Talking About Finances With Candidates

One element of my interactions with job candidates this year is almost entirely new: I find myself in long discussions with them of my university’s financial position, including issues of enrollment, endowment earnings, and other matters that should concern anyone job hunting in academe these days.

I try to provide them with a clear picture of the situation for the next few years, and to locate our circumstances in the larger picture of higher-education finances. This new practice seems fair to me, and although some candidates are savvy and/or brave enough to bring up the subject themselves, not all of them are, and I believe that kind of information should be part of their decision-making process.

I have two questions for interviewers: Have you informed candidates about your institution’s finances? And have you had any odd or difficult issues arise during those conversations?