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[hamimom]

Hello all,
My husband and I are both trying to get TT position and have been interviewed at several places.
To date, there are a few possibilities, but nothing serious yet.
Here's my situation.
1. My husband got an offer at one institution. The school has a small department for my discipline with little research and no opening for hire. Still, we asked about spousal hire, and the chair said, "Although I can' promise, I will do whatever I can to facilitate" my employment.
==> Q. What does it mean by "facilitating"? Can we ask what kind of specific effort are they taking?
2. I've got a phone call from an institution where I was interviewed. The chair there told me that my husband's CV was evaluated highly in another Department at the institution, and would like to invite my husband for job talk and at the same time to invite me for the second visit for house hunt.
But I didn't get any offer letter or emails regarding interview/second visit scheduling.
==> Can I request my offer letter before my second visit? Can we walk away after the second visit if my husband doesn't like the department/offer?
3. Lastly, I had interviews at 2 institutions at one area about a month ago, and didn't hear from them yet.  One of the institutions appeared to like me and the chairman started looking for my husband's possible hire from the beginning. But it didn't work out, and then he asked me how realistic I could come without my husband's job.  And a few days ago one of the institutions in the same area emailed my husband and is about to interview him.
==> Can I contact the schools I was interviewed and let them know my husband's possibility at the area and/or my possible offer at other institutions? I was foolishly  up front about my husband’s hire, and I just feel like they are not giving me full consideration because of slim chance i accept the position without my husband’s chance for hire.

Thank you for bearing with this long thread, and I appreciate any advice.

[sheprof]

That sounds so stressful. So basically, you have a number of possibilities but nothing concrete. It's great that people are expressing goodwill and some even taking the step to interview him, but you still don't know how it's going to end up. If I were you, I wouldn't necessarily let those #3 schools know about the spousal accommodations being explored in #1 and #2, because you don't have anything yet from them. Since you don't have offers from #3, I'd be afraid that nudging them already about a spousal accommodation could backfire. I'm going through something similar and I'll tell you what happened in my case. I told School A that School B is exploring something for the spouse. Rather than getting School A to act more quickly and aggressively, it caused the whole negotiation to go south and I think now they are wishing they never offered me the job and are pressuring me now to make a decision very quickly. So what might have worked with one school did not with another. Some schools don't hire spouses at all and others can't due to budget cuts. Letting them know about a spouse too early could cost you the offer and whatever bargaining power that gives you. But again, it's very case by case. Just be aware of all the possible responses and know that whatever move you make comes with some risk.

Good luck.

[hamimom]

Thank you for your advice. And thinking back, I can't agree you more. Brining up the spouse during the interview can be very risky. But many times, they were the ones that ask me about my husband - what he does for living, and his job prospect in the area, and also about my kids. Then it seems that the schools begin to think that I may not come if my husband can't find job - which is not absolutely incorrect, but I feel I am not given full consideration. So disappointing.

[sheprof]

I'm kind of appalled that they asked you about your personal life. They're not supposed to do that.

[aprilmay]

==> Q. What does it mean by "facilitating"? Can we ask what kind of specific effort are they taking?

They may not even know. At this point they are probably trying to figure out what is possible and will do what they can, but are still exploring possibilities. You can ask what kind of specific efforts are being taken, but it will not make things move faster or better and may annoy those who are trying to help you. Sit tight and let them try. If you cannot restrain yourself, you can ask how things are going rather than asking what kind of specific efforts are being made, which is pushy.

==> Can I request my offer letter before my second visit? Can we walk away after the second visit if my husband doesn't like the department/offer?

Yes, you can request a letter, but then you are asking them to give you an offer knowing that you want a spousal hire before they have even interviewed your husband. I can't see why they would do that. Again, you will be seen as pushy.
Yes, you can walk away after the second visit if it doesn't seem a good match for you and your husband. You are not obligated to take the job.

==> Can I contact the schools I was interviewed and let them know my husband's possibility at the area and/or my possible offer at other institutions?

Yes, you should contact the schools to let them know that your husband is being considered at other schools in the area, so even if they cannot give you a spousal hire, you are still interested. They will be very relieved, and it will stress your interest in the position.

I just feel like they are not giving me full consideration because of slim chance i accept the position without my husband’s chance for hire.

Are you serious? They are giving you full consideration. However, fully considering you means generating a spousal hire and some schools cannot accommodate this. You cannot bring up the spousal hire, which in almost all cases is a extra work for the school, and then be annoyed that they are taking the spousal situation into consideration.

You have lots of schools interested, so you are doing very well, especially in this market. Plus your husband's CV is doing well. Enjoy your fortunate situation and avoid coming off as pushy as this can backfire.

