Every HR team writes the same handful of letters over and over: an offer, a proof of employment for the bank, an authorization to collect a document on someone's behalf, a counteroffer when a resignation comes in. This post gives you working templates for the five that come up most often, plus a short note on how to make each one hold up when it is actually used.
Templates exist for consistency, not speed. When two different HR partners write "the same" letter three months apart and the wording drifts, you end up with employees comparing screenshots and asking why theirs is missing a clause. A shared template file prevents that.
These templates sit around your hiring stack, not inside it. Fabric handles the Round 1 interview stage (resume screening, eligibility checks, and the AI-led interview itself, per Fabric's product overview); the letters below cover what happens on either side of that: reaching out to candidates, offering them the role, and formalising the employment relationship afterward.
What HR letter templates cover, and when you actually use them
An HR letter is any formal written communication issued by a company's HR function to an employee, a candidate, a former employee, or a third party like a bank or embassy. HR letter templates are the reusable, fill-in-the-blank versions of those letters, kept on file so the wording stays consistent across the team and the year.
The set worth templating is smaller than most companies think. Five formats cover the vast majority of real requests: authorization, employment proof, counteroffer, interview call, and candidate feedback. Add the classic offer, appointment, and termination letters and you have covered roughly 90% of what a mid-sized HR function actually sends.
Everything else is either a policy document (handbook, code of conduct) or a variation on one of the above with different placeholder text. Resist the urge to keep 30 near-identical templates in a shared drive. The maintenance load alone will guarantee that half of them go stale.
Authorization letter template
An authorization letter is a signed statement that gives another named person the right to act on the employee's behalf for a specific task, most often collecting a document, cashing a cheque, or completing a formality with a government office. It is not a general power of attorney. It should name the task, the delegate, and an end date.
Use this authorization letter format when an employee is out of the country, on medical leave, or otherwise unable to appear in person for a routine collection or submission.
``` [Date]
To Whom It May Concern,
I, [Employee Full Name], holding [ID type and number], employed as [Job Title] at [Company Name], hereby authorise [Delegate Full Name], holding [Delegate ID type and number], to [describe the specific task, e.g. "collect my original educational documents from the HR department"] on my behalf.
This authorization is valid from [Start Date] to [End Date] and applies only to the task described above. Any document or item handed over to the delegate is deemed received by me.
Signed, [Employee Full Name] [Employee Signature] [Contact Number] [Company Address]
Witness: [Name, Signature, Date]
```
Two rules for authorization letters. First, always include an expiry date. An open-ended authorization is a compliance risk for whoever accepts it. Second, keep the scope specific. "To handle my HR matters" is too broad and will be refused by most legal or immigration desks.
Employment proof letter template
An employment proof letter, also called a verification of employment (VOE) letter or a proof of work letter, is a signed confirmation from the employer stating that the named person is currently employed, in what capacity, since when, and (when disclosed) at what salary. Third parties like landlords, banks, embassies, and immigration officers rely on it as neutral evidence.
SHRM's Verification of Employment Policy recommends restricting responses to dates of employment, job title, and salary, and only releasing salary information with the employee's written consent. Follow that principle in your template.
``` [Company Letterhead] [Date]
To Whom It May Concern,
This letter confirms that [Employee Full Name] is employed by [Company Name] as a [Job Title] on a [full-time / part-time / contract] basis, and has been continuously employed with us since [Start Date].
Their current gross annual salary is [Amount and Currency], paid on a [monthly / bi-weekly] basis. [Include this sentence only if the employee has authorised disclosure of salary.]
This letter is issued at the employee's request for the purpose of [state purpose, e.g. "visa application", "rental verification", "loan application"] and is not intended for any other use.
For verification, please contact [HR Contact Name] at [Email] or [Phone].
Sincerely, [HR Representative Name] [Title] [Signature]
```
For international use, particularly visa applications, add the applicant's passport number, position duties in one or two sentences, and the company registration number. The USCIS Handbook for Employers treats letters that describe specific duties and dates as stronger evidence than those that merely confirm employment status.
