tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8448663046375322498.post5754616067806849309..comments2023-10-23T08:56:50.127-06:00Comments on Angry by Choice: On Being a Post-DocThe Loraxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13361004494346338824noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8448663046375322498.post-45428692397753402932008-06-24T07:41:00.000-06:002008-06-24T07:41:00.000-06:00Well said DM (or do you prefer the more formal Dru...Well said DM (or do you prefer the more formal DrugMonkey?). Absolutely pubs are key, 0-1 pubs = no job regardless of career path. I didn't push the pubs aspect too much because I think the other areas I touched on need to be at least considered and these other areas are often overlooked.<BR/><BR/>Also, your career path can always change. Family issues can cause you to have a profound change in your outlook. As can research experience, the market, whatever. While I had the idea that I wanted to be a PI at an institution I could do at least close to cutting edge research, I will be the first to admit I really didnt know what the hell I was doing as I was leaving grad. school. I made some good decisions along the way, but I only know that because of where I am now, not because I had some advanced knowledge of the best path to a faculty position. But in general, if you place yourself well with one goal in mind, I expect you are even better at placing yourself if/when your goals change.<BR/><BR/>One thing I appreciate about your comment DM is it highlights the importance of getting a plethora of opinions/viewpoints when you are a graduate student/post-doc. While 98% of your time needs to be focused on your thesis/papers/etc, you should raise your head occasionally to see the larger world around you and think about how you'll fit in.The Loraxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13361004494346338824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8448663046375322498.post-88551246017489050362008-06-23T23:17:00.000-06:002008-06-23T23:17:00.000-06:00I disagree a bit with the contention that you shou...I disagree a bit with the contention that you should generate a firm idea of what your eventual job category will be. I, for one, would have answered "SLAC prof" in all likelihood prior to starting postdoc #1. I ended up in a soft-money NIH-funded research job category. My advice is to try to cover your basis with a recognition that no matter what, the research output is going to matter a LOT. So you should pick up a class here and there to support your teaching interest but don't forget to publish papers. <BR/><BR/>Now admittedly, if you go into some postdoc to work with high budget equipment, subject populations that require a big city for catchment, specific field circumstances (like, say, an ocean nearby), etc you are limiting your options. But within reason, it won't matter that much what you choose to work on as long as your pubs are great. <BR/><BR/>I'll endorse your point about thinking about your RealJob from day 1 as a postdoc. Critical and very much why I blog about careerism topics. The one caveat for the reader, however, is that you have to produce in your postdoc. Don't let the gaze over the horizon keep you from doing a great job as a postdoc. I've seen people totally crash and burn because they were so obsessed with the fact that the <EM>didn't</EM> have a faculty appointment already, that this seriously compromised their work as a postdoc.Drugmonkeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05414353815962084981noreply@blogger.com