[navelgazer]

Thank you for your advice. And thinking back, I can't agree you more. Brining up the spouse during the interview can be very risky. But many times, they were the ones that ask me about my husband - what he does for living, and his job prospect in the area, and also about my kids. Then it seems that the schools begin to think that I may not come if my husband can't find job - which is not absolutely incorrect, but I feel I am not given full consideration. So disappointing.

I'm kind of appalled that they asked you about your personal life. They're not supposed to do that.

It is illegal.

[madhatter]

Thank you for your advice. And thinking back, I can't agree you more. Brining up the spouse during the interview can be very risky. But many times, they were the ones that ask me about my husband - what he does for living, and his job prospect in the area, and also about my kids. Then it seems that the schools begin to think that I may not come if my husband can't find job - which is not absolutely incorrect, but I feel I am not given full consideration. So disappointing.

I'm kind of appalled that they asked you about your personal life. They're not supposed to do that.

It is illegal.

It sure is! Our prisons are overcrowded because of the entire wings full of nothin' but hardened askers of personal questions.

[navelgazer]

It is illegal.

It sure is! Our prisons are overcrowded because of the entire wings full of nothin' but hardened askers of personal questions.

If we're going for non sequitur: our unemployment rolls are filled with people who don't know their rights under the law and our Who's Who lists are full of unrepentant bullies and misogynists. AMIRITE?

[katttt]

It is illegal.

It's not illegal, but it is ill-advised.

[navelgazer]

More to the point. OP didn't seem to be aware that this behavior is illegal. It is possible the search committee doesn't know this. One can make decisions about how to handle this (preferably ahead of time) if you are aware of the legalities as well as the possibilities of it happening. I was asked this question when I interviewed for McKinsey. You can bet your ass the interviewer immediately apologized, backtracked and apologized again. She also said that if I wanted to take it up with someone she could point me in the right direction.

The legal council at the schools I'm familiar with take this *very* seriously, even if it seems hard to prove. In addition, many departments take this very seriously because they want to be places where everyone is comfortable working.

I always answered this question honestly in my interviews.

[katttt]

OP didn't seem to be aware that this behavior is illegal.

Again, these sorts of questions are not in themselves illegal (though they are almost certainly against the school's policy). It is illegal to make a hiring decision based on the answer of certain personal traits/situations... but the questions themselves are not illegal (though they certainly do open up the possibility of a lawsuit if applicants believe it to be a sign that there was hiring discrimination).

[navelgazer]

It is illegal.

It's not illegal, but it is ill-advised.

With the help of Google:
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewsnetworking/a/illegalinterv.htm
http://www.hrworld.com/features/30-interview-questions-111507/
http://www.usatoday.com/careers/resources/interviewillegal.htm

OR, my favorite site:
http://tinyurl.com/6hvmszu

[katttt]

Yeah, I know that people believe (and post on the web) that there are "illegal" questions. But just because something is posted on the web and widely believed doesn't mean it is true.

This is a confusing issue because asking those sorts of questions is a bad idea and against most institutions' and companies' policies. However, they are not technically against the law (i.e., there is no federal law that says you cannot ask a job applicant about his or her children).

Here's some info about it (from a comment thread on one of the articles you linked to):

You know what is interesting about these questions, there really is no such thing as an illegal question. At least not Federally, though State Law Can vary.

Someone once challenged the "illegal" question myth, stating that there was NO Where in the EEO or DOL that one would find illegal questions, and yes they were correct..
So, I decided to Call the Office of the Civil Rights Division to get the Real Skinny on this one. What WAS the REAL Down Low about this. Can Companies ask "illegal questions" and in fact was there really such a thing as an "illegal question"

As they so Eloquently put it - "America is a free country and Employers are Free to ask what ever they want to a candidate..

BUT Wait.. don't get too excited Yet.. You see, it isn't the Asking that creates the legal problem, but actually it is the WHY Are You asking this question? and WHAT are You planning to do with the information? that creates future problems..

That is when an investigation can occur to check your selection versus hiring process to determine if you as a company is discriminating.

Those questions above, are indeed questions one should avoid, because they could indeed come back to bite a company should they refuse to hire a qualified candidate, and that said candidate get's in a tizzy and decides to complain to one of the Alphabet Agencies that deal with that particular issue..

[madhatter]

It is illegal.

It's not illegal, but it is ill-advised.

With the help of Google:
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewsnetworking/a/illegalinterv.htm
http://www.hrworld.com/features/30-interview-questions-111507/
http://www.usatoday.com/careers/resources/interviewillegal.htm

OR, my favorite site:
http://tinyurl.com/6hvmszu

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. If you Google "illegal interview questions," you'll find some misinformation about, surprise, illegal interview questions. If you Google "proof for the existence of fairies," you'll find web pages purporting to prove the existence of fairies.

Instead, try this:

EEOC FAQ on discrimination in employment

I realize that the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission isn't nearly as sexy or authoritative a source as about.com, but it might be a tad more accurate.