Authors: Jocelyn Olcott & Lori Flores
One of the principal challenges that we face when deciding whether to take a new position at an academic institution is how to negotiate the best possible terms of employment. Whether senior or entry-level, in an academic or non-academic position, tenure-track or not, most job offers come with an opportunity to discuss specific terms. It is best to approach those negotiations armed with knowledge about not only the institution’s capacities but also your own priorities.
In the current climate, your negotiating partner — perhaps a dean or a department chair — may lead with concerns about current austerity measures and budgetary constraints. While you need to recognize that every institution has resource limits, this is not the time to be shy about self-advocacy. Every future raise and benefit contribution from this employer will be based upon the base salary in your initial contract, unless you can create another opportunity for negotiation (which is most often an offer from another employer). You will not gain any appreciation from your colleagues or respect from your employer by agreeing to terms that do not adequately compensate you for your expertise, dedication, and contributions.
Here are some valuable strategies to navigate the negotiation process effectively:
1. Determine your own list of priorities. Most of us think about negotiating for salaries, but you should consider the complete package of salary and benefits and decide what matters most to you at a particular life and career stage. For academic positions, you might seek a larger research fund or start-up package that rolls over for several years to support your scholarship. If you are looking to purchase a home, ask if the school has homebuying or mortgage assistance programs/advisor relationships. If you have children, you might explore whether the institution offers any tuition or childcare benefits. If you plan to have children, you should confirm the terms of parental leave. If you have a spouse or domestic partner, the institution might be able to assist in finding them employment as well.
2. Understand the hard limits. While there is often room to maneuver in negotiations, you want to know ahead of time if there are areas where the institution can’t or won’t budge. These limits are often easier to determine with public institutions, which are required to publish salaries and, where applicable, salary scales. If you are considering a union job, some terms of employment may be specified in the collective bargaining agreement. If the position includes teaching, the contractual teaching load might be fixed, with course releases earned for various forms of service. There may be a hard limit on who can be included in your benefits package, and what benefits or programs you are required to buy into at minimum.
3. Understand the soft limits. If you have a contact inside the department or unit where you’re considering a position, try to schedule a time to talk (not e-mail) with them about how to approach negotiations. While it’s generally good for the whole department if new hires command a strong employment package, there may be some elements that are non-starters. If you learn that the Dean is adamantly opposed to partner hires, for example, there’s not much point in making that your top-line request. If the institution has taken a stance against DEI programs, you don’t want to leverage diversity as part of your negotiations.
4. Be realistic about your leverage. Not all negotiations are equal. You have more leverage if you have another employment offer that you are prepared to accept. Barring that, you should, to whatever extent feasible, determine employment packages for comparable positions and use those to determine the range of possibilities.
Most importantly: don’t be afraid to ask for whatever is most important to you. If an institution has offered you a job, they want you to accept it — the negotiations process can allow both parties to achieve what they want.