Jessica S. Merlin MD PhD MBA
Coaching and Consulting

Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Department of Health Systems, Management, and Policy Colorado School of Public Health at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus www.trantdoan.com.

I am incredibly grateful for the expert advice and support provided by Dr. Jessica Merlin during my path to secure a tenure-track position. Her vast knowledge of the negotiation process was pivotal in helping me land a competitive offer. She took the time over a phone call to listen intently to my unique situation, offer insightful feedback, and provide template language in a clear and approachable manner, which significantly boosted my confidence in the negotiations process.

Tenure-Track Associate Professor

I was so nervous entering into my job negotiation. I felt likely to accept a lower offer than I should because I don’t have any experience negotiating for academic packages. I had the amazing good fortune to be introduced to Dr. Jessica Merlin. At our first meeting she took the time to fully understand my current career options at different institutions, my desired career package, the position of the institutions I was negotiating with, my worries, and my spouse’s concurrent career needs. She explained what she thought my strategy should be and answered all my questions. I left that first meeting feeling more excited than intimidated about my job for the first time. As the weeks went on, Jessie walked me through each step of the process. Anytime I reached out to her to for guidance about email correspondence or strategy, she got back to me right away, always with great advice. She also never made me feel pushed to do things her way, she just explained to me why she would respond in her suggested manner and then left me to make the final decision. Jessie’s encouraging words throughout my negotiations gave me the confidence to ask for what I was really worth, far more than I ever would have on my own, and to hold my ground when negotiations went silent for a week or two. In the end, my start-up funds were $500,000 more than my original goal, and my protected time was 20% more. Even my final salary ended up higher than I dared to hoped it could! This increase in salary will profit my family over 10 times what I paid to Jessie for her help with my negotiations in the first year of my new job alone. Working with her, I made a new friend and got the best career package for myself and my family possible.

Tenure-Track Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

I cannot recommend Jessie highly enough. She brings an extraordinary depth of experience in negotiation and career development within academic medicine—experience that she has not only applied successfully in her own career but has generously and skillfully shared with others, including me. Despite an incredibly demanding schedule, she has consistently made time to support me—whether that meant hopping on a call, reviewing documents, or offering honest, thoughtful advice on very short notice. Jessie genuinely cares, and that care comes through in every interaction. She provided me with helpful frameworks and templates for structuring my value proposition and my asks. She has helped me see and own my value in ways I hadn’t before, and as a result, I’ve gained the confidence to advocate more effectively for the resources I need to thrive. Working with her has been a game-changer.