[포닥 일기: 마인드 셋]

곧 포닥 신분으로 전환하여 연구를 지속하게 되었다. 그러던 와중, LINKED-IN에서 꼭 참고할 만한 글이 있어 가져왔다.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andrew-akbashev_phd-postdoc-job-activity-6878690564116647936-rrlU

 

마인드 셋을 점검해볼 수 있기를 기대한다.


Many Ph.D. students wonder if they should do a post-doc. Below are some key points to keep in mind before starting a post-doc.

 

The harsh reality of being a post-doc:

 

1. While "Ph. D. student" is an educational position, post-doc is contractual.

 - Your post-doc work will be defined by your contract and agreements with your advisor.

 

2. Usually, a contract is annually renewable.

 - It does NOT offer the same job security that Ph. D. students have.

 - Be prepared to start searching for a new position and leave anytime. LITERALLY prepared.

 

3. Post-doc inherently belongs to academia (with a few exceptions).

 - In general, companies will assume that you're already on the academic track and may not look at your job application that positively, especially if your post-doc is really long and in fundamental research.

 

4. If you're aiming for a faculty, your post-doc may require a lot more effort than you originally expected, making it the most intense time of your life.

 - Be prepared.

 

[1~4 코멘트]
일단 학생 신분을 벗어난 것이고, 박사학위만으로도 충분히(?) 취업을 할 수 있기 때문에 기업에서도 호의적이지 않을 수 있다는 사실을 파악하였다.

일단 학계에 발을 들인것으로 간주하고, 돈을 받는 것 만큼 성과를 내고 즉시 활용 가능한 노동력을 제공 해야 한다는 것을 명심하자.

 

Now, if you expect that a post-doc position will make you more competitive for senior academic positions, keep in mind the following:

 

1. Post-doc is not a must for a newly hired faculty. Some students secure professor positions close to the end of their Ph. D. (especially at the top universities in the U.S.).

 

2. Post-doc last 1-3 years. If you're a first-year post-doc while applying for faculty positions, the committees will still be OK with you showing your Ph. D. work during the interview. But starting from your 2nd year, you'll be expected to show your post-doc work as well.

 

3. Some committees may expect that a 3-year post-doc should complete as much work as a graduating Ph. D. student. It's like a second fast-track Ph.D.

 

4. Often (esp. in STEM), the average number of "post-doc papers" expected is 1 paper per 1 year unless the work is unusually complex.

 

5. Publishing a lot of papers is normally viewed negatively. Coauthoring dozens of publications within a few years will send a RED flag to the committee. Quality over quantity. ALWAYS.

 

6. Ideally, post-doc should be in a different field than your Ph. D. Switching fields is viewed positively and can be helpful in landing a faculty position. However, it is much more challenging (like getting a second Ph. D.) because your time is very limited but you must do outstanding research.

 

7. Doing a second post-doc is rarely helpful in landing a faculty position.

 

8. As the competition for faculty positions can easily reach over 1/300 and you have ~1 year before applying for positions, post-doc time often turns into a "research race". The worst part is that hard work does NOT necessarily lead to success.

 

9. If you want to be invited to faculty interviews, choosing the right lab and advisor is statistically MORE important than simply working hard and publishing papers during post-doc (at least, in the U.S.). However, it does NOT mean such a group will get you prepared for a faculty life and make you a great scientist!

 

[1~9 코멘트]

포닥으로써 지내면서 내야하는 최소한의 성과와 더불어, 포닥 연차에 따른 많은 사람들의 기대치, 그리고 여러가지 복합적인 요소를 고려해야 한다.

특히 세컨 포닥도 최악의 경우에는 고려해봐야하고, 학생때 보다 더 힘든(?) 삶을 각오하고 도전해봐야 할 것이다.

특히나, 외부의 운적인 요소도 있고 한국 임용의 정량실적 등을 함께 고려하였을 때, 내가 해야 되는 목표치를 설정해볼 수 있었다.




22년이 되면 본격적으로 다시 한번 해외 포닥 컨택을 진행해볼 예정이다. :)

 

끝.