Anyone work for a university who can provide some insight?

[Anonymous]

I am doing a phone interview with a university in another state next week and it is an administrative position within the law school. The interviewer made it clear in her initial email (offering me the phone interview) that there is a salary cap and I am okay with that. It is relatively low but about equal to my current salary given the different cost of living in the cheaper area. I am also okay with this. I will not be accepting their insurance benefits as I have existing coverage.

However, I would need to move for the job since it is in another state. I would like to know if I can ask them for relocation help (probably less than a few thousand dollars). Is there typically any leeway for universities to help with relocation/moving expenses? Would it be insensitive for me to bring this up at all (not in the phone screen but maybe down the line in the further interview process) given that fact that they have a firm salary that they have mentioned? I've only ever held private sector jobs where the salary and benefits are very negotiable and there is a lot of wiggle room.

I know that I will have to travel to the university after the phone interview if they invite me. I do not know for sure but doubt that they would help with the cost (it is about a 4 hour drive) of that (taking time off work plus gas and possibly hotel for a night), but I would appreciate some help with the moving expenses if that's something that would be reasonable to ask for.

[Anonymous]

That would be a benefit. You would ONLY ask about a relocation package AFTER the job has been offered.

If it's being an administrative assistant at the law school I HIGHLY doubt they will offer either a starting bonus OR a relocation package. That's simply just not done for such low-paying jobs, because presumably, they could find someone nearby who doesn't have to relocate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That would be a benefit. You would ONLY ask about a relocation package AFTER the job has been offered.

If it's being an administrative assistant at the law school I HIGHLY doubt they will offer either a starting bonus OR a relocation package. That's simply just not done for such low-paying jobs, because presumably, they could find someone nearby who doesn't have to relocate.

Thanks for the advice, PP.

It's not an administrative assistant position, just classified as administrative within the school. I said this to imply that it was not for a professor/teaching position but for a staff position.

[Anonymous]

I agree to ask about any relocation package only after receiving an offer. I wouldn't be too optimistic though. Most law schools are hard up for cash these days, and staff positions typically do not offer benefits as nice as those for professors.

There is a much better chance than they would pay your expenses for the second interview though. I would expect this.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I have worked at a couple law schools and I wouldn't count on any of this. But it's a good place to actually work!

[Anonymous]

If you get the offer, though, do go through the benefits carefully. At one institution, disability insurance didn't kick in for something like six months. I was able to get them to reimburse me for what I paid to keep my old disability insurance through COBRA until the six-month period was up.

I don't know about administrative positions but with your usual faculty position the department pays your expenses to come for the interview.

Anyway, you can always ask for stuff after they make the offer. Just don't go in with an entitled demanding air. You're just bringing this stuff up to have a discussion. Sometimes employers can't move on one thing but they can make it up through something else. Good luck, OP. Hope you get the offer!

[Anonymous]

Is it a national search? If so, I think you can reasonably expect expenses to be reimbursed for travel to the location for an interview. That's typical for faculty jobs.

As for relocation, it can't hurt to ask. All they can do is say no, right?

[Anonymous]

It never hurts to ask OP once you have an offer in hand. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I was recently offered a staff job at a law school in another state. I got $3k for relocation (negotiated up from $2k). It seems pretty standard for universities to offer that benefit (at least for professional positions-- the job I was offered requires a JD, but I agree with PP that an administrative assistant probably wouldn't get the same kind of offer).

[Anonymous]

Relocation is not impossible at all, IF it's a national search.