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[samitchronicle]

Hi,
        Just a quick question, if anyone can suggest any useful comments...

 Me and my wife are in same field and we are now applying for jobs. During the applying in same institute, is it OK if I (and my wife as well) mention in my application/cover letter that my wife (husband) is also an applicant.

Does it help or counterproductive?

thanks,
/s

[theblondeassassin]

Depends -- are you applying for jobs as spammers?

[infopri]

Me and my wife are in same field and we are now applying for jobs.

I hope the job your applying for isn't a teaching position in the English department!

At my school, the SCs would be interested in knowing that you are husband and wife and would judge both applications fairly.  But my guess is that this isn't true everywhere and could work against you both.

Moreover, while, after a fair review, knowing about the spouse might help solve a two-body problem ("We really want the one, so let's hire the other, since s/he doesn't look too bad"), it might instead result in no offers ("We really don't want the one, so how can we hire the other?  Too awkward, so let's go on to the next candidate.")

[quietly]

I think a lot depends on whether you're applying to the same department (presumably for different jobs, right?).  If yes, then it might be worth mentioning in the CL.  But if not, the two different departments are unlikely to have any communication or influence on one another's hiring processes until late in the game--after you've both independently earned interviews.  If you both managed to do that, then both departments might see an advantage to helping you solve your two-body problem as it will increase the likelihood of you both staying.  But if you got an interview in, say, History, and your spouse did not get an interview in, say, Math, I can't see the Math department saying, well, we ought to take another look at this one b/c History wants us to.  The only way that ever happens is if you're a Big Fish and the dean effectively creates a new Math position for your spouse.

Q.

[larryc]

What are your fields?

[crowie]

I know of a couple who applied for two different openings in the same department (openings that matched their respective specializations).  Because they had different last names and the search committees for each position were made up of different people, it was not picked up that they were a couple immediately.  Neither of them mentioned their spouse's application in their letter.  One half of the couple was shortlisted for the job s/he applied for and was invited for a campus visit and ultimately offered the job.  I don't know if s/he waited until the offer was on the table or told the department after the campus visit invitation, but at some point s/he mentioned the spouse who was an applicant for the other opening and asked that the spouse be considered for that position.  The spouse was invited for a campus visit for the other position and they were both hired.  So if you follow their example, it seems it would be best not to mention the spouse's application until later in the game when you have gotten a campus visit request or offer.  But if you both go by the same last name and especially if you are applying for the same position (rather than different openings in the same department) the search committee will probably figure it out in any case.

[infopri]

Me and my wife are in same field and we are now applying for jobs.

I hope the job your applying for isn't a teaching position in the English department!

Ugh.  Obviously, that should have been you're.  That's what I get for picking on someone else's misuse of the language.

Language karma's a b*tch.

[totoro]

Suddenly there are a lot of these badly written questions on job search issues by new posters. I figure someone is trying to get content for a website.

[crowie]

Suddenly there are a lot of these badly written questions on job search issues by new posters. I figure someone is trying to get content for a website.

Or, it's simply the beginning of the fall job season and some job applicants new to the CHE fora have imperfect English because they are ESL speakers/writers.