Posted: June 24, 2026You’ve got the offer. You’ve said yes. But are you actually protected?
The moment a job offer comes through is one of the better feelings in professional life. Whether it arrives by phone call from your recruiter, a direct message from a hiring manager, or a formal letter landing in your inbox, there is a natural impulse to respond quickly and positively. In many cases, that means saying yes before anything is in writing.
In Ireland’s construction and engineering sector, this happens constantly. Offers are extended verbally during calls, accepted on the spot, and the paperwork follows days or sometimes weeks later. Most of the time, everything proceeds smoothly. But not always. And when things don’t go to plan, the candidates who understood their position from the outset are the ones who navigate it best.
At Sonas Technical, we guide candidates through offer stages every week. Here is what you genuinely need to know before you say yes.
Does a Verbal Acceptance Actually Mean Anything Legally?
The short answer is yes, a verbal agreement can constitute a legally binding contract under Irish law. Contract law does not require everything to be written down. If an offer is made, accepted, and there is an intention on both sides to be bound by it, the basic elements of a contract can be in place.
In practice, however, proving the terms of a verbal agreement is considerably more difficult than pointing to a signed document. If a dispute arises about salary, start date, notice period, or role responsibilities, and nothing is in writing, you are relying on recollection and good faith. That is not a comfortable position to be in, particularly if you have already resigned from your current role.
The practical takeaway: a verbal acceptance is meaningful, but it is not a substitute for a written contract. Treat the verbal stage as confirmation of intent, not completion of the process.
What to Ask For Before You Resign
This is the single most important piece of advice Sonas Technical gives to candidates at offer stage, and it is worth stating plainly: do not hand in your notice until you have a written offer in your hand.
A written offer does not need to be the full contract of employment. At minimum, it should confirm the job title, salary, start date, and any key benefits discussed. Some employers will issue a full contract immediately; others issue a letter of offer first, with the contract to follow. Either is acceptable, provided the core terms are documented.
In Ireland’s construction sector, there can sometimes be a gap between verbal offer and written confirmation, particularly at busy contractors where HR resource is stretched. If you are being asked to resign before anything is in writing, it is entirely reasonable to explain that you need written confirmation first. Any reputable employer will understand this without hesitation.
If pressure is being applied to resign before documentation is provided, that itself is worth noting. It is unusual, and it is not a dynamic you should feel obliged to accommodate.
How Long Should You Wait?
Before getting to the specifics of what to check in your contract, it is worth addressing a question that comes up almost as often as the verbal versus written question itself: how long is it reasonable to take before responding to an offer?
The answer depends on your circumstances, but there is a balance to strike between taking enough time to review things properly and leaving an employer waiting so long that their confidence in you begins to waver. We have covered this in detail in our guide on how long you should wait before accepting a job offer, which is worth reading alongside this piece if you are currently working through an offer.
The short version: a day or two to review documentation is entirely reasonable and expected. Several weeks without a clear reason is not.
What to Check Before You Sign
Once written documentation arrives, resist the urge to sign and return it immediately without reading it carefully. The headline figures are rarely where the important details sit.
A few things worth checking closely in any construction or engineering contract:
The job title and reporting line. These should match exactly what was discussed. A title that has shifted slightly, or a reporting structure that differs from what you were told, can have real implications for your seniority and visibility within the organisation.
Probation period terms. The statutory maximum for probation in Ireland is six months in most cases. Check the length, what happens at review, and what the notice period is during this period.
Notice period post-probation. For mid-to-senior roles in construction and engineering, notice periods of one to three months are standard. Make sure what is written reflects what was agreed verbally, and consider whether it is reciprocal.
Restrictive covenants. Some contracts, particularly at senior level or in specialist technical roles, include clauses restricting you from working for competitors or soliciting clients for a period after leaving. These vary considerably in scope and enforceability, but they are worth understanding before you sign rather than after you leave.
Bonus and commission structures. If a performance-related element was discussed during the process, make sure it is documented. Vague references to “discretionary bonus” in a contract are not the same as a clearly defined scheme. If it was a meaningful part of the conversation, it should be meaningful in the document.
Start date. Particularly relevant for candidates serving a notice period at their current employer. Confirm the start date is realistic given your obligations, and that it matches what has been agreed.
What Happens if an Offer Is Withdrawn After Verbal Acceptance?
It does happen, though rarely. A role is offered, accepted verbally, and then withdrawn before a contract is signed. Sometimes this is due to a project being paused, a restructure, or a budget decision made above the hiring manager’s head. Occasionally it is simply poor process on the employer’s part.
Where a candidate has suffered a genuine financial loss as a result of a withdrawn offer, there may be grounds for a legal claim, particularly if reliance on the offer can be demonstrated. However, pursuing this is rarely straightforward or quick, and the outcome is never guaranteed.
The more practical protection is the one already mentioned: don’t resign until something is in writing. If you haven’t yet handed in your notice and an offer is withdrawn, you are in a far stronger position than if you have already left your current role.
If you are working through a recruitment agency, as many construction and engineering professionals in Ireland do, your consultant should be closely managing this stage of the process and can act as an intermediary if complications arise. It is one of the more tangible ways a good recruiter earns their place in the process.
A Note on Keeping Things Professional Throughout
One scenario worth addressing: accepting an offer verbally and then changing your mind before signing. Perhaps a counter-offer has arrived from your current employer, or a second opportunity has emerged.
You are not legally obligated to proceed with a role you have only accepted verbally, though there are reputational considerations in a sector as well-connected as Irish construction. If you need to withdraw, do so promptly, honestly, and directly. Don’t go silent, don’t delay, and don’t ask your recruiter to manage the conversation on your behalf if it can be avoided.
The Irish construction and engineering community is smaller than it appears. How you behave at offer stage is remembered.
The Bottom Line
A verbal offer is the beginning of the process, not the end of it. It signals mutual intent, and that matters. But the protection you need as a professional, particularly when you are about to resign from secure employment, comes from having the key terms of your new role confirmed in writing before you take that step.
Read what you are given carefully, ask questions if anything is unclear, and don’t allow the excitement of a new opportunity to rush you past the details that matter most.
Navigating a job offer in Irish construction or engineering? The team at Sonas Technical is here to guide you through every stage of the process. Upload your CV to speak with one of our consultants.