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[newgrad09]

My partner and I are both applying for assistant prof jobs in the same social sciences field.  He has interviewed at 2 universities (mid-tier public universities, one outside the US), gotten TT offers at both, and negotiated a TT spousal hire for me at both.  The problem? I am only halfway through interviewing, and my interviews are at better schools (top-tier public universities/Ivy League).  It was probably easier to negotiate a spousal offer for me than it will be to negotiate one for him, because I have an additional 2 years grad experience and am in a more popular specialty.  Neither of us has postdoc experience.  We will most likely have to make a decision on his offers before we know about the outcome of my interviews.  Is it completely ridiculous to turn down our current offers in hopes of landing jobs at a better school?  Should I bring up our two-body problem (and our current offers) while interviewing? 

[johnr]

Is there any reason why the two of you couldn't accept the current offer and still interview?  Then, if you get a great offer and if you can negotiate for a spousal hire then you can cross the bridges that must be crossed.

[newgrad09]

Is there any reason why the two of you couldn't accept the current offer and still interview?  Then, if you get a great offer and if you can negotiate for a spousal hire then you can cross the bridges that must be crossed.

I think it considered very bad form to accept an offer and then back out of it later. 

[carebearstare]

In this economy, I wouldn't take any chances.

[fayefaye]

In this economy, I wouldn't take any chances.

I'd be tempted to wait on the better schools. But... this is probably good advice.

[offthemarket]

Landing spousal hires is spotty, and you've had success twice?!  Congrats!

It sounds like the other offers are all ready to go, so it's not like you can run out the clock on these offers.  You just gotta make the call, based on what you want, what the odds are, and what the cost is to you if you come up empty.

It would seem to me, not knowing more, that there's a decent chance that you will
a) not get an offer yourself
b) you get an offer but not an adequate offer for spousal hire.

I think it might warrant a call to the search committee chair where you're interviewing and just being straightforward about the spousal hire situation.  It's possible they won't even be open to it, in which case it'd be a bad idea to bank on it.  

If I were you, personally, I'd be gone for the one in the hand.

[jacaranda_]

In this economy, I wouldn't take any chances.

I would tend to agree.  Under better financial circumstances, you might be able to expect a more prestigious / Ivy institution to have the resources to come up with a strong counter-offer.  But even the wealthiest institutions are under financial strain, and I imagine that spousal/partner hires are not high on the priority list for scarce funds.

Can you do a "what if. . . 6 years down the road" mental exercise about your options here?

[johnr]

Is there any reason why the two of you couldn't accept the current offer and still interview?  Then, if you get a great offer and if you can negotiate for a spousal hire then you can cross the bridges that must be crossed.

I think it considered very bad form to accept an offer and then back out of it later. 

Poor form is better than poor farm. 

[prytania3]

Here's the deal:

It sounds like you are a more desirable hire than your partner. Hu got mid-tier interviews; you got Ivy Leagues and equivalents. Now, if hu got a job at a mid-tier and wanted a spousal hire, they'd naturally jump at the chance because you obviously have a quality CV, and they figure they're getting themselves a real deal.

If you get an offer from an Ivy-type school, it is very unlikely you will be able to negotiate a spousal hire unless you are really some huge cheese--like Eddie Said huge. Assuming you aren't, an Ivy isn't going to want to take on your spouse who is more fit for a mid-tier instituation.

That could change down the line with publications, etc., but for now....

Pick one of the two you've been offered unless you want to live in a different state than your spouse.

[newgrad09]

I think it might warrant a call to the search committee chair where you're interviewing and just being straightforward about the spousal hire situation.  It's possible they won't even be open to it, in which case it'd be a bad idea to bank on it.  

This was my partner's first instinct, too.  My worry is that a discussion with the search committee chair might further reduce our chances of getting at least one offer at these schools ... why make an offer to me if they know that I am going to turn around and ask for a position for my partner?  But it may be the only way to move forward, other than the "cross my fingers and hope for the best" strategy -- which is slowly driving me crazy!

[crowie]

Here's the deal:

Pick one of the two you've been offered unless you want to live in a different state than your spouse.

prytania nails it, I'd say.  

[carebearstare]

Here's the deal:

Pick one of the two you've been offered unless you want to live in a different state than your spouse.

prytania nails it, I'd say.  

Agreed. At some point, one of you is going to make a sacrifice. Would you sacrifice institutional prestige for the security of having two jobs? Or would you sacrifice your spouse's career for the possibility of your own? (I say possibility because you don't have an offer yet from any of these places, and there's a decent chance you won't get one.)

Remember, too, that institutional prestige and even money don't necessarily signal a better job. The department could be toxic; the research demands, absurd; the bureaucracy, oppressive. You might love mid-tier school, and you might especially love living with your happy, gainfully employed spouse.

[prytania3]

Yeah, to clarify, personally, I'd take the two birds in the hand as opposed to the one in the bush.

[newgrad09]

You might love mid-tier school.

Or I might hate mid-tier school, and always wonder if I could have launched my career at a top-notch program.  And I can't help feeling disappointed about our current situation:  I've slaved away for 6 years to move to a mediocre school in the middle of nowhere?  And isn't this exactly how female scientists end up leaking out of the pipeline towards highly successful research careers?  You are definitely right that I may very well not get any offers from the better schools ... but I am bummed not to get the chance to find out.

[prytania3]

Wow--you are bitter already.

Maybe you should put it all on red, but look at the risk/reward. If you don't get a job, you're going to be living in the middle of nowhere with no job. If you do get a job, your spouse is going to be living in the middle of nowhere and you'll be at Big Cheese U. Or is spouse planning on trailing if you get Big Cheese U. job? Then hu will be bitter.

You need to be honest with yourself. What is more important? Your career or your marriage? No judgements here, but you really need to be honest with yourself about that.