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[pinkmouse]

Having read the lengthy debates on when to mention the spousal hire issue (wait til you have an offer vs. tell the SCC ASAP), I have a slightly different issue.

I'm currently T-T, but on the market partly to solve a 2 body problem. Partner is in a contract research position, science field, I'm in humanities.

I have an interview at a university in a small city (so no other universities nearby). They have a spousal hire policy, detailed on their website, which sounds very positive (however, suggestions I have read here imply that some places proudly display such policies but always find some way not to implement them...). I don't know anyone at the institution to ask whether academic couples are common among the faculty (and even if they are, they may have come about in more economically fortunate times...)

Anyhow, my question is this: If I wait til I get an offer to ask about a spousal hire, will it help to say I don't need a job for spouse immediately? The research contract runs for another 2 years, so a job for the year after I was hired would suit us fine (of course spouse would be willing to leave job early for a T-T).

However, I am hesitant that if we don't both arrive at once, the offer for spouse may dematerialize. (There seem to be a few people here with stories of a promised job for a partner which never emerged, and once you're already there you're no longer in a position to negotiate).

Any advice?

[justanotherucprof]

In my experience (which is fairly extensive), there is virtually no chance of negotiating this successfully unless both hires are made at the same time.  One of the partners may have a delayed start date of a year or so, but the contract should be signed at the outset.  Never believe any promises that your partner will have a position found later; even if you trust the person making the promise, it likely will not be in his or her power to make it happen two years down the road.

[mozman]

You want to negotiate for a partner position, with a specific delayed start date.

Whether you can successfully do this is a different question.  How much in demand do you think you are?

mm

[pinkmouse]

I'm working on my second book, but I'm in a crowded field.

My thought (hope) was that saying we don't need the second job to start right away would play to our benefit (the many previous comments here from SC members saying that by the time they find out about the need for a spousal hire in March, it's too late for them to arrange one anyway).