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[questionasker]

My husband and I are both graduating with PhDs in MLA fields. He will graduate next year and I will graduate this May.

We both want to teach at a Community College-ideally the same one. Many of these positions are open (multiple positions at the same CC), but we were wondering what people that work at CCs would think of us mentioning this right up front in our letter. We are worried that since our degrees are from top tier R1 schools our applications might not be considered separately (ie they might think we are not serious about wanting to work there), but that if we apply together the school would know that we want to make a commitment to working there. So should we include this as part of our teaching-focused letters?

If you were on a CC admissions panel would you want to hear why 2 well-published soon to be PHDs would want to work at a CC far away from their current location? There are of course a lot of reasons for all this and we have thought the decision through carefully, but I am wondering how much we should say in the letter. I don't want to come off as pushy (you need to hire my spouse), but obviously this is a real attraction for us applying to these CCs rather than other ones with only one line open.

I know that for research type jobs the advice is not to mention the spouse in the letter, but it seems like in this case it might demonstrate a sincere desire to work there and show that we are wanting to commit to the institution, and give a solid reason as to an added benefit to working at this particular institution.

Thanks for any advice,

Rolanda

[zuzu_]

I speak as a frequent SC member at a rural CC.

Yes--they will wonder why on earth you want to work there. But talking about your spouse will not allay their anxieties. They are primarly concerned that you both have a track record of being excellent teachers and that you will both be spiritually fulfilled teaching a 5/5 load to mostly first-generation freshpeeps and s'mores. They don't want you to work there because you are desperate to have jobs together.

I think it is fine to make brief mention of the fact that you are applying together and perhaps that you wish to be considered as a "package deal," but 90% of your letter should be about why you're an awesome teacher, 5% should be about how your research informs your awesome teaching, and 5% can be about your spouse.

Have you read the series of articles here on the CHE called the Two-Year Track (by Rob Jenkins)? A lot of great advice there.

Good luck to you both!

[questionasker]

Thanks zuzu.

We are not planning on making this our main point for applying (it isn't anyway), but we were wondering if along with our teaching letters it might make it seem more like we really want to work there (as in that particular institution rather than any CC).

We are worried that despite our teaching experience and awards and research into pedagogy, we will not be taken seriously--especially since this is such a bad year in MLA fields.

We came to this decision after weighing many different priorities and thinking about when we were at our happiest and felt like our work had the most value, and teaching is what we realized is most important to us. We would like to live in the same place however, what couple wouldn't? and since we want to live in a rural area, it would be hard to find two schools close together.

Anyway, thanks for the advice and well wishes!

rolanda

[spectacle]

Would you be in the same department? 

[zuzu_]

We are worried that despite our teaching experience and awards and research into pedagogy, we will not be taken seriously--especially since this is such a bad year in MLA fields.

Given this information, I think you will be taken seriously. I do think it would be wise to explicitly state that your career goal has long been to be employed at a community college, and I think two adding two sentences about how you and your spouse would hope to commit to an institution together wouldn't hurt. I would also briefly mention your enthusiasm for a rural lifestyle.