The Hidden Curriculum E54 -How to Negotiate with Matt Notowidigdo
Sep 16, 2025
Matt Notowidigdo, a Professor of Economics at Chicago Booth, dives into the art of negotiation, sharing his extensive experience in the academic job market. He discusses crucial negotiation strategies, including prioritizing research support over salary for new faculty. Matt emphasizes the importance of knowing your allies in negotiations and offers practical advice on framing final demands. He also highlights the value of putting informal commitments into writing and benchmarks for salary discussions. Plus, he shares tips on work-life balance while managing an academic career and family.
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Promoting BFI's EDE Undergraduate Program
- Matt promoted the BFI EDE summer program for undergraduates aimed at expanding diversity in economics.
- The program runs mostly in person with a micro boot camp and potential research assistant pipelines.
Cap Active Projects At Six
- Limit yourself to no more than six active projects to avoid distraction and maintain progress.
- Count all unpublished working papers on your website toward that cap so you only start new projects when space frees up.
Structure Work Around Family Routines
- Build a routine around family obligations and use focused daytime hours for deep work.
- Reserve evenings and weekends only when necessary to keep work–life balance stable.
