Top Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for a Postdoc

Many students have written to me and have shared their concerns about not finding a postdoc after PhD, especially with the academic freeze these days, postdoc opportunities are even more limited!
So in this video, I want to share a few practical tips. And I want to show everyone that there are many aspects of the application process that you DO have some control!
Watch this video to avoid the most common mistakes that PhD students make when they are getting desperate in the application process. Learn how to avoid standing out in a bad way, how to target the right PI for the application, and how to create your own luck in the process!
Song Libraries Used:
Coffee Stains - Riot
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COME SAY HI TO VERA! Ask your PhD Questions!
Facebook Page: / phdcoffeetime
Send Tweets to Vera @verabschan: / verabschan
Instagram @phdcoffeetime

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Do you have tips on how to land a postdoc position? Share them with the PhDCoffeeTime audience!

[@arnoldsoh2335]

Thanks a lot! I just find this video right now while I need some advice for making a postdoc application in the next couple weeks. Very helpful!

[@muhammadqasimshehzad933]

@@arnoldsoh2335 Hi Arnold, did you apply for post doct?

[@danielstamatis8173]

Thanks for such an insightful talk. I will take it into account for sure.

[@m.aissah8723]

Great content and thank you for that useful information. I recently graduated from my PhD in the health sciences and considering searching for a postdoc soon or joining academia.

[@TheSyah87]

These are very good tips! Thank you so much for sharing :)

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Glad you like them! Please feel free to share with anyone who may need this.

[@parth3791]

This was very helpful advice...!! Thank you..!!

[@PZJBimha]

This is very helpful. Thank you.

[@OntologyofValue]

Very good episode! :) Asking for a Postdoc by email doesn't differ much from applying for a job by sending a motivational letter. Customization is everything - plus, of course, a succinct headline that well explains your intention.

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Absolutely!

[@Zozo1016haha]

Thank you very much! it's really helpful😆

[@ronron2312]

When I was a graduate student once you were told you had enough data for your thesis, they told us to step back from the bench to identify a potential postdoc lab. While it seemed a bit scary it turned out to be blessing. As I was transitioning from the bench to writing I had not only arraigned a postdoc, my NIH postdoctoral fellowship. As a result, I was able to focus all my energy into writing my thesis.

[@kakatsang7345]

Great video! I got shortlisted for a Zoom interview for a postdoc res position however never made the final cut. Trying again, on another 3 year project. Tho I am exhausted mentally and am so glad you mentioned alternative research careers. Hope to find out more!

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

A "No" is simply "Not Now" and "Not Here". Keep putting yourself out there and cultivate the professional relationship with the PI, and don't take rejections personally! If you ever want to become medical writer, I am happy to share my experience and connect on Linkedin :)

[@Sajidlone1506]

Thanks for the tips !!!

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

I am glad you enjoy my tips! Please feel free to share with anyone who may need this.

[@apoorvachawla5015]

Thank you so much for such an insightful video. Much needed :). I have submitted my thesis and want to apply for a postdoc.

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Congratulations with submitting thesis. All the best with postdoc search!

Great tips Vera! :D

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Glad you find them helpful, David.

[@llbrunollllbll9347]

Great, thank you!

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

You're welcome! Please share with anyone who might need this.

[@abdel-haibenali4159]

Thank you! useful tips

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Glad this was helpful. Are you applying for postdoc? Feel free to leave more questions I will share my experience where applicable :)

[@m.toyaburrahman6623]

Thank you for your insightful video...

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mdabutaher9097]

Worth Watching. Thanks

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Please share this with anyone who might benefit from this! Thanks for watching.

[@anastasiapopelnukha2333]

thanks for sharing

[@ePlantHealth]

Nice Thanks!

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Glad you like it!

[@alexandersergeyev9151]

Great explanation! Thank you so much!

[@amkalkhamka1719]

Thank you🌸

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Amka, you are so welcome!

[@victorwong7220]

Great video! Thanks. Quick question: @7:05 you mentioned about papers published and scholarship. Does it matter whether if you were the primary author vs. coauthor or simply just published articles in a reputable journal?

