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[eugenides]

I am inspired by this thread:

http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,47719.0.html

To clarify:

(1) For the offer, I mean a TT offer rather than a VAP one. (so its process is supposed to be more time-consuming)

(2) I know the order of the campus visit might complicate the picture. If you are the 1st visitor, you certainly need to wait longer. If you are the 3rd visitor/finalist, the SC can meet right after you are at the airport. Well, please kindly contextualize your experience.

(3) Thanks to you all.

[eugenides]

2 cents.

I have never been given a TT offer, but I know that even VAPs take much time.

(1) For my 1st VAP, it took 1 week (excluding the weekend) from the phone interview to the verbal offer. (Contract followed in 1 week)

(2) For my 2nd VAP, HOWEVER, it took 1 entire month (including weekends) (and maybe several days more than 1 month) from the phone interview to the verbal offer. (Contract followed in 1 week)

[expatinuk]

20 minutes... they were so impressed with me... I mean the men were rubbing themselves all during my job talk... and the women were wishing that they were men.

[eugenides]

I also wonder if the SC remained ENTIRELY QUIET during the wait. No email, no phone call, no update from the SC-- Is it the common experience?

[sequoia_sun]

When they call, I will vote.

I am waiting now. And another interview is scheduled for next week.

20 minutes... they were so impressed with me... I mean the men were rubbing themselves all during my job talk... and the women were wishing that they were men.

Well, unless the women were female inclined! They could have been wishing you were a lesbian.

[phdbliss]

I waited 2 days.

[dr_dre]

I very much appreciate SCs who move quickly. The folks who hired me said they would be swift not only to wrap things up, but also because they are aware of how distressing this process can be for candidates. They made an offer within 2 business days of the final candidate's visit.

[bamboozled]

1. As the first candidate of two, ten days.
2. As the second candidate of three, ten days, but they met early because I had offer #1 in hand.
3. As the second candidate of three, seven days. 
4. I don't know what number I was on the rotation of four, I withdrew from search eighteen days after campus visit. 

In the cases where I received the offer, everyone from institutions 1 and 3 responded enthusiastically to my thank-you emails.  I was very surprised when institution #2 called with the offer and fought hard to get me.

[panthro]

1. First of 5 candidates for 2 positions, 6 weeks.
2. First of N candidates for 1 position, 4 weeks.

I was first everywhere I visited. Future candidates: Try to avoid this strategy. It got me offers, but was a bit excruciating.

[dysnomia]

I waited 2 days.

Me too...I was the last candidate, and the committee met 2 days after I left. And then called me that afternoon.

[newyorkqueen]

We might need to consider a factor:
When do the SC meet to make decision.

Sometimes they meet right after the 3rd finalist.

Sometimes they meet AFTER the spring break.

This makes a difference of several weeks (weep).

[cackalacker]

20 minutes... they were so impressed with me... I mean the men were rubbing themselves all during my job talk... and the women were wishing that they were men.

Couldn't the women rub themselves?

I'm sorry, that threatens to take us very far off topic...

[shamu]

Some of the obvious factors are:
1. timing of one's interview (all things being equal, the earlier one's visit is, the later the response will be),
2. organizational skills at various levels (individual and institutional: some committees are notoriously slow; others respond with some speed)
3. how much they want a candidate
4. the field (saturated fields have the luxury not to move very quickly, but there are some fields where if the committee snooze, they lose ... at least the good candidates)
5. related to 2: the coordination between the committee and higher administrative levels
6. the weather
7. personal issues
... and many more

In terms of timing, some offers can come in hours or a couple of days (assuming there are no other candidates left), and others can take months (either because the interview process is continuing and/or one is not the first choice). As it has been pointed out numerous times: the key is FIT.

[shenanigan]

For two t-t offers I am weighing right now:

- Position A: I believe I was the second candidate in.  Offer came 3 1/2 weeks after visit (though I may have forced them to move along faster, since I contacted them to say I had another offer)

- Position B: I was the last candidate in.  Offer came 4 days later.

[dr_mk]

I interviewed for a job in 2005 that I'm still waiting to hear from. I'm assuming I didn't get the job, though.