How to Evaluate a Letter of Offer or Contract

Abstract

The letter of offer or contract represents the official intent of a hiring institution toward a candidate. The process of making a good decision regarding any offer starts long before the candidate receives the document. Decisions are made within the broad context of one's cumulative life experiences, education, work experiences, influences of family and mentors, travel and cultural experiences, and even spiritual and religious background. All of these factors will help frame the priorities that the academic physician will bring to the decision-making process. The candidate must recognize that he or she is often influenced by more immediate experiences, potentially to the detriment of seeing things from a broader perspective. If experiences in his or her most recent job or during a just-completed residency or fellowship were all that the candidate were considering at this phase, the candidate would likely not make the most informed decision. Work-life balance, income expectations, a blended career, or a more focused career are all examples of characteristics of jobs that will have to be considered in this phase. The clearer these priorities are for the candidate, the higher the likelihood that a good decision will be made. Having clarity on these issues helps not only during this process but also throughout one's career. These priorities can be a touchstone to which the academic physician returns during the critical phases throughout his or her career. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)