,
23 tweets,
5 min read
Read on Twitter
1. As a PI who LOVES to give advice I think the question that I get asked the most is one the goes something like “how do I choose & apply for a postdoc”. I have a set answer & I have seen parts of it many times on twitter, but I wanted to write a thread that collates my thoughts
2. The 1st question one has to decide on is whether one wants to do a postdoc. I always tell people that even if the answer is “maybe” it's probably a good idea to go check some labs out. At the very least it will clarify in your mind whether a postdoc is the right thing for you.
3. How to choose labs to apply to is the hardest part, there are so many places! I always ask people to start by thinking about geography. Narrowing it down to regions/countries/cities is a key step. You will spend 3-6 years of your life at this place.
4. For many people the postdoc years are an important life stage. If you are unhappy in a location your postdoc will not be a happy one. So if you are a big city person don’t do a post doc in a sleepy college town & if you like the outdoors choose a place that caters to that.
5. Think about things like cost of living, how far you want to be from your loved ones, the weather, do you need a car or can you bike, also if you are the kind of person who only cares about the science it’s totally fine to focus only on that.
6. OK so now we are ready to think about the science. Some people have pretty strong ideas about what they want to pursue but some people don’t. It is totally OK to be in either camp. Don’t feel like you need to know what you want to work on right away.
7. Some good places to get ideas about post docs: talks at meetings, papers you thought were cool, surfing websites at university departments, ads on twitter. One of the best ways is to ask people (especially PIs) for suggestions. PIs can have insider info about good labs.
8. My suggestion is to make a long list of 20 labs. That sounds like a lot, & it is, but this is a super important decision. If you put in the leg-work off the bat then no matter how things work out you will know that you did your best.
9. Amongst those 20 labs have at least a few labs that are in areas that are out of your comfort zone. You might be convinced that you want to go to a neurogenetics lab, but a visit to an amazing structural biology lab might blow your mind & set you on a different career path.
10. How many labs to visit? I recommend 5-10. This takes time & resources & might not be feasible for everyone. But that is a good goal to aim for if you DO have the time & resources. Remember if you write 10 PIs, maybe 5 will write back to you, so you need options B & C & D.
11. So how do you approach a PI? First of all start early, I recommend a year ahead if possible (if that’s not possible that’s ok too, you’ll make it work). A PI is more likely to write back if you met them at a meeting, so if you can introduce yourself ahead you should do that!
12. Letter to a prospective PI: “Dear Prof. __, my name is __, I am a student in __ lab at __. I am completing my PhD on (2-3 sentence describing your PhD work). I am currently looking for a lab to do my post doc. I am interested in your lab because (3-4 sentence explaining why)”
13. Your letter should include the following info: when you think you will be done your PhD, mention of first author publications published/in preparation, & a CV attached. Perhaps the most important part is the “why I am interested in your lab” section so really think about it!
14. Your initial email should not be long, most PIs hate long emails. Be succinct & clear. My advice, write your email & ask your PI or a PI you trust to take a look at it. If you dont hear back (PIs are busy & forgetful) send a reminder after 10 days. If still no reply, move on!
15. If PI responds positively, then you can move forward to the interview. Some labs schedule travel for in person interview right away. I usually do a skype interview & if it goes well set up skype interviews with members of the lab & only after schedule in person interview.
16. If at all possible visit the lab in person, but even if that's not possible you should follow the same routine (over skype). Meet with as many people in the lab as you can 1 on 1, & have specific questions, these questions should include things like:
17. What’s it like working for this PI? Do people get along in the lab? What happens if one’s project fails? Do people get to take projects when they leave? How are conflicts handled in the lab? Is the PI a macro or a micro manager? How available is the PI?
18. There is not a right or a wrong answer to some of these questions, it depends on your personality & needs. Also, listen to your gut feeling, if you don’t feel like you are getting along with the lab & the PI, you should probably not go there. Ideally you get the warm fuzzies!
19. One of the most important things to think about is whether lab (if around long enough) has a good training record. Do people publish (& how long does it take them)? Do they go to good place after? Don’t just look at the superstars, how well does the avg. lab member do?
20. When making the final decision It is important to think in a very honest way about yours goal for the postdoc & whether working in this specific lab will get you there. If you want to get a job in an Ivy league, a post doc in a small state school likely won’t get you there.
21. Conversely, if you want a job at a PUI, it might be hard to get the experience you need working in a big research institute. And also whatever your goals are, it is essential that the PI supports you 100% in attaining those goals.
22. Maybe the most important thing I tell people is that they are the one interviewing the PI. The most precious & valuable resource a lab has is the people who work there. A PI that isn’t ecstatic over a well-trained & motivated applicant is not someone you want to work for.
23. There are many many other tidbits I can list here & I am happy to follow up by answering any questions. Good luck!
