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[sks]

I was recently interviewed for a position. It went well and I was offered the position. I wanted to know the salary I would be offered before I commited. My candidacy was rejected Was it wrong to ask for the salary at this stage. When should I have asked about the salary for the position.  I would appreciate sincere inputs

[Ghostbuster]

Did you ask DURING the campus interview, or was it when they contacted you after the visit had ended?  Who was it that you spoke with?

[Anon]

The rule I was told was that it wasn't proper to ask the SC about salary (they recommend on hiring, not on terms).  The SC chair, maybe (she or he is to be the negotiating liasson ((sp?)) for the process).  The Dean perhaps.

Generally, when they make the offer, they offer salary and terms.

Anyplace that wouldn't tell you salary at the time of offer is no place you would want to work.  Something REEEAAALLY dark is going on there.

[Zarkov]

My view: Offering you a job means they have told you the salary they would like to pay.

I'm wondering:  Did they say something like, We'd like you to work here; how much would you ask in salary?  (And did you base your answer on the AAUP data?)

[in the midst]

The offers I received were all from the Dean or decision-making department heads.  The SCC might have said, "we're recommending you for the position", but I didn't take that as an offer until it was extended from administration.  At that point, it is completely appropriate to ask about salary.  

In the case of the job I eventually accepted, I was told on-campus at my interview that the specifics of salary would be discussed at the time of offer.  So, when the call came, I was actually asked first if I'd accept the position and I politely asked whether I could 1) have some time to discuss with my spouse before committing and 2) discuss the salary range for the position.  The administrator was happy to discuss both salary range and extend consideration time.  This, in my opinion, bodes well for an open & ongoing relationship.  Your abrupt withdrawl for the mere request of salary scale does not sound so congenial of a work environment.

In short, you did nothing wrong.  But, the response of your school speaks volumes about what it might be like to work there.  I'd say some jobs are better NOT taken.

Good luck!

[anon]

Never be the first to bring up salary.  When a formal offer is made, salary will be mentioned to you.  I suspect you didn't receive a formal offer if they didn't mention salary.  Perhaps, as another poster suggested, you misinterpreted the search committee's probe (e.g., What would you think about working here?) as an offer.  

As a job candidate, you breached academic protocol by bringing up salary.

[Source]

These protocols should be covered in Heiberger and Vick's The Academic Job Search Handbook. Also check the Career Talk column on this site.

[%sig%]

[sks]

i asked them the question a few weeks after the interview. I spoke to the person who interviewed me. and i also new a inside person there and i asked that person too...

[Ed]

Your two posts don't seem to be telling us the whole story.  First you said:
"It went well and I was offered the position."
Then you said:
"i asked them the question a few weeks after the interview. I spoke to the person who interviewed me. "
So, did the person who interviewed you, who I assume would be the Chair of the Search Committee, call to offer you the job when you asked about the salary?  Or did you call them and ask about the salary?  I still can't figure out the events you're describing.

[sks]

yes the person who interviewed me, subordinate to the Chair of the Search Committee, called and offered me the job couple of weeks after the interview. after that they called me and asked me when i could join. that was when i asked about the salary

[Zarkov]

sks wrote:

> yes the person who interviewed me, subordinate to the Chair of
> the Search Committee, called and offered me the job couple of
> weeks after the interview. after that they called me and asked
> me when i could join. that was when i asked about the salary

Either they have a screwy process or they were playing games with you.  I've been offered 4 jobs in my academic career, and the call always came from someone above the SC chair -- a dean or provost.

IMHO, thank heaven you don't work there.

[bowman]

While you're actively job searching, it's important to be prepared for a phone interview on a moment's notice. You never know when a recruiter or a networking contact might call and ask if you have a few minutes to talk. Review these tips, then take a look at our phone interview tips video for more advice on how to pull off your phone interview without a hitch.

[bowman]

It is very important to prepare for an interview. During the course of an interview, you may be asked 30 questions or more. Just one bad answer can stand out and cost you the job. Make sure you are well prepared and have good answers to these tough interview questions.

[ruralguy]

Its quite acceptable to ask about salary (though maybe I'm weird..).

You an ask the SC, but most SC members, even the chair, would likely just refer you to the Dean
or give you a vague set of numbers. Since every faculty member is told what the ranges of salaries are
here, its not out of order to say to a candidate that "generally starting salaries are between Y and X, but you'll have to discuss details with the Dean". I have never been offended in the least by such a question.
In fact, I take it as a sign of serious interest if someone cares about salary, home prices, availability of rentals, dog grooming, ferret-sitting, etc. We have even occasionally given negotiating advice to candidates.

[samsameer]

I was recently interviewed for a position. It went well and I was offered the position. I wanted to know the salary I would be offered before I commited. My candidacy was rejected Was it wrong to ask for the salary at this stage. When should I have asked about the salary for the position.  I would appreciate sincere inputs