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Job-Market Reporting Thread (2025-26)
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Informing committees of job offers

In our most recent "how can we help you?" thread, a reader writes in:

I've just been offered a VAP at Institution X, where a decision is expected of me within about two weeks. However, I recently interviewed for a VAP at Institution Y, where I was told that they'd make a decision in about a month. I strongly prefer the position at Institution Y. How do I diplomatically reach out to Y in a way that might speed up their timetable, but not in a way that seems pushy or likely to tell me to PFO?

Maybe I'm wrong, but this seems to me pretty straightforward. Just write a polite email informing the search chair you have a job offer (without mentioning who the offer is from), maybe mention that you are still very interested in their job, and ask them what the time-frame of their search looks like. At that point the ball is in their court. If they are seriously considering you as a candidate but don't want to lose you, then they will make something happen. If not, then not: they'll give you a polite PFO and that's that. I don't see any other real options here. Finally, for what it's worth, I suspect a search committee is less likely to speed up its timetable for a VAP position–simply because VAPs are temporary positions (whereas there is probably much greater incentive to hire the committee's top choice in a TT job).

But these are just my thoughts. What are yours, particularly those of you who have served on search committees or engaged in this kind of negotiating as a candidate?

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7 responses to “Informing committees of job offers”

  1. www

    I did something like this once. I didn’t get a pfo, but instead got a “that’s great, we’re happy for you!” in response. That seemed clear enough.

    Reply
  2. SLAC Associate

    Marcus’s advice is exactly right here. A simple e-mail to the chair of Y’s search saying, “I’m very interested in the position at Y, but I need to make a decision within the next two weeks about an offer at another institution,” will give Y’s committee everything they need to know. If you’re near the top of Y’s list, they’ll respond to that kind of message as promptly as they can. If they don’t respond promptly — or don’t respond at all — then that tells you what you need to know.

    Reply
  3. A Philosopher

    Anything more than Marcus’ suggested response feels like a futile game of trying to guess the idiosyncratic reactions of search committee members. Also, if they said a month, it seems reasonable to assume they are still interviewing people. So, unless you are clearly their top candidate by a wide margin, it’s hard to see them moving things along. I doubt a search committee would cancel an interview on someone.

    Reply
  4. Anon

    Is asking X for more time not an option? I know of some people who have taken more than 2 weeks to decide on an offer, and I think they got that timeline through negotiating.

    Reply
  5. Philosopher

    Certainly for tt jobs, it is not at all unheard of to ask X for more time & be granted it, but the greater the amount of time, the lower the odds of it being granted, of course.

    Reply
  6. anon pd

    slowing down the other search is much easier than speeding up the other search in my experience

    Reply
  7. Amanda

    I would follow Marcus’s advice. I do think for a visiting position in which they are still interviewing people it is not good odds they will give you an offer. But no harm in trying.
    Personally I think asking the place who gave you an offer for more time comes with risks. It’s a buyers market, they certainly don’t need you, and by asking for more time you are communicating you really aren’t sure about things. Anyway, whenever I’ve asked this I was denied. And that comes with a cost, as things can be more awkward between you and the institution.

    Reply

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