Counteroffer letter template
A counteroffer, in the HR context, is a revised employment offer made by the current employer after an employee has submitted a resignation or received a competing offer. In pure contract terms, the counteroffer definition is a proposal that replaces the original offer with new terms; accepting it terminates the original. That legal framing matters because a written counteroffer is treated as an amendment to the employment contract.
Offering counter to a resignation is a defensive move and should be used sparingly. Industry retention research has consistently shown that a large share of employees who accept a counteroffer leave within 12 months anyway, so the counter buys time, not loyalty. [HUMAN INPUT NEEDED: replace with a specific, cited stat if you want a hard number here.] When you do use one, be specific about what has changed.
``` [Company Letterhead] [Date]
Dear [Employee First Name],
Following our conversation on [Date] about your resignation, we would like to formally propose the following revised terms with the intent of retaining you at [Company Name].
Effective [Effective Date], your role and compensation will be revised as follows:
- Revised job title: [New Title]
- Revised annual gross compensation: [Amount and Currency]
- One-time retention bonus: [Amount], payable [Terms]
- Additional terms: [e.g. remote work arrangement, reporting line change, learning budget]
All other terms of your original employment agreement dated [Original Contract Date] remain unchanged unless expressly modified above.
Please indicate your acceptance by signing below and returning this letter by [Response Deadline]. On countersignature, this document becomes an amendment to your existing employment contract.
Sincerely, [Manager or HR Representative Name] [Title]
Accepted: [Employee Signature] [Date]
```
Two things not to do. Do not offer a counteroffer verbally without a written follow-up within 48 hours; the employee can, and often does, use the verbal version as leverage elsewhere. Do not counter without your finance and legal partners in the loop, especially if the compensation change is large.
Interview call message template
An interview call message is the short, plain-language note that goes to a shortlisted candidate to schedule the first interview. It is not a full offer letter. It exists to confirm interest, propose a time, and give the candidate everything they need to show up prepared.
Keep it under 120 words so it stays scannable on mobile, which is where most candidates will read it first. Two useful formats: an email version for senior roles, and a WhatsApp or SMS version for high-volume screening.
Email version:
``` Subject: Interview invitation, [Job Title] at [Company Name]
Hi [Candidate First Name],
Thanks for applying for the [Job Title] role at [Company Name]. We would like to invite you to a [duration, e.g. "45-minute"] first-round interview with [Interviewer Name and Title] on [Date] at [Time and Timezone], held over [Platform, e.g. "Google Meet"].
To confirm, please reply to this email or use this scheduling link: [Link]. If none of the proposed times work, share three windows that do and we will match one.
Please have a copy of your resume and, if applicable, a portfolio link ready. There is no take-home component before this call.
Best, [Recruiter Name] [Company Name]
```
WhatsApp / SMS version:
``` Hi [First Name], this is [Recruiter Name] from [Company]. You have been shortlisted for the [Job Title] role. Can you take a first-round interview on [Date] at [Time]? Reply YES to confirm or share a time that works better. Details will follow.
```
The plain-text WhatsApp variant is the format most Fabric customers running bulk hiring use for the first candidate touchpoint. It gets read faster than email and preserves the conversation thread if the candidate replies with questions.
Candidate feedback letter template
A candidate feedback letter is a short, honest post-interview note sent to a candidate who was not selected. It exists for two reasons: it keeps the employer brand intact, and it gives the candidate at least one concrete thing to act on. It is closer to a courtesy note than a legal document, so the tone should be warm and the substance should be specific enough to be useful.
A good candidate feedback on recruitment process sample avoids two failure modes: it is not a generic rejection ("we have decided to move forward with other candidates"), and it is not a debrief long enough to invite a dispute. Two or three sentences of substantive feedback is the sweet spot.
