Webinar Summary and Recording
jobs.ac.uk is excited to bring you a webinar on ‘How to Secure Your First Postdoc Role’. Hosted by Katie Hoare, a postgraduate research careers and employability skills specialist. She is ready to bring her extensive knowledge of the sector to help you start your Postdoc career!
During this interactive webinar, Katie explores practical strategies to help you approach your postdoctoral search with confidence and develop a clear plan for your next career move.
What is a Postdoc?
A postdoc is a fixed-term research position that’s advertised as part of an already funded project.
A senior researcher or academic has been granted funding for a specific project and they need a team to work on the project with them, a postdoc being one of those team members.
A postdoc can be at an associate level or at a fellow level. For your first postdoc, you will likely be applying for an associate position.
Why do a Postdoc
There are two main reasons for completing a postdoc.
- You enjoy carrying out research and you want to broaden your experience and skills.
- It’s what you see as a logical next step, and you want to pursue an academic career.
Katie highlights that if you don’t connect with either reason, then you may want to reconsider if a postdoc is right for you.
How to Find a Postdoc
Use a specialised job site like jobs.ac.uk.
On jobs.ac.uk, you can use the filtered search to find postdocs in your specific field and desired institution and area. You can also set up a job alert to be sent relevant positions straight to your inbox.
Networking is also a key way to find a postdoc role. Your PhD supervisor will know about schemes available in your specific field.
Tell your peers and colleagues about your research interests, so if they come across something suitable, they can let you know about it.
Networking at conferences can help you identify institutions or departments you wish to work for.
Katie also highlights looking outside of the UK, if that is a possibility for you. A significant percentage of UK PhD students go on to do postdocs internationally.
Postdoc Tasks
The main part of the role is to develop and conduct first-class, publication-quality research.
Some other responsibilities might include:
- Sourcing and contributing to grant proposals
- Preparing articles for publication
- Presenting data at meetings (internally and externally)
- Presenting research at conferences
- Mentoring or teaching graduate students
It is important to look at the job description to see what exactly they are looking for; not all postdocs have the same tasks or responsibilities.
Your Postdoc Action Plan
Katie advises being strategic when planning on applying for a postdoc role and creating an ‘action plan’ with the specific skills and experiences that are valuable to a postdoc position.
1. Publications
These don’t have to be top-level journal articles, but just having the experience of submitting a piece, whether an article, book review, opinion piece, etc., shows you have been through the steps of writing a publication and working with a journal to get it published.
Postdoc roles are not looking that you already have top level publications but that you have the potential to do them in the future.
Further, consider where you will publish your PhD thesis.
2. Grants
Showing that you have applied for and successfully attained grants is a valuable experience.
For example, your university or funder may offer small grants to attend conferences during you PhD.
Going through this process demonstrates that you understand the requirements, can develop a competitive application, and, where applicable, present your proposal to a panel.
3. Conferences
Attending conferences is a great way to network and make yourself known in the field.
Presenting at conferences is a great way to show your presentation and communication skills.
4. Networking
As said, attending conferences is a great way to network.
Within your university, consider whether people know what you are working on, why you are working on it and where your research interests lie.
This can be in your team, department and across the university.
Are you part of any societies or committees where you could make your research interests known?
Consider any poster competitions or 3-minute thesis you could take part it. These are great ways to build your reputation.
5. Job alerts
Signing up to job alerts is a great way to keep an eye out for new roles.
jobs.ac.uk has a Jobs by Email service where you can have up to 5 alerts for different areas or fields of expertise sent to your inbox with the latest roles on the site.
6. Job description review
Katie suggests going through job descriptions for roles you are interested in and score yourself against the criteria.
If there are experiences or skills you are missing or need to bolster, then add them to your action plan.
Postdoc CV Tips
Tailor your CV
Postdocs are very specific roles; you need to tailor your CV to each application.
State in your application why you want to work on this specific postdoc in this specific institution, department or field.
Transferable and relatable skills
You need to focus on the skills directly relevant to the postdoc. Consider what you will bring to this postdoc and how the project will benefit from your expertise.
State this explicitly in your CV.
Use the terminology from the job description. If there is specific software, research methodologies or data protocols they are looking for and you have experience in, write it clearly so the recruiter can check it against the criteria easily.
If you are looking for a postdoc outside your current field, then transferable skills are key.
It can be valuable to bring a different perspective and experiences to a postdoc. You need to be explicit in your application about why you want this role and what you bring to the position.
Shortlisting
The way shortlisting works is the recruitment panel has a scoring sheet of criteria that they mark each application against.
As said, using the terminology from the job description helps the recruiter see your suitability easily and allows them to score you highly.
Arrange your CV strategically and put the most relevant information first. For example, if it is a research-focused role, don’t put your teaching experience first.
If you have put the key information too far down your CV or not stated it explicitly, you make it harder for the recruiter to score you favourably.
