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[2tomato]

Both my partner and I landed TT positions in two different universities (two very different disciplines) that are far enough where we would be lucky to have once a month visits.  We've both just begun our TT careers.  A position that would fit me opened up at his Rural University, with a deadline in November.  I love the place where I'm doing my TT and I'm hoping something opens up in my Nice-Size City Uni for him - that would be ideal. But I feel I should apply to his uni to maximise our chances of living together next year. This would give us something to bargain with when we are trying to get my uni to hire him. 

The problem I'm having is that it feels very odd to think of applying to a job even before teaching my first week as a brand-new TT.  He will be doing the same, and undoubtedly will be feeling guilty about it as well. Are we justified in feeling so? We don't intend to play hardball, but we want to be together and we want to keep our options open.

So my questions are:
1) Will going back on the market in the first year of the TT be looked upon as frivolous and work against us? 
2) Has anyone done this (on market in first year)? I would like to hear your experiences, please.
3) Would it be better to wait another year or two to give it more time? But what if no jobs for either of us at either uni open up then?

We are fairly strong candidates who are known in our own former-R1 uni circles as people with potential (to publish). But of course, we both intend to work hard in the meantime. Thank you for any wisdoms you can offer!

[systeme_d_]

Absolutely apply.

If your chair turns out to be a nice sort, solicit a letter from him/her, with the explanation that "I am thrilled with my new job, but I just cannot take a pass on this rare opportunity to live closer to my partner.  We'd love it if something in his field opened up here, of course..."

[mleok]

I imagine that most reasonable people would understand if you applied for a job at the university where your partner is located.

[2tomato]

Thank you for your replies! system_d, do you mean solicit a letter from the Chair to the head of the other department where my partner will apply to?

When do you first bring this up in the first year?  The chair is friendly indeed and I've been tempted to say something about it, but I figured I'll wait for my uni's hiring season (in a few months' time).  By that time most of my reference letters would have gone out to the other unis....

[janewales]

You don't need to worry about appearing frivolous. I've been on many hiring committees, and have often seen applicants who are on the tenure track explain in their cover letters that they are interested in moving for personal reasons. Letters of reference often make the same point. Any reasonable person will understand.

One thing to think about, though, is that the rural university might very well be afraid to offer you a job, precisely because you could use that offer to try to negotiate for a position for your partner at your own university. They will fear/ know that an offer to you could in fact mean, not just a failed search for the position to which you're applying, but also losing your partner. You do say you and your partner are in very different disciplines, so perhaps the SC with which you'll be dealing won't actually care about the potential consequences for that other department if you use an offer to leverage a move back to your university for your partner, but they'll still know that there's a good possibility your only interest in their position is to secure leverage elsewhere.

You need, then, to assuage those concerns; you need in your application to express enthusiasm for the university and/ or the position that is not purely related to your personal circumstances. You want them to be thinking, "Wow, 2tomato looks like s/he'd be a great hire for us, and is really keen to come here; and the icing on the cake is that if we hire him/her, we'll be sure that 2tomato's partner will stay here too!"

So, I would make the personal part of the process; as you say, you don't want to appear frivolous. But be sure to balance that with elements that would make you appealing to the other university. It's natural that you would be thinking about the solution this position presents to your own relationship issues, but that's not, obviously, the way the other university is thinking about this hire.

Good luck to you.

[systeme_d_]

Thank you for your replies! system_d, do you mean solicit a letter from the Chair to the head of the other department where my partner will apply to?

When do you first bring this up in the first year?  The chair is friendly indeed and I've been tempted to say something about it, but I figured I'll wait for my uni's hiring season (in a few months' time).  By that time most of my reference letters would have gone out to the other unis....

No, I meant solicit a letter of recommendation from your chair for yourself.  It is usually a good idea to have a letter from your current chair when you go on the market.

You can bring it up as soon as you wish.  It is good to give people lead time when they need to compose a letter for you.

[octoprof]

Both my partner and I landed TT positions in two different universities (two very different disciplines) that are far enough where we would be lucky to have once a month visits.  We've both just begun our TT careers.  A position that would fit me opened up at his Rural University, with a deadline in November.  I love the place where I'm doing my TT and I'm hoping something opens up in my Nice-Size City Uni for him - that would be ideal. But I feel I should apply to his uni to maximise our chances of living together next year. This would give us something to bargain with when we are trying to get my uni to hire him. 

The problem I'm having is that it feels very odd to think of applying to a job even before teaching my first week as a brand-new TT.  He will be doing the same, and undoubtedly will be feeling guilty about it as well. Are we justified in feeling so? We don't intend to play hardball, but we want to be together and we want to keep our options open.

So my questions are:
1) Will going back on the market in the first year of the TT be looked upon as frivolous and work against us? 
2) Has anyone done this (on market in first year)? I would like to hear your experiences, please.
3) Would it be better to wait another year or two to give it more time? But what if no jobs for either of us at either uni open up then?

We are fairly strong candidates who are known in our own former-R1 uni circles as people with potential (to publish). But of course, we both intend to work hard in the meantime. Thank you for any wisdoms you can offer!

(1) Given your situation, going on the market for a specific location job is not going to look frivolous. Of course you and partner would like to live together. Presumably, if one opened in partner's field at your school, partner would apply, yes?

(2) Can't help you there.

(3) Don't wait a year since this opportunity exists NOW, and may not exist next year.

[2tomato]

janewales: Thanks for the helpful warning on how Rural U might perceive my application. That's a very good point. I feel fairly confident about letting it be known that I'm serious about the job, as there is another center there I can work with. Besides, moving to Rural U is a serious consideration if nothing opens up in my uni. 

octoprof: Yes, partner will jump on a position in my uni the moment something opens up.  If that doesn't happen, I intend to go to my chair (with or without Rural U offer in hand) and ask.  It's gotta happen sometime, but can't say I'm not nervous about it and wondering when's the best time to do it.

systeme_d: Thanks for clarifying.  I guess this gets to the heart of the problem - I haven't even started teaching, the Chair and I are just getting to know each other (and I have not met most of the faculty since everyone is still on summer vacation).  He's also not in my field.  I'll be soliciting this letter in my first semester of TT when I've barely had any time to prove myself (any publication I am working on will still be in progress in December).  I'm thinking therefore of asking him when the semester's teaching is about half done.

I'm glad I put this question out here - all your responses are incredibly helpful and encouraging!

[systeme_d_]

2tomato, the letter of rec from your chair will function in this instance as primarily a reassurance that you are not crazy/troublesome/hateful, or viciously mercenary.

Your chair can potentially do a lot with that letter, like explain your two-body problem.