4 Ways to Accept Your New Position in Style

You survived the interview. You have an offer in hand. It's a good one, and you decided to go for it. But it's not quite time to take a breather. How you accept the job speaks to your employers more than you can imagine.

Before your first day at the office (and there's etiquette to consider there, too), there's one more piece of communication with your future employer: The acceptance email. Yes. Email.

When emailing your new boss, mix and match these options in response to an offer that will leave your new employer impressed.

1. Accept the offer formally.

You've clearly made a good impression so far. In your email response, first avoid elementary Kills. Be precise and brief and check for typos. This is a formal acceptance, so be professional in tone despite our fondness for informality, especially online

Address your response to the person who offered you the job, and correctly identify them, the hiring manager, and the employer, just like when writing the perfect cover letter. In some places, they'll welcome you to the team by simply forwarding the response.

2. Accept the offer clearly.

Clearly accept the position, as well as all the terms. It's a good idea to confirm that your understanding of the specifics is accurate: Mention the work schedule, and date you'll begin, as well as any atypical terms and conditions. For instance, if there are any special constraints like the dates of an already-planned, nonrefundable vacation list them.

3. Show your enthusiasm.

Your new colleagues' impression of you will form quickly. Just like in your technical interview, maintaining your positive impression is particularly important when there's a delay before your start date.

Briefly state your enthusiasm for this opportunity and reiterate the value you expect to bring. Emphasis on briefly. Don't turn it into a love letter or pledge of loyalty.

Think about what drew you to accept this offer. What makes this an awesome opportunity? Recall the case you made in your cover letter and your interview about how your specific strengths and expertise will benefit this new organization and meet their particular needs.

4. Demonstrate you are eager to begin and already engaged.

If there's information you'd like to look over in advance to hit the ground running, your new boss may be able to provide it, so ask. This shows that you can see past the technical requirements, as suggested by Ben Finkel in Interview Tips Every IT Pro Should Know.

Your response to the job offer is also a chance to confirm your understanding of what will constitute success in your new role. You already have some ideas about that. You found out about the position's responsibilities, tasks, and scope, and you have a sense of the challenges and hurdles to expect.

Prepare yourself for the new job mentally.

Before you dive in, check your assumptions to prevent surprises and circumvent future misunderstandings.

The duties and scope of this new job will differ from your last one, which is probably one of the 7 Reasons You Left Your Job. Some things that used to be your responsibilities will no longer be, some things that other people handled may become your assignment, and the recurring tasks of your last position will be replaced with a different collection.

You'll find the priorities and goals will differ somewhat from what you've been told. As you know, job descriptions are notorious for inadequately communicating the actual job role.

Keep in mind that priorities and goals of the position can change, even during your first week on the job. Show you are ready for that. Express your readiness to embrace your new duties, work with your teammates, and adapt to the new position.

How you accept the job offer is your first opportunity to maintain your positive impression with your new colleagues, express your readiness and enthusiasm for your new challenges, and show you are ready to embrace new priorities and adapt to the evolving needs of your new organization.

With your acceptance, hit the ground running!