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[honeynutichiro]

Hi all! My husband is on the job market this year (first year on the market, ABD).  He's had some tt/post-doc nibbles, which is exciting and surprising. His current school is in a large city, where I've got a (wonderful) job as a government attorney. We weren't really planning on leaving next year, as most ABD candidates from his program haven't had much luck on the market in the last couple years, so we hadn't really seriously thought through spousal hire issues.

Here's the immediate dilemma I'm requesting some advice on: He's got a campus visit for a great school in a rural area in the coming weeks. I've looked on HERC/the school's website, and I see that there is an open position in the school's general counsel's office that I believe I would be a good fit for.

If we were to move to said rural area, this position would be ideal. It's not, however, a dealbreaker: if he were to get this job, we'd move there, and I'd probably hang up my own shingle or look for other legal opportunities in the region.

I'd like to apply for the position, and mention that I'll be in the area for my husband's campus visit if they would like to meet with me to discuss the job at the time.  I haven't done so yet because of lingering fears that this will in some way hinder my husband's job process - I don't want it to appear that we're a package deal. Again, I think I'd be a really strong candidate for the position the school is advertising independent of him - I've got some unique expeirence that I believe would make me particularly qualified (and, due to the location, I doubt they have a lot of attorneys with this skill set who would be candidates).

Thoughts?   

[polly_mer]

AFTDJ.  If you are strong enough on your own, then great.  If not, well, at least you tried.

Apply and then worry about anything else.

[honeynutichiro]

My concern isn't as much whether to apply - this seems like a no-brainer. The concern is whether to mention that I'll be in town during my husband's campus visit if they'd like to interview me - could this in any way harm his chances?

If I don't, I'm afraid it will look quite random that I'm applying - it's a isolated rural area that I have no connections to and I live 2000 miles away. While this is the norm for an academic position (moving to a place w/ no connections), my understanding is it is less common for staff/administrative jobs.

[polly_mer]

If this is an extremely isolated rural area, then, sure, mention that you'll be in town and that you are applying as part of a two-body situation.  Based on my experience in isolated places, people are unlikely to discriminate against anyone, but do like the information upfront.