from the selected candidate, expressing his willingness to accept the job that has been offered by an organization.
Joining Letter can be referred to as an Acceptance letter by the person who has received the offer. If a person is accepting the offer made by the company, s/he writes an e-mail expressing his interest to take up the position and join the company. It is suggested to write the email irrespective of whether verbal acceptance is made or not.
Appointment Letter :
The appointment letter is followed after the offer letter if the candidate has confirmed that s/he would like to accept the job and then this appointment letter is given. This letter helps the employee’s new position and the work preparation and also the employment contract between the company and the hired person.
Hope this clarifies your query.
Regards,
Chethan
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@Nisha …
Job Letters are the letters or emails sent to the employers to position oneself also called self selling letters. In short it is an application for a job.
An offer letter (also called a Letter of Intent) is a document (soft/hard) given by any company to a Person interviewed by them. Company is extending an offer to a person to join them.However, there is no obligation on any of the parties.
Offer Letter contains :-
- Nature of Job and Designation
- Salary Break Up /Benefits / Perks
- Company Policies and Rules
Some may also include the Joining Date & Last date to accept the Offer. (However either parties are free to back off in the offer process). Companies can also revoke the offer as per their strategies and so can the person offered, if he is not convinced with the offer made.
Joining Letter can be referred to as an Acceptance letter by the person who has received the offer. If a person is accepting the offer made by the company , he writes an email expressing his interest to take up the position and join the company. It is suggested to write the email irrespective of whether verbal acceptance is made or not.
Coming to Appointment letter, is proof of appointment that a person is accepting the offer and ready to work for the company and agree with the terms and conditions of the company.
Consists of
- Date of Joining, Time and Venue
- Medical Tests if needed /Contract / NDA agreements if any
- Documents / proofs to be submitted on reporting date.
These days however companies first share the salary break up with the selected candidates and negotiations happen if any, and then a full fledged official offer letter is rolled out with joining date.
There is no separate concept of appointment letter as such. Once the candidate accepts the offer made- an acceptance mail is sent to the employer confirming the joining date. Simple. Some companies just share the break up initially and give away the hard copy of the Offer Letter once the candidate joins the company. So there is no thumb rule as such 
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