Career Services Office
Offers and Negotiation
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Following the campus visit, you know that you will either be offered the position or receive a rejection letter. You may suspect in advance that you will likely be offered the job—perhaps it was intimated during the on-campus interview that you were the favored candidate, or you've heard from your adviser that she was contacted as a reference. Sometimes a job offer will even come while you are still on campus for the interview. But most job offers come after the campus visit, and they are delivered verbally, through a phone call placed by the chair of the search committee.
When an offer is extended via telephone, it is common for the committee chair or dean to read the formal offer letter to you. Make a few notes and ask questions, but do not feel obligated to accept or decline the offer on the spot. Ask to have the offer letter mailed or faxed to you, and take time to carefully consider the offer. Request time to consider the offer: two weeks is typical, and most institutions will readily grant you that much time to make a decision.
When is an Offer an Offer?
Beware that a verbal promise of a job does not constitute a formal job offer. Many candidates have heard promises like "the job is yours," only to have nothing materialize, often due to tough economic conditions for universities. Formal job offers are always made in writing, defining salary and terms of appointment. Wait until you have the written offer letter in your hands before making any other decisions. A written offer letter should detail the terms of the offer, which usually include salary, starting date, a summary of benefits, and any other pertinent information (such as release time, course teaching load, technical and research resources, etc).
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