What do we mean by dual career?

Dual-career is a term used when the spouse or partner of a new hire or employee is interested in exploring opportunities for their own career development. For HERC’s purposes, at least one partner in a dual career couple works in higher education. Dual career support varies by institution and most institutions have guidelines regarding who may use their formal dual career services.

Why and how does HERC support dual career efforts?

HERC believes that supporting dual career couples is important to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. HERC assists dual career couples with our Dual Career Job Search tool, webinars, and articles. We encourage you to use HERC’s dual career resources in searches for academic and non-academic positions, as well as those looking for a job outside of higher education.

Prepare for your dual career job search

Here are a few steps to help you get started with your dual career search:

• 1. Learn the basics of the dual career search process and the services Dual Career Offices provide. (Read more: Making the Most of Dual Career Resources)
  2. Refine your resume, CV, and other application materials.
  3. Build your professional network, online and offline.
  4. Find jobs that meet both you and your partner’s job search criteria using HERC’s Dual Career Job Search tool. You can also select the distance between jobs.
  5. Create job alerts to help refine your search and identify opportunities once you create a free account.
  6. Learn about institutions with dual career campus programs so you can find which ones best support your unique situation.
  7. Prepare for the interview process.
  8. Assess your prospective institutions for work-life balance.

Start your dual career job search now