``` Subject: Update on your application, [Job Title] at [Company Name]
Hi [Candidate First Name],
Thank you for taking the time to interview for the [Job Title] role with us. After our conversation with you and the other shortlisted candidates, we have decided to move ahead with a different profile for this position.
The strongest part of your interview was [specific strength, e.g. "your framing of the trade-offs in the system design question"]. The area we would encourage you to strengthen for similar roles is [specific development area, e.g. "hands-on experience with distributed caching at production scale"]. This is our honest read and is intended to be useful, not final.
We will keep your profile on file for future openings that match your experience. If you would like to be considered specifically for [related role or team], let us know.
Wishing you the best, [Recruiter Name] [Company Name]
```
If your interviews are recorded and structured, this letter writes itself from the interview notes. Fabric's Interview Engine scores candidates on role-specific rubrics and surfaces those signals to your recruiter, which makes feedback letters faster to write and easier to defend if a candidate asks how a decision was made. It is a signal for your team to weigh, not an automatic reject.
How to format an HR letter that holds up
Every HR letter, regardless of type, benefits from the same handful of formatting choices. Following them is what separates a template that reads as professional from one that reads as forwarded.
- Company letterhead, dated top-right. Bank and immigration desks will reject a letter without a visible letterhead and date.
- Named recipient and named signatory. "To Whom It May Concern" is acceptable for VOE letters; every other letter should name the recipient.
- One purpose per letter. If a letter tries to be an authorization and an employment proof at the same time, both readers will treat it with suspicion.
- Plain language, short sentences. Regulatory-heavy drafting is fine for a contract; it is counterproductive in a letter meant to be understood on first read.
- Signature block with title. An unsigned or role-less letter is treated as informational, not evidential.
- Retain a copy in the employee's personnel file. Employment verification requests come in years after the fact, and a lost original is a bad look.
For the personnel file side of this, our post on the employee code of conduct and personnel files covers what to store and for how long. Letters that touch salary or benefits also intersect with your compensation and payroll records, so keep the two in sync.
Where these letters fit in the hiring workflow
Look at these five templates on a timeline and they map neatly to the hiring lifecycle. The interview call message is a pre-interview touchpoint. The candidate feedback letter is a post-interview closer. The offer and counteroffer sit at decision time. The employment proof and authorization letters come months or years later, once the person is a working employee interacting with the outside world.
A team that gets templates right is a team that has thought about that lifecycle end-to-end. Fabric's Interview Engine handles the interview stage itself, screens and scores candidates, and hands your recruiter a shortlist. The letters above cover what happens on either side of that. The recruiter, not the software, decides who gets hired, promoted, retained, or verified.
FAQ
How do I write an effective HR letter?
Keep it direct and structured: one purpose per letter, plain language, dated on company letterhead, and signed by an authorised HR representative. The employee should understand it in a single read.
What types of HR letters do most companies actually use?
The recurring set is offer, appointment, employment proof (verification), authorization, counteroffer, appraisal, warning, relieving, and experience letters. Everything else is usually a variation on one of these.
What is a proof of employment letter from an employer?
It is a signed letter from your employer confirming that you work there, in what role, since when, and often your salary. Landlords, banks, embassies, and immigration officials request it as third-party evidence of income and status.
How do I write a letter to my HR?
Use a business letter format, state your request in the first sentence, provide the relevant dates or documents, and attach supporting evidence. Keep the tone professional even if you are raising a grievance.
Is an HR letter legally binding?
Letters that create an obligation, such as offer letters, appointment letters, and counteroffers, are treated as contractual documents when signed by both parties. Informational letters like employment proofs are not contracts but can be used as evidence in disputes.
Can I use AI to generate HR letters?
Use AI to draft, not to send. A template plus AI fill-in is fine, but a human HR representative should review every letter with legal, financial, or immigration consequences before it goes out.
*This article is for informational purposes only. Fabric's Interview Engine screens, scores, and records Round 1 interviews; it does not make the final hiring decision. The recruiter or hiring panel using Fabric remains responsible for all hiring decisions.*