PostDoc Discussion Forum

Hi All, I am currently a PhD student, in my final year and close to submitting (touch wood).  My mind has started to turn to working afterwards and I am really interested one idea. The concept is relatively new in my area research but I have searched the literature and found two people researching the same thing.  I would like to do a post doc in this area and was wondering how I go about it. Do you just approach a professor and ask for possible post doc positions? i.e. send an email and ask them straight up?  Or do you have to wait until you see a position advertised? Cheers, Potatoes

Thanks Mhk. I am currently in the UK and the two people I am thinking of contacting are in Hong Kong and USA. Its hard to meet them face to face. However, not impossible over the next 6 months. Should I post them a letter of intro and a resume?

Hi Potatoes, As Mhk mentioned, I think funding is usually the key issue. Maybe you are already doing this, but when you contact these people, I think you need to ask something like "I am interested in working with you on topic x, we could apply for [funding scheme xx], would you be willing to work with me to put in an application?" If you have a reasonably good CV, I would think you'd be taken seriously. But I wouldn't ask "do you have any post doc positions available", the answer is probably no, unless one is advertised, and you risk your email just being deleted. At least this would be the case in my field, can't speak for others though. Also I agree with Mhk on the connections- that helps a lot, especially if you could list one as a reference, or mention you have worked with them.

Also look into UK/EU funding that you could take with you. I know of someone who got a pretty good deal with some EU funding to do a postdoc abroad (Australia). Your current uni should have someone at the research funding office who can help point you in the right direction. Good luck!