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[rainbow]

Really, I have a headache from this.  Basically, I want to sign the darn offer letter and be done with this but I feel as if I'm hitting my head against the wall.  Wondering what I should do in this situation:  Job posting says "salary negotiable."  Campus interview with chair and hu says salary will be between X and Y.  I get offer and the salary is X.  I say something about figure being low and that have another offer of X + 2K.  Chair says in email and phone conversation that cannot go above X + 1K.  Okay.  Official offer letter arrives and the salary is X.  Sigh.

[svenc]

Definitely call back and point out that you had agreed the salary would be X + 1K.  Don't sign anything until it is corrected, and don't assume it's some sort of passive-aggressive bargaining tactic.  It was probably just an honest mistake.

If $1,000 this year doesn't seem worth a phone call (of course it is!), keep in mind that it's $1,000 per year for the next several years, possibly more if salary increases are calculated on a percentage basis.

For 50% of the salary difference and your first born, I'll (politely) make the call for you.

[gourmetless]

Definitely call and get it straightened out.  Do not sign until you get another formal letter.

[offthemarket]

Someone will soon point out that you should go out right now and read 'getting to yes.'  So I'll do it first.  It'll take a few hours to get the gist, and be very helpful for you right now.

What you need is information so that you and the chair can reach a mutually agreeable situation.  First of all, I think they need to realize that you actually are negotiating, rather than just taking an offer.  Have a conversation about this process.

You're negotiating with the chair, not the dean?  It's important to know who has control of the budget, and whether the person you're negotiating with actually has control of the budget. (It could be that the dean told the chair, this is most I can pay, but keep if down if possible.)

They're not going to pull an offer just because you want to negotiate the terms of the offer.  And it doesn't have to mean that you're not starting out on a good foot - an agreeable principled negotiation - based on facts - shouldn't leave them bitter.

Also, know that you're not just negotiating salary, but also lots of other startup issues like moving expenses, office/lab setup, teaching release, office computer perhaps, and whatnot.  You want to talk about salary and these other things at the same time, rather than separately.

Do you have information on what others are being paid (is it a public institution?).  If not, then you can get information on salaries from comparable institutions and other places in the area, and you can use cost-of-living calculations.  The point is that your salary offer shouldn't be based on what you're willing to agree to, but what is fair market price given the position and your suitability for it.  Remind them that you want to earn a salary that's high enough to keep you in the position.

You shouldn't negotiate salary over email, though once you arrive at a number, then get it confirmed by email.

You need to find out *why* the chair can't go over that X+1k.  It's okay to ask this.  It is under his control, or is it what the dean is telling him?  If he pays you more, what gets cut? Since salary is more important to you, are there things you could let slack (like a one-time moving expense) to compensate for salary increase?