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[dazednconfused]

Looking for some input.

I was a (just) tenured, associate prof in the arts at a SLAC when my SO was accepted to a PhD program in a business area (one with a shortage of faculty, so when hu finishes hu is pretty much guaranteed a job - probably with a starting pay double what my area pays) halfway across the country.  I was having some minor frustrations at my job, so agreed to give it up and move - we had already done several years apart while I was looking for a TT job.  I took a 1/2 time glorified secretarial position to get access to health insurance and continued to be productive professionally (conferences, exhibitions, residencies, etc.).   

Since hu field and my field job search cycles are almost 6 months off from each other, one of us has to go first.  I applied to 23 TT positions for fall and had only one phone interview (for a job I realized was not "as advertised").  Obviously, I'm not going to get a TT job for fall.  So, the question is whether I should apply for 1-year positions for next year. 

Hu still has a GA for next year - so we can continue to live the status quo (broke) for the next year.  Hu will start job search this summer for Fall 09 - campus interviews in fall - offer in hand probably by Thanksgiving.  SO thinks hu will be able to pull me into a university with hu due to shortage in hu field.  I have doubts due to flooded market in my field.  Will it make a difference if I take a 1-year job for next year - make it more likely hu can get me a spousal hire?  Is it better to not teach and work hard on professional development?  By not teaching next year, I will have a 5 year gap in teaching.  Could it be the gap in teaching that killed my applications this year?

Any thoughts?

[jadedprof]

I think it may be best for you to have a one-year position. That will prevent the search committee from wondering why you don't have one. If you are worried about not being able to publish then perhaps consider an adjunct position.

[dazednconfused]

Update:

So I finally did accept a non-TT, continuing Instructor position at a SLAC due to my fears of not being able to get hired ever again with a 5-year gap in teaching.  After which, my SO's department declared that hu can't leave for next year - though hu has fulfilled the residency requirement and only has data collection and analysis left on the dissertation.

Off I go with our 2-year-old son and cat to another state, wondering just how much more I'll be asked to sacrifice for hu's PhD...

Also, hu has very good possibility to be hired for Fall 09 at R1 near SLAC I'll be teaching at - as in they have already asked hu to interview, but hu still keeps talking about other jobs hu is interested in around the country.  Even at schools where my type of department doesn't even exist!  I'm left wondering why he thinks it's ok to make me the trailing spouse at another university when we could both have jobs that we earned on our own rights.

Sigh.

[zharkov]

Also, hu has very good possibility to be hired for Fall 09 at R1 near SLAC I'll be teaching at - as in they have already asked hu to interview, but hu still keeps talking about other jobs hu is interested in around the country.  Even at schools where my type of department doesn't even exist!  I'm left wondering why he thinks it's ok to make me the trailing spouse at another university when we could both have jobs that we earned on our own rights.

Some people report that marriage counselors are helpful in working through these kind of issues.

[octoprof]

Update:

So I finally did accept a non-TT, continuing Instructor position at a SLAC due to my fears of not being able to get hired ever again with a 5-year gap in teaching.  After which, my SO's department declared that hu can't leave for next year - though hu has fulfilled the residency requirement and only has data collection and analysis left on the dissertation.

Off I go with our 2-year-old son and cat to another state, wondering just how much more I'll be asked to sacrifice for hu's PhD...

Also, hu has very good possibility to be hired for Fall 09 at R1 near SLAC I'll be teaching at - as in they have already asked hu to interview, but hu still keeps talking about other jobs hu is interested in around the country.  Even at schools where my type of department doesn't even exist!  I'm left wondering why he thinks it's ok to make me the trailing spouse at another university when we could both have jobs that we earned on our own rights.

Sigh.

If you are going to do the hu silliness, at least be consistent. :o)

If you are wondering what he thinks, then it's definitely time you asked him. Y'all must talk about these things. Otherwise, your marriage or partnership could be doomed.

He may think he should get the best job possible at the best school possible, as that is the normal thing to do after a PhD in one of those high demand low supply fields (yes, I'm in one, possibly the same one your SO is in).  If that one doesn't work out or isn't a good fit, then the chances are SO will have done enough research in that environment to make it easy to slide down the academic ladder a notch to find the next school with a better fit. Certainly, he's been taught in his PhD program that he should go to the top school that will hire him (and he's heard this over and over again).

Your prior willingness to give up your TT career completely for him to get a PhD is further evidence to him that his career is more important. Perhaps the known disparity in earning potential is also further evidence to him that his career is more important.  He might also be thinking that since y'all have sacrificed so much for him to earn this PhD, he should be getting the best job (paying and potential) possible to make up for that.

If you think differently, you need to speak up NOW.  Y'all must talk about these things! You should have been talking about them all along, of course.  Don't wait any longer. You both need to know exactly what each other is thinking and wanting so that y'all can make good decisions together about what to do next.

If this doesn't workout things pretty easily and in a timely manner, do what zharkov says.