married couples and other questions about academic careers

Hello everyone
I'm a new member here, and I just finished submitting applications, CV's etc. for lecturships in the UK. My husband and I are both working at the same university here in New Mexico. At our university, when they hire a person in a faculty, research or professional position, they provide information and help to the spouse of the new hire to help them also find employment. One of the US schools where I'm applying to mentions doing the same thing in the job announcement.
However, my previous university has the opposite philosophy, and will not hire spouses. If two employees marry while working there, one of them must resign or be fired.
Is there a general policy in the UK, or does it also vary from university to university?

I was also reading through some of the previous threads (about finding work and US resume to UK CV issues) and I noticed that a few people were posting back in January that they were interviewing for teaching positions at universities? Anyone who has interviewed care to report back about how the interview went?

Thanks!

DH and I both work at the same university, and it's quite incestuous there -- two of my coworkers are married to university employees as well and everyone else is dating someone or related to someone at the school!    That said, though, some universities might have a policy against this....probably best to check before you make too many plans.

I'm not a lecturer, but am still considered academic faculty (technical trainer) -- the interview process was fairly simple.  I had to give a 30-minute presentation to a small group then had a 1 hour panel interview.

Interviewing is going to vary from Uni to Uni and also vary depending upon the dept you/your husband interviews in. I haven't encountered any Unis that don't allow husband/wife to work at the same place though they may not allow you in the same dept.

I've found that for serious posts as opposed to guest lecturing, you can expect to give some sort of lecture. You may also have a tour of the facilities where they will expect you to have questions (even though they won't tell you this!). I've also had multiple interviews with different panels. Most bizarrely, I had an 'interview day' where I spent most of the day with my competitors!!

Most bizarrely, I had an 'interview day' where I spent most of the day with my competitors!!

Yes!  That's something I never experienced until I started interviewing over here -- sooooo awkward!

Yes! That's something I never experienced until I started interviewing over here -- sooooo awkward!

Tell me about it.

The day is full of strained silences and awkward chit chat... Bah!

That's interesting about the interview day.
On the subject of interviews and academic work in general, does appropriate attire differ from the US (not that the US academic scene is very consistent)? Would it be odd for a female applicant to wear a pants-suit instead of a skirt to an interview? Do lecturer wear suits/dresses when teaching?

Well-cut trouser suits with heels are definitely the norm for women up here (Newcastle).  That's pretty much what I tend to wear daily.  I very rarely wear skirts myself (though I'm planning on buying some nice longer ones to wear with boots this fall/winter!).  I think overall people tend to either wear tailoring or "nice" clothes (i.e. appropriate for church or dinner at a nice restaurant).

That's interesting about the interview day.
On the subject of interviews and academic work in general, does appropriate attire differ from the US (not that the US academic scene is very consistent)? Would it be odd for a female applicant to wear a pants-suit instead of a skirt to an interview? Do lecturer wear suits/dresses when teaching?

I work at a large, very well known university in the UK, and lecturers wear almost anything (!) from formal to casual when lecturing. Plenty of female staff just wear t shirts and jeans.

That sounds like US universities. I've worked at three universities, one a major state university, one a rural 2-year university, and the one I'm currently at, a mining and technology institute. Faculty at the small two year school dressed fairly formally, while the other two schools are very casual.