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Hi Victor, for academic CV, it's usually expected to put every paper, and underline your name. I would also highlight the papers that I served a mentoring role for junior students. I have discussed more details in this video on academic CV: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIC6lYalZa2rn68

[@zhiyixiong]

Hi Vera, thank you so much for your informative video; it's really helpful. I have one question: Can I contact a PI who has not posted a postdoc position and ask them if they are interested in hiring one, or should I just email those who have posted postdoc positions on websites like LinkedIn?

[@bio-capsule5885]

Thank you for you this helpful video, I am a fresh Ph.D. graduate and searching for a postdoc position. Your videos are really inspiring, please keep going

[@natarajansubramani7271]

I am also travelling on the same boat bro... Searching........... 😄

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

All the best with both of your search! Start with a strong academic CV, I think this video will help you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIC6lYalZa2rn68

[@natarajansubramani7271]

@@PhDCoffeeTime Surely... Its helps a lot... ❤️❤️

[@valsammaabraham2389]

Very good ☺️🙂

[@drolugbengaadetitunTV]

How do you combine academia, research and KZbin channel?

[@drolugbengaadetitunTV]

Thiis is very helpful. I applied for jsps early this year but no response yet. The results was supposed to Beloit by August. What can I do?

[@jebunnesajeba4658]

Could you share a good example of how to approach PI to ask any possibility of starting a post doc in his/ her lab?

[@warsidisyam2485]

Hi PhDCoffeeTime, your experiences are really amazing. I am personally really interested to follow your records. I am now a fresh PhD graduate in linguistics, focusing on genre studies (corpus linguistics, corpus analysis, etc). Since my observation, I only found a few topics in this area for postdoct. Could you suggest me, regarding your experiences, how to find postdoctoral position in our field?

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Hi Warsidi, since I am from life science background, I cannot extrapolate too much (linguistics!). HOWEVER, please check out his video on Research Rabbit, I have spoken in greater depth how you can identify potential PIs (kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaalmJ1pq7psmsk). Start with a few relevant papers from your research, and you will identify the "Key Opinion Leaders" in your field. I would first pay close attention to their research, set up alert when their new work comes out, and plan to email these professors closer to your last year of PhD. If resources allow, try attending events/conference that help you connect with these KOLs early in your PhD. All the best with your PhD and postdoc application!

[@prasad10sunku]

What should be the subject of the postdoc email?

[@farishakim6759]

Hi, just wondering, is there any postdoc for Quality/Manufacturing Engineering?

[@SandhyaMohan16]

Dear mam , how can i get selected by professor at Boston university mam , i have donre phd in 2021

[@SuperMeiMei]

There is a position at Harvard that I want to apply for, but it specifically says applicants don't need to contact any faculty before or during the application~ I was wondering if I should still email faculty? Thx!

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

I think Harvard is on another league! I personally have met a faculty who said that Harvard doesn't care who you know, but what you can do as a candidate, I guess being the big name University they need to be very careful with conflicts of interest. However, if I were in your shoes, I would still be writing to a postdoc (to show that you have paid attention and have respected the rule) at Harvard and ask for an informational interview, they might have other best practice to share. All the best with your application, feel free to share more personal updates via [e-mail]

[@theserioustech]

Searching post doc in 3D bioprinting, biomaterials and tissue engineering gettjng few acceptance letters but no NIH funding. What to do?

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Hi Suipto, Thank you for your question. I hope you have some time to keep searching before you graduate? Here is what I would do! 1. Sign up for email alerts with Nature Careers (for general search) www.nature.com/naturecareers/jobs/science-jobs 2. Write to the PI who has given you the offer: - tell them you are happy to write a grant to fund your research (NIH, NSF, and many other agencies). - ask if they would suggest other funding agencies which should apply to beside NIH. (In fact my Postdoc position in the US was funded by the US Navy, and I studied marine science!) - ask if they have other collaborators in similar research niche who are currently seeking postdocs 3. Keep networking with PIs and try to sign up for online events (webinars, workshops, conferences) in your field. You may just need to speak with the right person. 4. Remember, a "no" is simply a "not now" and a "not here", keep trying and don't get too disappointed as academia is suffering a lot of buget cut these days! Good luck with your search. Keep me posted on how it goes! Vera

[@theserioustech]

Thank you for the information. Can I have your mail? If u don't mind. If you could guide me regarding to post doc applications I sill be highly grateful to you. Regards, S.D.

