tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post7979643900115193951..comments2024-03-25T10:22:36.277-04:00Comments on Women In Astronomy: What Can You Negotiate in Your Job Offer?Amanpreet Kaurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08734178178113146899noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6374266320411149509.post-50576486933934867222009-11-29T17:43:14.263-05:002009-11-29T17:43:14.263-05:00Two posts were mistakenly omitted in our original ...Two posts were mistakenly omitted in our original list and we include their [edited] comments here:<br /><br />I was pleased to see Michele Montgomery's recap of the points that one should consider negotiating when offered a faculty position in the 11/13 issue of the AASWomen newsletter. I wanted to suggest a few more, and also suggest that perhaps you might want to have a differentiated list for what prospective postdocs should consider negotiating in their postdoc offer. I think most postdocs probably feel that the details of their offer are likely a done deal, since the position is often already defined as a line item in a grant. Many (most?) of the things on your list are things postdocs should at least broach with their prospective postdoctoral advisor, although there may be less flexibility on some than for faculty (for example, unlikely that the appointment title will change and the salary may be more limited when defined by a grant budget). But, perhaps the biggest one that postdocs should discuss in advance are the expectations for the position. Some particular issues to discuss are:<br /><br />- can you take your project with you when you leave your postdoc?<br />- similarly, can you continue to work on any data you collect?<br />- supervisory responsibilities (e.g. undergrads, grad students, technicians)<br />- opportunities for teaching or other outreach<br />- participation in other professional development opportunities<br />- expectations and/or process for re-appointment<br />- an important subset of benefits: leave policies for postdocs, sick, vacation, maternity/parental. if no formal policy, discuss with PI *in advance* what the practice will be!<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />Katy Flint<br /><br />************************************<br /><br />Hi AAS Women,<br />Although my job is not in astronomy research, but in informal astronomy<br />education I thought the experience might apply for other girls out there. Just over a year ago I was offered the job I have been attempting to groom myself for since 1998 and possibly as early as 1996. When the job offer came I didn't accept immediately (which took great restraint) but took some time to think about it. I was shaking inside as I walked into that [negotiation] meeting: Everything I read about negotiating said it was harder for women because we don't hold the line as hard, so I hung on tight. I did my research: what would a job like this pay in another institution? What would my fairly high level of education gain me in other institutions? How much did that education that prepped me to be the perfect person for this job cost me? I also laid out my own budget and long-term goals. I had an ace in my pocket: I knew they wanted me. I wrote down on a cheat sheet a bunch of brag-worthy things about me and "what I think I'm worth" to that institution. I went into the meeting with this [sheet]. I gave them my reasons and my top couple [salary] numbers. They told me I was dreaming. They said they'd get back to me with another offer. We went around about this a couple more times over the next few days, and at the end I asked for an extra week of vacation and [I] settled for a start salary 2% below my minimum. I'm not regretting being what felt like a hard-nosed negotiator now. I'm feeling like I'm in a better position, and a more committed position, than most of my coworkers.<br /><br />Yours,<br />AliceM M Montgomeryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02978554322333993854noreply@blogger.com