Congratulations! After completing several interviews with your top choice company, you finally have a job offer. Now that the initial excitement has subsided, you need some time to review the offer but don’t want to lose out on this great opportunity by delaying your answer.
Asking for an extension on a job offer should be handled with care and professionalism, allowing you time to consider the offer and make a well-informed decision.
In this article, you’ll discover:
Is it OK to ask for additional time to consider a job offer?
Why you might need to delay accepting the offer
How long can you delay accepting a job offer?
Examples of how to ask for more time
Is it OK to ask for additional time to consider a job offer?
Yes, it is perfectly acceptable to ask for an extension on a job offer. But know that the hiring company does not have to extend the time for you to accept or reject the offer. But chances are if you provide a good reason, the company will allow you more time.
Statistical Insight On average, it takes jobseekers six applications to obtain one interview. Jobseekers having at least one interview had about a 37% chance of receiving a job offer, while those with no interviews had about a 10% chance of receiving a job offer. –Bureau of Labor Statistics |
Why you might need an extension on a job offer
You may be considering multiple job offers.
You want to fully process all the information learned about the position and the compensation package.
A major life event has happened.
You need to assess how the new position will fit in with your current family obligations, routine, and lifestyle.
You need to discuss it with the important people in your life.
Expert Tip If you eventually decide to decline the offer, here’s information on how to do it professionally: Not interested? How to decline a job offer in a polite way |
How long can you delay accepting?
It is commonplace for the hiring organization to allow you two to three days to decide whether to accept or decline the job offer. If you need more time, reach out to your point of contact (usually an HR representative) as soon as possible.
Because you were already given a time frame to respond to the offer, do not ask for more than one week as an extension. A good practice is to provide a date when you will provide your answer to the hiring company–and then contact them on that date with your decision.
Not doing so will make you look unprofessional and could hurt future hiring chances.
How to ask for extension on job offer: examples of how to ask for more time
If you decide you require more time and would like an extension on a job offer, it is best to ask the person who extended the official offer either in person or over the phone. Follow up with an email to document the request.
Sometimes, you can’t reach the offering person for a phone or in-person meeting. If so, send an email, mark it urgent, and then follow up with a phone call. You may end up communicating just by email, and that’s fine as long as it’s timely.
Here are two good copyable examples of how to request an extension on a job offer.
Example 1: In-person/phone call extension request
Hello Mr./Ms. [HR Representative Name], I want to thank you for offering me the position of [Position Title], walking me through the timeline for onboarding, and sharing with me the details of the compensation package. After speaking with you, I am still very excited about the opportunity, but I would like to request a few more days to further review my notes and the offer letter and then discuss all the specifics with my partner. As I’m sure you can understand, this is a big decision. If possible, I would like to take the weekend to think it through and give you my answer on Monday morning. Again, thank you for this great opportunity, and I look forward to speaking with you on Monday. |
Example 2: Email extension request
Subject line: [Your Name] – Offer Letter Response Dear Mr./Ms. [HR Representative Name], I want to thank you for offering me the position as [Position Title] with [Company Name] and to express my appreciation for the information you shared about the compensation package. Since our conversation, my enthusiasm for the [Position Title] position and my interest in working for [Company Name] is still very high. However, I would like to request a few more days to respond to your offer. This is a great opportunity and a big decision. As such, I am carefully reviewing the offer details and want to discuss all the specifics with my partner before deciding. Again, thank you for this great opportunity, and you will have my response on [Date]. Sincerely [Your Name] |
Key takeaways
Asking for an extension on a job offer should be handled with care and professionalism.
It is perfectly acceptable to ask for an extension on a job offer within an acceptable time frame and with good reasons.
If you find that you need more time, reach out to your point of contact and ask for no more than one week to respond to the pending offer.
It is best to make the extension request in-person or by phone to the one who extended the official offer. Follow up with an email to document the request.