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

@@theserioustech Yes, you can feel free to email [e-mail] (I check once a week usually during the weekend, but I do read every mail I receive!)

[@jithujoseph1102]

Madam, Please do a video about funded phd positions ?

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Noted. Thanks for this video idea!

[@anuragchakraborty8766]

Hi hope you're doing well. Do you have any example of a good cover letter for a Postdoc position?

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Good point, I will note for future video idea. Meanwhile, I hope you have already seen this one about preparing a CV for Postdoc Application!

[@ahmedtanbury7640]

Unfortunately, I do not have the freedom to be a first author... If I have five publications in good journals as a co author, do I have any chances of getting a post-doctoral position? Thanks a lot

[@user-lo3bt3wf7u]

is it possible to have bad phd and get post doc easily?

[@riyaann370]

Hai. Will there be any preference based on where we did our phd? Or is it accordingy to our interest and ability

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

The PhD background is a complex set of qualification (research project, PI connection, publications, grant and awards, language and culture...etc) I think it all add to your application. So, do your research and know the PI, and see if they have a preference on certain type of PhD background! Informational interview is key!

[@dzsamir6689]

I am studying for a PhD in architecture What is the best destination in American universities for post-doctoral research?

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

I am from life sicence background, but for looking up Key Opinion Leader. I have shared more on how you could perform a visualizatino on Research Rabbit here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaalmJ1pq7psmsk Good luck with your search!

[@barlarajkumar4773]

Ma'am, what should be the subject line for a possible postdoc email to a professor

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Good question! It will depend whether you have met the professor in person. If I have met the professor at a conference, the subject line could be [ABCD symposium followup]. If the professor is a complete stranger, try to get in touch with a mutual connection! The email is more likely to be opened and read positively. In case you are applying in responding to a Postdoc Job ad, try to use the keyword as in the ads! For example, when I applyed for my postdoc, I wrote "XYZ Post-doc Position Inquiry" where XYZ was the project accrynm that is easily relatable to the PI (should be clear in the ads). In case you are just networking for potential postdoc, without any job ads, I would try "Postdoc Proposal on Topic X" and you must be sure that "Topic X" is a strong keyword that is suitable for the research background of that professor!

[@barlarajkumar4773]

@@PhDCoffeeTime Thank you so much for your kind and very informative reply, Ma'am.

[@akankshajoshi2081]

Can you suggest me what to include in 5 minute presentation with maximum 3 slides for postdoc interview?

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Slide 1 - your PhD background and key achievement in an eye catching figure/illustration (if you study abroad, consider showing a World Map) Slide 2 - proposed work in postdoc (bridging your background, your PI's expertise, and your future plan) Slide 3 - what you want to focus on as faculty after postdoc (this should be distinctive from your postdoc PI, to avoid direct competition)

[@akankshajoshi2081]

@@PhDCoffeeTime thank you so much..now I am very much clear about my presentation.

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

@@akankshajoshi2081 Let me know how it goes! Avoid putting too many words in the ppt. (See more presentation tips here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j57WlaaKe9Rnfrs)

[@akankshajoshi2081]

@@PhDCoffeeTime yeah sure 😀

[@soniya232]

Can you help me by telling about the possibilities and difficulties for a female postdoc with a baby abroad

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

It really depends on the countries and the maternity leave policies. For example, in Norway you can take 1 year of maternity leave and in France you can take 4 months. In the US, I have heard horror story that the PI would ask the student to keep 60h week on their third trimester. So, it is a conversation you must have with the future PI, and be unapologetic about your need. Also, educate yourself with household benefit you can get as a family with "low income" many PhD/postdoc I have met are classified as "low income" in France and receive housing benefit. Best to have informational interviews with the postdocs in that country!

