Biophysical Society Bulletin | May 2023

Career Development

HowDoYouKnowYouNeedaSecondPostdoc? You are about to finish your first

experience in industry or academia after your first postdoc? Is spending another year as a postdoc that might involve moving worth the time invested? Tip #3: The position title can matter Some universities consider postdocs as staff and provide excellent benefits like health benefits and pension schemes. Some universities have a limit of five years past PhD for someone to be considered a postdoc. In that case, would you consider moving to your next postdoc position as a staff member or still with the same postdoc designation? Tip #4: Doing a second postdoc is not taboo For unfathomable reasons, doing a second postdoc is seen by some as a sign of not being able to get the dream job. However, this is far from the truth. Many individuals take a second postdoctoral research position because they want to do so and because there is a good reason behind it (i.e., doing a second postdoc will bring you closer to the next step in your career). Tip #5: Find your community and share your concerns Taking some time to achieve clarity regarding your decision about a second postdoc is always best. Make sure that you have mentors and that your family understand the tradeoffs of doing a second postdoc. Talk to your fellow postdocs and, most importantly, connect with those who are doing a second postdoc near you. If possible, give work presentations to your fellow postdocs and look at their responses. That can be a metric to judge yourself and decide if you are ready to apply to your dream job. Also, voice your concerns and options with your current postdoc supervisor, — Molly Cule

postdoc, which you thought was just the right gig needed to get to the next step in your career. However, there is a nagging feeling that the experience you wanted as a postdoc did not happen, or you were actually looking forward to a better learning experience. The end of funding for your current position might be looming soon, and you now must

make the decision whether to transition to the next step in your career or find another postdoc position. Deciding wheth er you need a second postdoctoral experience is not easy, even if it adds to your credentials as a researcher. Below are some tips for you to consider when making your decision. Tip #1: A postdoc position is not a safety net You should not consider doing a postdoc just because you did not find a suitable next position. In addition, doing a postdoc is not a backup plan in your career. You might even be suc cessful in moving toward a permanent position; by choosing a second postdoc instead, you risk foregoing potential employ ment income. Finding such a position that would help you move closer to your dream job is a much better choice than a second postdoc position. Always keep in mind that a postdoc position is a temporary stop-gap arrangement. Tip #2: Your time invested for a second postdoc should be worth its weight in gold This is a context-dependent question to answer. In some cases, a second postdoc can be warranted if certain skills and experiences, such as grant-writing experience, publica tion history (specifically, first-author papers), working as a team, and leading a project, have not been learned thus far in your scientific career. Would it be possible to get the same

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May 2023

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