boss wants me to sign now

[call me sam]

My contract is up in Feb 07, but my boss just informed me this week he wants to know by Monday if I'll sign. We've talked a few times but haven't reached an agreement on money or new responsibilities, even though he keeps saying how much he wants me to stay. I've been at the station for six years so I haven't done this in a while. Is it normal for someone to want an answer this early? I have a few irons in the fire but thought I had at least a few weeks to work on them.

(this is off-air position, top ten market)

[SpxGrunt]

Has your boss gotten wind of you looking for other jobs? If so, it sounds as if you've got him in a prime negotiating position if he's coming to you several months before your contract is up. I would let those negotiations go on up until you A) decide he's giving you enough or B) someone else makes you a better offer and you can take it back to him to match it or exceed it.

[call me sam]

I think he's getting that impression... told a coworker that he was sure I was going to sign before, but now thinks it's 50/50. So on Monday I just tell him he needs to come closer to what I want?? I don't know why he thinks Monday is the deadline.

[Consider This]

The reason it's urgent for him is precisely because you haven't searched yet. If he signs you now he won't have to bid against anyone else for your services.

Tell him you'll sign when you know for sure what it is you're signing for. How can you guarantee that you'll sign with them again when they haven't made an official offer? You can't -- unless you're totally desperate.

So tell him that it is your intention to sign provided that you can agree on a contract satisfactory to both you and the station. This gives you time to string out the process. Then get on your horse and start looking to see what your market there is for you and the price you can command.

[NewsMom]

Since you haven't gone through actual negotiations, you'd be a fool to say 'yes,' that you'll definitely sign.

What I'd recommend, is telling him that you like the newsroom, and that IF WE CAN REACH A GOOD AGREEMENT, sure, I'll sign.

In other words, you're telling him that you don't currently have plans to leave. But you're not actually promising anything. That's worthwhile information for him. And it's all he's entitled to, until you guys sit down and get very serious with numbers.

[The Mockingbird]

Absolutely what Consider This said. Document everything in your talks through e-mail, too, and keep an offsite hardcopy for yourself. It creates a lovely written record. Verbal promises become nice and concrete when you follow up with an e-mail. The trick is to follow up on your discussions.

Once things get onto paper (or hardcopy), your boss will be extra careful he doesn't do something that exposes the company to a legal liability. This will slow the process down to a near halt, giving you time to shop around.

Be friendly. Be yourself. But CYA in the negotiation process.

[Ozark MTN]

Not knowing the tone or the details of your discussions--I will offer this:

He's 3 months away from the possibility of being down a reporter. Hiring is a pain in the arse. I believe he wants to know your intentions so that he can begin that process ASAP. That way, he's isn't down an employee, nor are your former co-workers left to fill in for an extended period of time.

My contracts have a 30-day window, three months out from the expiration date--so that we can have these discussions and decisions can be made.

Hope this helps. I wish you the best in your career. Happy Holidays!

[adam & doctor drew]

Originally posted by call me sam:
We've talked a few times but haven't reached an agreement on money or new responsibilitiesuntil you do that, you're in no position to sign anything.

[On Air]

How on Earth are you supposed to know if you're going to sign or not if you haven't agreed on anything?

[Almost Virga]

I actually have this sort of thing in my current contract (my first in 18 years).

It stipulated that I would have to give them a 90 day notice if I had no intention of signing another contract with them!

How in the world could it be enforced? I negotiated it down to thirty days ... just for fun.

[ December 01, 2006, 10:46 PM: Message edited by: Almost Virga ]

[TVMattNYC]

Originally posted by adam & doctor drew:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by call me sam:
We've talked a few times but haven't reached an agreement on money or new responsibilitiesuntil you do that, you're in no position to sign anything.</font>[/QUOTE]I'm with Adam here.

Tell him until he brings a contract to the table, there IS nothing to sign.

[Stack It]

Originally posted by On Air:
How on Earth are you supposed to know if you're going to sign or not if you haven't agreed on anything?Bingo. Besides, I'd want to take a good look at a contract before I decide to put my signature on it.

Edited to add: I assume you haven't hashed out a dollar figure yet? Or has your boss told you want you'll get, and it's a take it or leave it deal?