Submission deadline
Katie gives the advice of try to submit your application at least 48 hours before the deadline.
In general, applications are reviewed in the order they were submitted. With the first applications are at the top, and the most recent are at the bottom.
This is why applying early can be helpful.
Recruiters may have hundreds of applications to review, so being earlier in the process can mean your application is seen when they are fresh and actively looking for strong candidates.
Contact the hiring manager
Katie recommends contacting the hiring manager for every application. There are a few reasons for this.
Firstly, job descriptions are standardised within institutions. Recruiters may have pre-written criteria to select from for the job description. It can be useful to meet with the hiring manager to discuss the role in more detail and confirm that your understanding of the role’s duties and the skills and experiences needed is what they are looking for.
Secondly, it shows you are passionate about the role and area of research. As the lead researcher, the hiring manager wants someone to join their team who is equally passionate about the research and is the right fit for the project. This will also make you memorable as they are reviewing applications.
Thirdly, it is a great way to find out more about the role and see if it would be a good fit for you. If so, you can show how you would be a great fit for the role through your questions, as you can apply what you learnt to your application.
Ensure you contact them in good time before the application is due, so you have time to meet with them and adjust your application based on that conversation.
Katie has a full guide with CV advice for PhD graduates.
Interview Tips
Research the job description
It has likely been a few weeks since you submitted your application that you’re being invited to interview.
Therefore, it is vital to review the job description and your application.
Ensure you understand what they are looking for and know the examples that meet these criteria.
It is okay to repeat the examples you used in your application; expand on them in the interview.
Research the department
Research why they got the funding, the stakeholders, where the project sits within the department and the department in the institution, and whether it fits into a wider institutional strategy. There are many elements to consider.
Research the panel
You will likely be told who your interview panel is. Research them on the institution site, their research profile, if they have a LinkedIn.
See if they have any recent publications that are relevant; you may have cited them in your own research. It is good to have an awareness of their work as you go to interview, as if you can work your knowledge into the conversation, it looks favourable on you.
Practice
Review the job description and turn the key criteria into questions.
The first question at any interview will be a form of ‘why do you want this role’.
In your answer include your motivation for the role, what you can bring to the position with your skills and experience and how this role fits into your career goals.
Practise your answers out loud. If you have a friend you can practice with, or a career service in your university. If you have already graduated, there is often alumni career support.
Have questions prepared for the interview panel
Avoid anything you could have discovered easily by searching their website, and don’t ask anything they have already answered.
You could ask questions that show your interest and passion for the project. You could ask about your development as a researcher, if there is training available. Or, going back to researching the panel, you could ask about specific research one of them has done.
Katie’s final tip for interviews is to remember that you are good enough to get the job if you have been asked to interview. Try to keep this in mind and be confident in your abilities.
The point of the interview is to see if you’re the right fit for them and their department. You’ve already shown that you meet the criteria for the role, so now it’s about demonstrating that you understand what’s required and have the skills and experience to do it.
Q&A
Do I need teaching experience for a postdoc role or publications?
Not necessarily. If the job description mentions teaching or mentoring duties, then it would be valuable to have teaching experience. The focus for postdocs is more on publications.
Do I need to apply to positions only closely matching my area of PhD research?
No. Being interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary can be seen as a favourable experience. You just need to ensure in your application that you show your passion for this new area and why you are the right person for the role even though your PhD was in a different field.
How many Q1 or Q2 publications are necessary to secure a postdoc role?
There is not a set number. Postdoc roles are looking to see if you have the potential to write high-quality publications, not that you have them already. If you have already completed your PhD, then getting your thesis published will be valuable to your application.
How is a postdoc different to a normal work application?
In many ways it is very similar. However, postdocs are specific, fixed-term roles which should be reflected in your application.
Is there any disadvantage of not securing a postdoc before entering a full-time academic career?
No. One role is not better than the other when starting an academic career.
Is it advisable to reach out to the hiring manager over e-mail after submitting the application?
Yes. As well as reaching out to them beforehand, it is good to follow up after submitting. For example, you could thank them for meeting with you/discussing the role and let them know you have submitted and you are looking forward to hearing from them.
How do you recommend getting a postdoc when you’re no longer attached to a university?
Not being part of the university shouldn’t be an issue when looking for a postdoc role. Search on specialist job sites like jobs.ac.uk. Use networking to find opportunities. Hopefully you are still in touch with your supervisor and PhD peers.
If there are skills and experience that I’m missing, how do I mitigate this when it comes to interview?
You are unlikely to get an interview if you are missing key skills and experiences. If you don’t meet the essential criteria, you won’t be shortlisted. You need to find ways to get those skills and experiences.
What do you think are the biggest challenges for international candidates and how should we approach them?
There is a lot of international mobility in academia. As long as you can show your transferable skills, your international status can be a strength, as you have a different perspective and experience you can bring to the role.
