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[miraceli]

Ok, my spouse is an ABD and has a campus visit scheduled in a very prestigious  private university. I am a third year TT faculty in a huge state school. We are in the same humanities field.

We have talked about it and decided he would definitely take the job if they can offer me a lectureship, or any kind of continuing full-time appointment. Obviously getting 2 TTs would be ideal, but I know it may be too much to ask.

The SC likely knows about our two-body problem: I have also applied for the job (I did not make it even to the first round). WE share the same last name, and our education institutions/work history are exactly the same, so that if you read both CVs it would become obvious.

Because of all that, I think my spouse should mention my situation during the campus visit and ask about the real possibilities that I might be employed there as well.

Am I right? I've been reading in these boards not to mention the "trailing spouse" before an offer is made, but do you think in our specific circumstance we should mention it?

[sir_lancelot]

NO!!

[cattleya]

It's my understanding that such things should never be mentioned before an offer has been made (i.e., what Lancelot said).

If your backgrounds are so similar that you are applying for the same jobs, the road to a spousal hire might be even steeper than usual.

[shrek]

At my institution a spousal hire takes a long time to negotiate. So for us first mention at offer time is WAY TOO LATE.

[totoro]

I'm of the "the worst they can say is no" school of thought and now discount alternative advice provided on the fora. If your partner won't take the job without some sort of spousal hire, then say so.

[daniel_von_flanagan]

At my institution a spousal hire takes a long time to negotiate. So for us first mention at offer time is WAY TOO LATE.

Mine too.

The good news in this case is that it is the less-established member of the couple who is interviewing, this is the opposite of the usual situation and makes a couple hire a bit more plausible. - DvF

[miraceli]

Thanks, everyone.

After discussing a bit more and reading your responses, we decided he will bring that up at some point during the campus visit. It's true that he'll only take the job if I can trail along, and since they most likely know about me already, this seems the best thing to do for both parties.

The visit will be in a month -- I'll let you know how the conversation went!

[sheprof]

I was wondering about this question myself (as well as when to tell current chairs). In one thread someone suggested that if the SC or dean specifically asks if there are any special accommodations you'd be interested in or would require, that this is the time to bring up the spouse, otherwise to only do so only after the offer is made might be seen as bad faith. For now, my thought is that I will not broach the issue, but if given an opening, then I'll mention it.

I'm wondering though, is it wise or foolish to say that while a spousal accommodation is something you'd be interested in, your decision isn't necessarily contingent on this?

[larryc]

There is strong disagreement on these boards about this. If you mention the spouse during the interview there is some chance that it will decrease the chance of them making an offer. If you wait until there is an offer it might be too late for them to make any arrangement for your spouse. Both of these are valid points.

Since you would not take the job without a spousal accommodation, you might as well mention it. Realistically, however, a humanities ABD does not have a lot of leverage.

[navelgazer]

At my institution a spousal hire takes a long time to negotiate. So for us first mention at offer time is WAY TOO LATE.

Mine too.

The good news in this case is that it is the less-established member of the couple who is interviewing, this is the opposite of the usual situation and makes a couple hire a bit more plausible. - DvF

This is my situation. I am TT at an R1, my husband has an interview for a TT at an R1. We don't have any reason to think he'd get it, but they already know about me. (This is because his f***ing grad adviser went into great detail about me, our son, and other s*** in his letter. Oh, and he got my discipline wrong.) But, he's already been asked about it.

We're hopeful because my husband's field requires almost a million dollars in start-up costs (last year the two post-docs from his current lab both got 800K ish). My dinky humanities salary is dinky.

We have lots and lots of reasons not to be hopeful, outside of the spousal issue.

[spyzowin]

I wouldn't mention it at all. A lot of people would be put off by the presumption and air of entitlement. Of course, they'd never say that out loud, but from these boards you must realize that faculty are probably split 50-50 on the ethics of spousal hires.

[aprilmay]

No no no. Bring this up at the offer stage, not before. I'm not sure what you mean by "our specific circumstance" and "because of all that", but there appears nothing unique about your situation except that your case is a bit weak as your application did not make it past the first round. Money is very tight, even for a "very prestigious private university", so adding a spousal hire is even harder than before, plus you have already been rejected from this school. There's nothing good to bring up early. If they decide they really want your spouse, you are in a better situation. Never assume the SC knows of your situation based on the applications. They will get tons of applications (think hundreds), especially at that type of school, and are unlikely to link your two applications. Even if someone did make the connection that your education and work histories are the same, it could be a coincidence or the couple could be moving due to divorce. Your post sounds a bit naive about how hires work, so you may want to talk to some senior faculty and get more mentoring on academic searches.

At my institution a spousal hire takes a long time to negotiate. So for us first mention at offer time is WAY TOO LATE.

Shrek and others in this situation, will you tell us what type of institution? For the OP's case of a "very prestigious  private university" it would not be too late.

[miraceli]

Thank you for the additional points of view. When I think about "mentioning" it during the campus visit, I don't mean saying to the SCC: "Look, I would only come work here if my wife is offered a TT, too." I was thinking that my husband could ask him about the possibility of me working as a lecturer, or a VAP. Of course I don't expect to be offered a TT!

Now we have a couple more weeks to rethink this idea... Thanks again for all your comments.

Thanks again, folks!

[aprilmay]

When I think about "mentioning" it during the campus visit, I don't mean saying to the SCC: "Look, I would only come work here if my wife is offered a TT, too." I was thinking that my husband could ask him about the possibility of me working as a lecturer, or a VAP. Of course I don't expect to be offered a TT!

I think most, or probably all, of us understood what you meant by "mentioning" it. We are suggesting not to bring it up at all until there is an offer in hand. Good luck.

[daniel_von_flanagan]

Shrek and others in this situation, will you tell us what type of institution? For the OP's case of a "very prestigious  private university" it would not be too late.

I'm at a state flagship.  We're hiring now, and know already of some spousal situations among our medium-short list, and are already exploring options for them just in case.  Anyone who waits until we make an offer to bring it up is just wasting everyone's time, plus we will likely just write off their specialty area for a couple of years (or forever).

I do understand that private universities can often move faster than we can.  I assume from your post you've been on a SC at such an institution; care to describe your experiences with people who followed your advice?

Amnirov is right that some people simply don't like spousal hires, but they won't like them any more if coupled with extortion. - DvF