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I guess that would depend a lot on your field and on the university involved. We need more details here. ANd then it depends on what you like and value in life and what your spouse likes.

[curious about jobs in germany]

based on this discussion, I would appreciate how one find out about jobs in Germany. I am thinking about moving to Germany because I will marry a German, but heard that the German system is very opaque: professors getting jobs for their students and American Ph.D.not qualifying for professorship because of the Habilitation thing.

I am in cultural studies/anthropology/film studies.
 
Any ideas about how I can start? It would be very helpful for me because I am so lost.

Best,

[W3 in Germany]

Do you speak German at all? Basic to good German skills are important pretty much universally if you're talking about being hired (as opposed to just making connections, which is what our discussion has been about).
Habilitation is still pretty much a requirement in many fields, but it's always "Habilitation or equivalent accomplishment" -- basically, two books in humanities fields, plus articles.  With "just" a Ph.D. and/or 1 book, you might qualify for "Juniorprofessor" or "Assistent" positions, but not for a "Professur", no matter how great that book is. Be aware, too, that in many fields the 2nd book has got to be fundamentally different (in theme, method, focus) from the first one to show that you have scholarly range.  For historians, that means the first and second books should be on different time periods, different countries, different types of history (social vs. military vs. cultural vs. comparative vs...)

I think it's not ALL as patronage-oriented as your message suggests, though surely it is that way in some places and some fields.

There are a few private universities springing up (one in Constance, plus the International University of Bremen) which teach largely in English and are freed from the regulations about Habilitation, etc.  

Search the jobs section of Die Zeit (online) for advertisements; German universities seeking English-speakers in particular advertise in the UK (jobs.ac.uk) and even sometimes in the Chronicle.  Read the German (or European) journals in your field and/or visit their websites -- they usually publish job listings online or to e-mail lists (which you should join).  The law requires that jobs are advertised in publications of record (such as Die Zeit); there is also a law forbidding universities from promoting from within; that means that one cannot be a full professor at a place where s/he was a postdoc or assistant professor (equivalent).  This means that everybody's moving around and competing, so you will need to get yourself into the networks, show your face (or participate online in their communities) and if you have the right qualifications you'll definitely have a shot at jobs.

Good luck!
W3

[Lan]

curious about jobs in germany wrote:

> I am in cultural studies/anthropology/film studies.
>  
> Any ideas about how I can start? It would be very helpful for
> me because I am so lost.

I believe film studies is rather underdeveloped in comparison to the field in the US - the organization of German universities tends to favor more traditional organization of curricula and it's a little tricker to launch new programs.  Film studies does not exist as a major at most universities.  

If your German isn't extremely good you can pretty much forget getting a job. There are several English language universities, but they are mostly focused on business with a few others doing things like European Union law or policy studies. If your cultural studies/anthropology work has anything to do with EU or international business or institutions, you might get a job at that kind of place.

No habilitation will be a problem at most traditional universities.  There have been moves to get rid of the habilitation, but like any long standing tradition there are people who will go to their graves before they allow someone with out it to be hired into their departments.

[curious about jobs in germany]

thank you, and sorry about the late reply. grading time!

[curious about jobs in germany]

I forgot to say that that thank you include both W3 (wow!) and Lan. Both many thanks for the info. That was more info than any searches I have been able to do on my own.

[returnee]

I took a job overseas--my friends all told me it was suicide.  I did well there, but didn't publish any books.  A dozen articles, etc.  When I went on the market, I got two interviews and one job.  I still didn't come back, and when I did, got two interviews and a job--as dept chair--within a year.

[Hoping to go back]

I must have chosen the wrong field... I too came to Germany for "life" reasons (I call it love),  never expecting to be so far out of the loop.  I taught at a university across the pond for seven years.  I was an asst. prof. in an allied health field; apparently too specific for German standards.  I'm not allowed to practice here because Germany has no such profession.  My certification isn't recognized and my degrees seem to collect dust.  I'm a stay-at-home dad longing for the days of leaving the house with a purpose other than to be in front of the Aldi before it opens on Wednesdays.  

I've applied to several programs only being offered one position.  My wife wasn't thrilled to move to the mid-west, so we stayed.  The second child came along... well, you know the story.  I'm looking again now that the youngest is in Kindergarten, but I may have to realize that I'm too "old", too "inexperienced", and have no current knowledge of US health care.

So, the question remains, is it possible to go back?

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