Can I apply for a postdoc now? I’m in the last year of my PhD.
Yes. A lot of applications state whether they accept applications from candidates. They may also state a specific timeframe for when you need to have graduated by.
Who can serve as your referees?
Typically, you need to provide 2-3 references. This can be your supervisor; if you have completed your PhD, then you can include your external examiners. Whoever you put down, make sure you ask their permission first and let them know the specifics of the role so they can tailor their reference.
I’m interested in the etiquette/accepted procedure of emailing potential supervisors you do not know to inquire about potential post-doc positions
This is definitely an accepted job seeking approach and could be seen as a form of networking. The etiquette for writing a speculative email would be to be polite, concise and specific. Specify why you are contacting them, i.e. reference their current research, publications, specialisms etc and why you want to learn from them in particular. Briefly explain your qualifications, skills and experience and attach your tailored CV.
What’s the difference between a postdoc fellow and postdoc scientist?
A postdoc scientist is the same as a postdoc researcher, but there may be subject specific requirements. (A postdoc can be at associate or fellow level).
If you receive more than one postdoc offers aligned to your interest – which could be the top 5 criteria to decide on the final position?
1. Which postdoc aligns more closely with your future research goals.
2. Which postdoc offers you the most development opportunities i.e. new equipment, techniques, training etc.
3. Following the interview, which research team felt like the best fit for you.
4. Which research project excites you the most.
5. Which postdoc location is better for you.
Why undertake a postdoc role rather than apply for postdoc fellowship funding?
Both routes are a good next step for an early career researcher. There are more postdoc roles available than postdoc fellowship funding, so it is easier, although still not easy, to secure a postdoc role. To win fellowship funding you need an attractive and persuasive research proposal, but most importantly you need to demonstrate your abilities and previous successes as a researcher. Many fellowship schemes require applicants to have postdoc experience, so ensure you read the application guidance carefully.
Should your academic CV be limited to two pages or should it be as long as needed to include all your publications, conference papers delivered and undergraduate modules taught etc.?
There is no page limit for an academic CV. They can run very long, especially for established academics. However, you should not expect the shortlisters to trawl through pages of information to find the relevant experience, you should either cut it down to only include the most relevant and impressive information, or ensure you highlight the specific publications, conference papers, modules etc which are relevant to the role you are applying for.
I have been told by an academic who has been on UK selection committees that, in a cover letter, it is a very good idea to signpost specific selection/job description criteria, to the point of using subheadings etc. to guide the reviewers (almost similar to a CV). That directly speaks to being explicit and clear about your fit with the department. Would you confirm that point of view/ practice?
Yes, this is definitely a recommended practice.
Can one list or talk about one’s experience and skills related to jobs outside of academia if they are somehow relevant to the academic role you are applying for (e.g. practical political experience if the role is in International Relations/Political Science)?
Yes absolutely. As long as you make the relevance clear and specify how that experience/skill/knowledge would help you in the academic role you are applying for.
I want to move into a slightly adjacent area that I do have quite a lot of transferable skills in, and/or learn new techniques, but in my experience, hiring panels will only take people who are already working in that exact area, and already know every technique in that group. Do you have any tips on how to get over this barrier?
I know ECRs who have successfully transitioned into an adjacent and even completely different subject area in their postdoc. It is definitely possible, but you are, of course, competing against researchers with more relevant experience. However, it is your difference that can be the strength and attraction for the recruiter. You need to be very clear about why you want to make this transition, what excites you about the project, and what you will bring to the role that makes you an excellent addition to the team. What skills, experience and knowledge will you bring that will complement, not just replicate, other researchers on the project.
Use of AI in writing CVs, job applications etc.
Whilst people are using AI to write whole job applications, this is not advisable, as the recruiters want to hear about you from you. You need to be honest and authentic in your application and if you overuse AI, you risk sounding generic and uninteresting. However, AI can be a useful tool for offering feedback and suggestions on an already written application. For example, it may suggest a structure or layout to better frame your writing, or offer alternative words or phrasing to make your point clearer. When deciding on your use of AI, a helpful question to consider is, if asked at the interview whether you used AI in your application, would you be comfortable telling them how and where you used it? Most employers publish their AI usage guidance, it could be useful to check this prior to writing your application.
Meet the Host
Katie Hoare
Katie Hoare is a freelance careers and employability skills specialist for postgraduate and early career researchers. Through her innovative and engaging training programmes and bespoke online resources, she empowers researchers to make their next career move. She is a Senior Fellow of Advance HE (SFHEA) and has previously worked at the University of Birmingham and the University of Exeter.
I am interested in the webinar pls
Hello, I am trying to register for the How to Secure Your First Postdoc Role webinar but there is a technical error, can you advise please?
Hi Benjamin, please email help@jobs.ac.uk; they will be happy to assist you in registering for the webinar.