Postdoc Q & A

If you’re a grad student thinking about doing a postdoc after you graduate but don’t know who or what to ask about it, look no further! SPSPotlight polled our very own postdoc community about the highlights and the nitty-gritty details they might not tell you in your grad program.

Each respondent answered 6 questions and they could write as much as they wanted to. For the sake of brevity, only half of the responses are included here. The second half will be out next month. Except for punctuation and slight grammar editing, their answers remain unchanged.

A special thank you to the incredibly thorough and thoughtful postdocs whose answers are presented here. You are the heroes that grad students deserve, and the ones we need.

Why did you decide to do a postdoc?

• I wanted to change subjects from what I studied in my PhD; only 4 first-author publications from high-impact journals are not enough to get assistant professorships these days.
• Faculty jobs often come with quite a heavy teaching load. A typical postdoc position would offer me more research time, which would enable me to improve my CV. This not only benefits the odds of getting a good faculty job afterward, but it is also important when being considered for grants. 
• Did not secure a tenure track position while on the job market.
• Cannot find a job

How did you hear about your postdoc position?

• SPSP jobs
• Word of mouth (answered by two respondents)
• Indeed.com
• It was offered to me
• My graduate advisor

What general suggestions do you have regarding the postdoc position search process?

• Start early. Know people and reach out to your network and ask if they (or anyone they know) might be looking for a postdoc - about half of postdoc positions are never formally advertised and don’t appear until you need one.
• If there is something particular you want to study, email people starting around August the year before you want the postdoc. Often times that is the earliest time in which PIs will know enough about their future funding to be able to tell you that they have the space and money to fund you. It is also early enough to give yourself time to apply for external funding with an academic (like an NSF grant or F32). Email too early and they may not know enough about whether they can take you on; email too late and you may miss your opportunity.
• Start your search very early and look for advertisements everywhere--email listservs, Twitter, word of mouth, etc.  I recommend contacting professors who you'd like to work with as well.
• Most of the postdoc hirings happen under the table through connections---I even assume the ones advertised. So it's an unfair game. No suggestions. It demands systematic work.

What are some red flags to watch out for during this process?

• Being hired to do a job, or having teaching responsibilities.
• Balance of work for the PI and your own work. You have to watch out for positions where they just want you to do their stuff and there is no time for you to do your own stuff.
• Look out for research assistant positions disguised as postdocs. Make sure your supervisors would be interested in supporting an early career award submission and will support your AUTHORING publications as first author where relevant. The postdoc is meant to be a training position NOT cheap labor. Speak to past postdocs or students in the lab you’re applying to.
• I would look out for a process that seems too easy. It can be flattering that someone is willing to hire you basically off the word of someone else. However, try to assess if they are desperate for a super-educated research assistant or are really interested in training you.

How is the postdoc search different from the academic faculty job search?

• Not sure (answered by 4 respondents)
• A postdoc is often hired on a specific project, while faculty are typically assumed to continue their own line of research. This also means that you should look for postdoc positions that interest you and that are in line with your skill set. Make sure to check with the PI if you can also still continue your own line of research if that is what you want.
• The postdoc search process moved much faster and the timing of the ads was more unpredictable.  Also, I was far more limited in my postdoc search (only applying for 5 positions) than I was in my faculty search (applying for 40+ positions). 
• A lot more under the table.

Any more advice or comments?

• I advise graduate students to consider postdocs outside of psychology if it would fit their interests (e.g., business, health, etc.).  My postdoc at a business school provides more opportunities for collaboration (it is not tied to a specific professor) as well as higher pay and a research budget that I can use for my own projects.  For many people, the enhanced flexibility that some postdocs offer might make a substantial difference to their research productivity.  Consider whether you can do your best work with more guidance and structure or whether you are looking for something with more creative freedom.  Then, find the position that suits your preferences best.  
• Use the postdoc position to develop yourself. Faculty often have little time and resources to go to workshops/courses/summer schools. Postdoc researchers are usually encouraged to take part in these and you should.
• Again, if you're not going to be a professor, so many better ways to use your research skills and be paid accordingly. When on an interview for a non-academic position they couldn't figure out why I would have done a postdoc if I didn't want to stay in academia. I am wondering too.

I hope this has been helpful! Learn more about picking and funding a postdoc.