Difference between Offer Letter and Letter of Intent

Key Difference: In terms of employment, both offer letter and letter of intent plays a vital role in the recruitment cycle. An offer letter is provided by the company listing the details of the job that is being offered to the candidate. On the other hand, a letter of intent is similar to cover letter, as it is provided by the candidate to the company, and it defines the experience and qualifications of the candidate. A letter of intent is used to apply for a specific job.

Letters are important especially in context to employment. Primarily, they are written evidences and secondly an effective mode of communication. An offer letter and letter of intent both are considered to be very important for any candidate who wants a job. Many people may get confuse between the two and therefore, it is important to mention the differences between them.

An offer letter is provided from the company to the suitable candidate regarding the offering of a job. Thus, it includes details of the job like the job profile, salary package, other incentives, etc. The candidate must read the offer letter carefully and then finalize the decision of joining the company. An offer letter plays a vital role as it can be termed as a temptation and the company wants the candidate to fall for this temptation. In case, the candidate is looking for more benefits, he may ask for certain negotiations or can even turn down the offer.

On the other hand, content of letter is also used for various purposes. It simply refers to mention the intentions in written form. It can be used in the correspondence between a seller and a buyer, between one institution and the other, or many more. However, in context to employment, it refers to the letter that is written by the candidate to the company in order to introduce himself and also to express his interest for the particular job. Therefore, many times it is looked as the cover letter. The candidate in this letter explains the reason for being interested in the particular job. In addition to this, the candidate also provides background information about himself. He might also provide details of his education and job experiences.

The letter of intent is accompanied by the resume of the candidate. The letter must be carefully drafted and also should be able to highlight the skills of the candidate. A good letter of intent prompts the hiring department to read the resume carefully. We all know ‘first impression is the last impression’, and therefore a letter of intent might prove to be your first step towards success.

The main difference between an offer letter and a letter of intent is that an offer letter contains the details of the job that the company offers to the candidate. It means it is sourced from the company and provided to the candidate, whereas a letter of intent is written by the candidate to the company. A letter of intent is often submitted with the resume and it is used to express the interest in the job.

A letter of intent is associated with the primary stage related to process of applying. On the other hand, an offer letter is associated with the later stages of recruitment, in which the suitable candidate is offered a job. An offer letter should be able to tempt the candidate to accept the offer of the company, whereas a letter of intent should be able to impress the company and make the candidate noticeable. In case, the company gets impressed with the letter of intent and resume then generally the company arranges an interview with the candidate.

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