*taps mic* Y’all still here? 🙃 Some of y’all ‘bout to receive a job offer soon so let’s disrupt our cultural unease about money with a 🧵 on negotiating academic job offers. 1/
I draw from my own and the homies’ experiences negotiating and lessons I’ve gleaned from mentors. I tweet with the interests of BIPOC and minoritized folx in mind as the neoliberal market often wants to recruit us without offering packages that best support us. Let’s disrupt! 2/
1. The rundown
The dean or depart. chair will contact you to say—“Congratulations!”—they’d like to extend an offer. They want to sign you as quickly/economically as possible. Once terms are agreed upon, you sign an offer letter and “Ta-da!” you’ve found your next institution. 3/
The dean or depart. chair will contact you to say—“Congratulations!”—they’d like to extend an offer. They want to sign you as quickly/economically as possible. Once terms are agreed upon, you sign an offer letter and “Ta-da!” you’ve found your next institution. 3/
2. Your approach
Just listen; don’t commit on the spot! Express gratitude/excitement. Take notes; ask questions. Conclude by summarizing what you’ve heard, say you’ll need time to consider, and ask about their timeline. From here, you’ll prepare a response to negotiate. 4/
Just listen; don’t commit on the spot! Express gratitude/excitement. Take notes; ask questions. Conclude by summarizing what you’ve heard, say you’ll need time to consider, and ask about their timeline. From here, you’ll prepare a response to negotiate. 4/
3. Negotiate!
This will likely be the only time you can ask for money to support you pre-tenure. The dean/chair may not explicitly encourage you to negotiate, but do know that negotiate is what you need to do next to best advocate for your future self, family, and community. 5/
This will likely be the only time you can ask for money to support you pre-tenure. The dean/chair may not explicitly encourage you to negotiate, but do know that negotiate is what you need to do next to best advocate for your future self, family, and community. 5/
4. What to ask for
Closed mouths do not get fed! Regardless of what others may think, ask for what you need to support your professional and personal wellness. Rely on your network as a soundboard to consider whether your asks are (un)conventional for your institution/rank. 6/
Closed mouths do not get fed! Regardless of what others may think, ask for what you need to support your professional and personal wellness. Rely on your network as a soundboard to consider whether your asks are (un)conventional for your institution/rank. 6/
5. Salary
Asking for 10% or so more of the initial offer is 👌🏾. Just know that they likely cant give you the full ask but maybe a few thousand more than the initial offer. Is summer salary a thing at the institution? This is the time to inquire and make requests accordingly. 7/
Asking for 10% or so more of the initial offer is 👌🏾. Just know that they likely cant give you the full ask but maybe a few thousand more than the initial offer. Is summer salary a thing at the institution? This is the time to inquire and make requests accordingly. 7/
6. Course releases
These are designed to reduce your teaching load to assist you in transitioning and carrying out other scholarly responsibilities. Ask for additional ones at your discretion or inquire whether additional releases can be taken out of your start-up funds. 8/
These are designed to reduce your teaching load to assist you in transitioning and carrying out other scholarly responsibilities. Ask for additional ones at your discretion or inquire whether additional releases can be taken out of your start-up funds. 8/
7. Research/start-up funds
Every campus does these different so ask Qs to understand how research funds are used there—are travel expenses a separate pot of money? Do funds rollover to the next year? Is tech support (e.g., computer, monitor) separate from these funds? 9/
Every campus does these different so ask Qs to understand how research funds are used there—are travel expenses a separate pot of money? Do funds rollover to the next year? Is tech support (e.g., computer, monitor) separate from these funds? 9/
Make a budget of the things (e.g., softwares, PD programs, etc.) you’ll need to start your research. If you’re uncertain what you may need, reach out to folx who do similar work. Provide a line or two justification for your request and hope the admin. respond favorably 🙌🏾 10/
8. Lab space & equipment
If you have lab-based research, understand what type of space and equipment you need to carry out your work and put that in conversation with how mentors and recently hired folx have discussed what is the norm for your institutional type/rank. 11/
If you have lab-based research, understand what type of space and equipment you need to carry out your work and put that in conversation with how mentors and recently hired folx have discussed what is the norm for your institutional type/rank. 11/
9. Research assistants
You may need students to help you get your research program off the ground. Inquire what that looks like at the institution and consider how you’d like that explicitly written into your offer. 12/
You may need students to help you get your research program off the ground. Inquire what that looks like at the institution and consider how you’d like that explicitly written into your offer. 12/
Apologies, friends—For some reason unbeknownst to me, Twitter has only posted half of this thread. Hopefully I’ll be able to post the rest in due time. Thanks for your patience 🙏🏾
10. Travel funds
Understand whether your annual travel allowance is separate from or a part of your research funds. Based on your research and expected conference attendance, you may want to ask what other institutional sources of funding can support your travel. 13/
Understand whether your annual travel allowance is separate from or a part of your research funds. Based on your research and expected conference attendance, you may want to ask what other institutional sources of funding can support your travel. 13/
11. Housing support
Institutions are slowly finding affordable housing support for faculty, but if this topic is a priority for you, ask/hope for the best. Some institutions have a fac.-in-residence or other housing that can be written into your offer. 14/
Institutions are slowly finding affordable housing support for faculty, but if this topic is a priority for you, ask/hope for the best. Some institutions have a fac.-in-residence or other housing that can be written into your offer. 14/
12. Moving costs
Moving is expensive! Estimate how much it may cost to move your household (and campus office) to your new destination. Ask for more than what is offered as this is usually a line item that can be easily adjusted to meet your needs. 15/
Moving is expensive! Estimate how much it may cost to move your household (and campus office) to your new destination. Ask for more than what is offered as this is usually a line item that can be easily adjusted to meet your needs. 15/
13. Family needs
Might your partner need a (non-)academic job? Is childcare a concern? Is immigration a need for you and your dependents? This is the time to voice these concerns in the hopes that admin. can leverage their resources in these areas to best meet your needs. 16/
Might your partner need a (non-)academic job? Is childcare a concern? Is immigration a need for you and your dependents? This is the time to voice these concerns in the hopes that admin. can leverage their resources in these areas to best meet your needs. 16/
14. Retirement & benefits
These are usually not negotiated as they are standardized at the institutional level; however, now is the time to ask Qs so you have a general sense of what is offered and can compare across institutions if you receive multiple offers. 17/
These are usually not negotiated as they are standardized at the institutional level; however, now is the time to ask Qs so you have a general sense of what is offered and can compare across institutions if you receive multiple offers. 17/
15. Know your priorities
This is where you come back to what your priorities are for the market. Try not to negotiate hard for all of the above equally. Rather, prioritize the most important things for yourself and communicate your needs accordingly. 18/
This is where you come back to what your priorities are for the market. Try not to negotiate hard for all of the above equally. Rather, prioritize the most important things for yourself and communicate your needs accordingly. 18/
Let’s stop here for now, and in the next 🧵, we’ll parse through some experiential lessons learned as tips to leverage in your negotiations process. In the meantime, carry on! 💪🏾✍🏾
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