[onraglanroad]

I don't get it. Do you sign an offer letter or a contract?

So the normal routine here is you get an offer, if you accept you get sent a contract which is signed by the employer, if it's all ok you also sign and then you get your start date. Is it different in the US or the same?

[EgregiousCube]

An offer becomes a contract once accepted - this is afaik consistent across the entire (western?) world.

It’s perhaps customary in some places to have additional paperwork in the negotiation phase?

[mh-]

Exactly how it works in the US, yes.