[ December 02, 2006, 12:28 AM: Message edited by: Stack It ]

[NotImpressed]

You guys are forgetting one other key possibility: With no firm decision from you by Monday, your boss simply rules you out of the picture, posts your job and you are gone in February.

If he set a deadline, I'd try to hit it.

[Union Label]

A few words for the wise on contracts:
</font> Get everything in writing.</font> Take the time to carefully read the contract before you sign it. </font> Make sure that everything you are promised is in writing before signing.</font> Make sure you understand everything in the contract before signing.</font> If there is something that isn't clear to you or if there is something missing in the contract, have a lawyer who is familiar with contracts review it before you sign it. This will be money well spent to insure your peace of mind.
</font>This is similar buying a car. Be a smart shopper/negotiator and take the upper hand. Don't be pressured into signing something that you will regret down the road. Educate yourself and know what your skills are worth. If the money, conditions or benefits aren't right, ask for more vacation to make up for any shortcomings.

[ December 02, 2006, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: Union Label ]

[adam &amp; doctor drew]

Originally posted by NotImpressed:
You guys are forgetting one other key possibility: With no firm decision from you by Monday, your boss simply rules you out of the picture, posts your job and you are gone in February.

If he set a deadline, I'd try to hit it.hit it with what?
they haven't agreed on money or job duties.

[Dick Shun]

What NotImpressed suggests is the exact fear the boss wants bouncing around in your ahead.

But, it's a false fear. Unless you are totally inept, it's far better for your ND to pay a little more than he'd like to keep you on board than it is to dump you and start the job search from scratch. Just add up the cost of job listings, flights, hotels, meals - not to mention precious time - and the bump you want (and probably deserve) is a wash for him at worst.

You hold the upper hand at this early stage. Be honest about your general preference to stay (if that is indeed your preference). But, take the advice of the vast majority of posters here, DON'T SIGN A THING (don't even say you will) without a deal on paper.

(Edited to add a missing "the" in the first line)

[ December 02, 2006, 10:26 AM: Message edited by: Dick Shun ]

[call me sam]

We've talked twice about money and responsibilities. First he offered to put me on new projects two days a week, then it went down to one... but none during the major books. (I've been doing topicals almost exclusively for three years.) On money they've casually mentioned it being difficult to give me more than the "standard" 3%. I've said I'm looking for more than that.

I don't know why he thinks I'll sign something when those main issues are undecided.

Overall he's said repeatedly that he wants me to stay and is impressed with my work, but I feel like I'm in a rut and have a possible offer in the city where my SO lives. He's gonna have to do better than that.

[John M.]

Originally posted by call me sam:
I don't know why he thinks I'll sign something when those main issues are undecided.Because he thinks you're too scared of losing your job entirely to wait for what you want. I think you have to politely insist that he commits to making an offer before you'll commit to deciding on it. But you have commit to yourself first. What is it you want? How willing are you to fight for it? How much risk of losing your job will you accept? The station is banking that fear of losing your job will pressure you into signing early and for less money.

It sounds like you don't want to stay. Is the station offering any outs? If a station is stingy on salary sometimes it will be more generous with other contract terms. But you have to ask for them and you have to know what you'll do if the station says no. If the station wants to keep you for reasons besides that it's more convenient to re-sign you than to replace you, it won't jam arbitrary deadlines down your throat.

Can you afford to call its bluff?

[DoneThatToo]

So Monday has come and gone, what happened?

[call me sam]

(Done that - thanks for asking!)

They never came to me! We talked several times during they day about other things, but since they didn't bring it up I didn't either. I need the time.

Meanwhile, another station in my S.O.'s city called me and said they'd gotten my tape and they're also interested.

I suspect the one day a week and the 3% will become a take it or leave it offer, and I want more info on my other offers before I can make that decision.

I'm on the fence. Of course, I have to see what these other two stations are offering, and I know it would be a pay cut cuz it's a smaller market, but it would be a good move for personal reasons. (I'm not going to ask anyone to rehash that old argument, since it's been done here ad nauseam.)

I like my station. I like the people. I just feel like I'm in a rut with what I'm doing, and my managers don't want to pull me off of it because it's working. I can see their side, and would probably do the same if I were in their shoes. I would just break the bank to get me to stay smile.gif

[The Mockingbird]

If you think you're getting an offer from the station in your SO's town, then just delay the twits at your current newsroom, np.