[@soniya232]

@@PhDCoffeeTime thanks a lot..your response is of great help..

[@chippymmanu44]

Can I do post doc in any countries like uk, Canada, usa, Australia with electronics and communication engineering...I need a direction... Please give reply to this

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Yes, I believe a PhD degree opens the doors to many countries! Always start with researching the best PI, instead of simply chasing a famous University/ country. Check out his video on Research Rabbit, I have spoken in greater depth about how you can identify potential PIs (kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaalmJ1pq7psmsk).

[@chippymmanu44]

@@PhDCoffeeTime I need to know how to find a PI

[@abdekmabdi2204]

Hi, Postdoc is a graduate diploma? Thank you

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Hi Abdi, no Postdoc does not come with a diploma, it is technially a "job" (with retirement, health insurance, annual holidays) that is specifically for a research topic. It's called a "Post" Doc because it requires PhD, and it was a position that meant to help PhD graduate to gain additional training before they become a Academic Professor. Nowadays, even with a Postdoc it is still very competitive to land a professor role. Are you currently in a PhD?

[@abdekmabdi2204]

@@PhDCoffeeTime Yes, i am currently in Japan for a PhD program in environment. I would like to become a professor, but as you may know the french education system have the HDR level (in english," hability to conduct a research"), is it the same with Postdoc? Because, if you wish to become a professor in french education system like my country, you will need a HDR level (it is like a diploma and a dissertation is requiered).

[@seeking_life3747]

Mam..can I write a mail for Post-doc to Professors working together...in same lab or closely?

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Could you clarify your question? Do you mean applying to a professor next door to your current lab in PhD? It really depends on the project, and whether it would later be seen on your CV as "convenient option" versus it makes sense scientifically. In academia, a change of country is perceived a "better for the CV" (regardless this is right or not! That's the normal perception)

[@seeking_life3747]

@@PhDCoffeeTime ...if I want to apply in a institute with few Professors work closely or in same lab...can I write mail to all the Professors simultaneously for post doc opportunity?

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

@@seeking_life3747 I would send the emails individually and only if you get to interview stage mention that you are open to get co-supervision with the other PIs. You never really know if they work closely or not until you speak with them, so I would be more diplomatic.

[@seeking_life3747]

@@PhDCoffeeTime ..ok thanks... However I thought who-so-ever is having vacant position...would reply..

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

@@seeking_life3747 Do keep in mind that academic jealousy exist, I would personally develop contact 1:1, the dynamic is simpler to navigate. Good luck with your search!

[@SandhyaMohan16]

Hello madam its very informative and veruy much apt :) i have been sending mails to various university professors and Asking for a Postdoc by email but failed to recieve any response can you plz suggest me mam

[@argolo7236]

great video, and you are so beautiful.

[@the_man_who_germany5424]

having 3 postdocs isnt a qualification ... just shows that you cannot reach the next step

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Ouch!!! Yes, you are absolutely right, if the "default" next step is professor. I have certainly failed badly. Thanks for pointing that out, I think we all can easily fall into this limiting mindset being tunnel-visioned in academia for too long. I did really enjoy my postdoc as a science training, and it has helped me in my current non-academic role as medical writer. I am more proficient than my peers in term of reading and writing efficiently. Having lived in different cultures also made me a great colleague that can work well with people from all kind of background. Life is not always a straight line, and the dots only line up when we look back. What matters is that we truly put our best self into each step, enjoy the process without being overly obsessed about the outcomes.

[@apoorvachawla5015]

@@PhDCoffeeTime Absolutely right! It is the journey that gives u happiness, not the outcomes. And everything in life happens for a reason. You are finally pursuing your passion as a medical writer. More power to you girl 😀

[@watchmanling]

Make sure you are black phd. You are guaranteed any type of position.

[@ABitofEverythingCounts]

Great Channel, why not new videos?

[@PhDCoffeeTime]

Thank you for your support, I am working on new content but it is happening very slowly. Meanwhile, I hope my older videos are helpful in some way!