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[polly_mer]

When I was invited earlier this year for an interview in Europe (for a full prof position) they suggested up front that they would find my wife a job. I hadn't mentioned it, but her website is linked from mine so they could see she was a researcher. The idea was to get her some sort of post-doc position (she got her PhD 13 years after me). So that is more in line with MTG ideas.

For people who are known to be productive pairs, I can see this happening.  I know of a few couples who were recruited as senior hires in that way (say, we know you are living apart, wouldn't you rather both be together at slightly-lower-ranked-U in the appropriate departments?).  I'm sure that junior people should not be thinking of getting the same treatment, particularly for an open call.

[proftowanda]

A lot of campuses have their spousal-hire policies online.  Have you looked?

As one who helped to put together the policy on my campus:  Yes, we want to know asap, as it takes time to put together a second hire.  And need to do so has not affected our decision a bit as to making an offer -- but to get our top picks, we may need to have both offers ready, or the second one at least close to an offer. 

At times, we have had to work with other campuses in the area; at times, that takes time, and we have waited and held open the first position for a year or even more.  But in the current budgetary times, we probably could lose a line by doing so.  So we need as much time ahead of time as possible.

[oldfullprof]

In the type of places at which I work (state colleges,) an up-front request would be the kiss of death.  If the background were appropriate, an adjunct position might be possible, if the request were made at the time of offer or later.  

I've been in a position where my R-1 spouse could probably have hardballed my hiring as a research associate professor, but it's not her style.  (She also might need to go on the market to make the threat real.)  But soft money is a more likely possibility than T-T.

Also, a list of non-university employers can be made available to the spouse.

[proftowanda]

In the type of places at which I work (state colleges,) an up-front request would be the kiss of death.  If the background were appropriate, an adjunct position might be possible, if the request were made at the time of offer or later.  

I've been in a position where my R-1 spouse could probably have hardballed my hiring as a research associate professor, but it's not her style.  (She also might need to go on the market to make the threat real.)  But soft money is a more likely possibility than T-T.

Also, a list of non-university employers can be made available to the spouse.

This is the difficulty for the OP, as I'm at a state campus, too -- but, admittedly, that my department wants to know asap does not mean that even the next-door department on the same campus would have the same take on this; it may have a different culture within the department and/or a different deanly administrator who well may administer the kiss-of-death result that you see. 

For that reason, I certainly can understand that the OP ought to take the cautious route that you suggest, if there is no other guidance on this available on the campus website, and even then. . . .  But then, the OP needs to understand, as has been said here well, that state campuses especially cannot put together a second offer asap.

[oldfullprof]

The last junior hire I saw try this did not do it with any grace.  She was adamant that we needed to do an on-campus spousal hire.  She was still ABD, albeit with an attractive speciality area as far as we were concerned.  She had zero publications, and only TA experience.  Her obnoxious and windy mentor sent his inch-thick vita along with his LOR.

All three state colleges made her offers (sans the "mandatory" spousal hire,) and she turned them all down.

As I reconstruct the situation now, "windy" sent her out on a grand tour at state colleges on their dime before her diss was finished.  She probably never intended to take any of the offers. 

Next year, she took a job at a great SLAC.     

[daniel_von_flanagan]

In the type of places at which I work (state colleges,) an up-front request would be the kiss of death.  If the background were appropriate, an adjunct position might be possible, if the request were made at the time of offer or later.

In some fields at larger schools, departments are scrambling to hire adjuncts off the street a week before classes begin, mainly because lines for sufficient regular hires to cover the need have not been approved.  This has nothing to do with a department's ability to create a new position on demand as a response to a candidate's reply to an offer.

I've been in a position where my R-1 spouse could probably have hardballed my hiring as a research associate professor, but it's not her style.  (She also might need to go on the market to make the threat real.)

Retention is usually a stronger lever than the attraction of an initial hire, but even then I assume it would not have been an "on demand" situation where a line could be pulled out of a hat in a matter of days or even weeks.

Soft money is something else again, soft money lines at state schools are often fungible. - DvF

[oldfullprof]

In the type of places at which I work (state colleges,) an up-front request would be the kiss of death.  If the background were appropriate, an adjunct position might be possible, if the request were made at the time of offer or later.

In some fields at larger schools, departments are scrambling to hire adjuncts off the street a week before classes begin, mainly because lines for sufficient regular hires to cover the need have not been approved.  This has nothing to do with a department's ability to create a new position on demand as a response to a candidate's reply to an offer.

Colleges like mine can pretty much never do this for a junior hire, ever.  Nor need we.  There are simply too many people who can teach well, and do light research (potentially replacing the primary hire.)  So that leaves the other alternatives I cite.

[mozman]

The last junior hire I saw try this did not do it with any grace.  She was adamant that we needed to do an on-campus spousal hire.  She was still ABD, albeit with an attractive speciality area as far as we were concerned.  She had zero publications, and only TA experience.  Her obnoxious and windy mentor sent his inch-thick vita along with his LOR.

All three state colleges made her offers (sans the "mandatory" spousal hire,) and she turned them all down.

As I reconstruct the situation now, "windy" sent her out on a grand tour at state colleges on their dime before her diss was finished.  She probably never intended to take any of the
Next year, she took a job at a great SLAC.     

This sonds like a problem with Universities interviewing and offering positions to an uproven ABD with no publications.

For the record, I just moved midcareer to a public state R1. My spouse was given a hard money research associate faculty position. Spouse could have had a TT position, but didn't want it (hates teaching and committee work).  

[larix]

Thanks for the advice all. I'm taking it all into consideration. First to update you all I responded mentioning my interest in the position but said nothing about my partner. I decided that I would mention it during the interview as seems to be the general advice both here and elsewhere.

My partner is an academic but would prefer to work as research faculty (something that is sometimes easier to arrange as sometimes they are soft money positions). My partner is also open to finding work outside the university, this is why the language issue I mentioned could be a problem.

I did check for a policy but as far as I can tell there is none. The faculty is unionized so I checked the union website also with no luck on a standing policy. We'll see how it goes and what the search committee can tell me about the job market in their city, and/or opportunities at the university.

[oatmeal]

Thanks for the advice all. I'm taking it all into consideration. First to update you all I responded mentioning my interest in the position but said nothing about my partner. I decided that I would mention it during the interview as seems to be the general advice both here and elsewhere.

My partner is an academic but would prefer to work as research faculty (something that is sometimes easier to arrange as sometimes they are soft money positions). My partner is also open to finding work outside the university, this is why the language issue I mentioned could be a problem.

I did check for a policy but as far as I can tell there is none. The faculty is unionized so I checked the union website also with no luck on a standing policy. We'll see how it goes and what the search committee can tell me about the job market in their city, and/or opportunities at the university.

OP--Thanks for the update. I think you have made a good decision (and not just because I, and others, recommended it). Keep us updated on what happens and, of course, good luck.

[helpful]

I did check for a policy but as far as I can tell there is none. The faculty is unionized so I checked the union website also with no luck on a standing policy. 

Contact the union; they might have more information. Also take a look at the contract, which should be online. There might be a policy in there.

[larix]

Further update for you all. I just got back from my interview. There is no existing policy and they made no promises, however, they did seem supportive and provided me with contact information for some places and, more importantly, specific people at those places to talk to about finding a job for my spouse. I hope this means there may be some behind the scenes under the table help at the very least of the "I know someone who would be great for you to hire" variety. They also didn't seem to think the lack of language skills would be a huge problem.

So in short not a solution to our problem but better than it could have been. Now I just have to wait and see if they offer me the job or not.