The title could be slightly misleading, but this is not a demotivation post. This post highlights my journey into acquiring a postdoctoral position in Italy, which is a popular destination for most people planning to move to the EU for higher education and reputed for its research market! I will try to elaborate on my experience through this process (which was not an easy road for me) and how I pulled on this position. I will also try to highlight how many options I acquired at the final stage, why I chose this opportunity, and how many takes it required to get hold of even one!
And not to mention, do enjoy the amazing visuals I tag along :))
How many applications did I make?
From my previous blog, you are already aware of the timeline when I started applying for positions, but how many did I actually apply to? You may read it HERE in case you missed my previous blog!
I followed two approaches, where I started with sending emails to those professors whom I had met during international conferences and workshops to look for opportunities in their lab (and if they have a vacancy/upcoming project!). It is highly recommended that you look for conferences and other events internationally, keeping your future goals in mind (therefore, PLAN EARLY!).
Next, I started sending emails to other professors (and not applying to vacancies; I did not have much guidance). I was focused on this only after I did not receive any positive response from the previous step. These were cold emails with an attached CV (only). My target region was the EU, so I first listed the countries based on my priority, followed by universities and professors in my area for each! I had sent 97 cold emails and heard back from 25-27 of them. I am not sure if this number seems high or low for you, but it did take some good amount of time and effort. So, what about those who did not reply? Well, I considered it as a one-sided fanbase and moved on, thinking, maybe in another life ;) :P
Out of these 27 responses, some of them were polite enough to say NO, and a few redirected me to other potential professors in their circle (that was very kind of them, and I am grateful!). Almost 5 of them were retiring later that year; 3 of them were interested in recruiting me in the next cohort, while another 3 were willing to host me for postdoc fellowships. However, I could not wait for the next cohort and moved on to the next strategy!
You must be wondering how I have the exact numbers. In my opinion, it is always better to make an inventory of your listings and applications and update them from time to time as per progress. I was curious and wanted to record how many applications it will take for me to get a place where I want! Also, how would you know if I did not keep a record?? (Yes, definitely thank me for that ;))
I now started applying for postdoc and other research position openings through LinkedIn and researchGate, but mostly LinkedIn. I was not very happy with my previous progress and did not want to waste anymore time. The application process was tiring as I had to prepare each application package separately, which took more effort than the previous strategy. At this stage, I had applied for almost 49 openings within 8 months, and I had interviewed 7 of them! Well, before I tell you how many I got, let us learn more about these applications.
Since my target area was the EU, I started with applying there and followed with a few in Canada and the US (these were hardly 3 or 4).
How did I reach the interview stage?
Well, it is important to understand that when you start your PhD journey, you MUST ALWAYS choose the topic that addresses current issues (and has potential to build a project). Therefore, you must do a thorough background study! Once you have successfully completed that, it will be easier to find relevant openings. A cherry on the cake would be to learn and include methods and tools that have wider application and satisfy the market. Having done that, your CV reflects your abilities that match the job description better! My focus during applications was to highlight how my previous research experience, projects, approach, and tools align with the job description. How do I perfectly fit the role without saying that I perfectly fit the role? :P
I know that sounds crazy, right? But nobody wants to hear those words directly!
A short highlight of my preparation for the interview includes reading my own application thoroughly and trying to remember why I wrote every sentence. Reading the job description, about the department, about the professor, and about the project (if it is an ongoing project). I tried to do this analysis as much as possible to clarify my mind. I came up with possible questions for myself from the results of what I learnt about everything related to the opening and myself. Here, I would like to specify, please do not rely on ChatGPT to ask relevant questions. I have tried that a couple of times, and the questions it will frame for you are not going to be much helpful—they are mostly very generic; therefore, self-assessment is the best, in my opinion! If you would like me to talk more about the topic of "Preparing for Research Interviews," please let me know in the comments.
I had given interviews in Canada, the UK, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, and Cyprus. Most of these interviews ended on a positive note for me. I was nervous (yes) because I was representing my present lab and country for the next hiring! I felt the pressure of performing well, even if I did not get selected. The people in the international market are mostly respectful and unbiased, as per my opinion and experience. If they are selecting you for an interview, they are definitely serious about it, and it is not a formality. So, you must take it equally seriously, prepare well, and try your best (and leave the rest to your luck!).
How many did I finally succeed with?
After a long and tiring hard work, I finally managed to succeed with 4 positions located in Ireland, the UK, Canada, and Italy (I am not including the names of the universities). The Ireland success happened too early for me, and I was still in the final stages of my PhD, so I missed that one! The other 3 happened much later (literally after 6–8 months). But I had to choose one!
The UK position was short-term but came to me first. However, I was enthusiastic for a minimum 1-year commitment and landed on getting a successful position in Italy. And this is where I accepted. The Canada offer came much later, and I DID NOT want to overshadow the current commitment. Therefore, I decided to stick to my decision of moving to Italy! And here I am...
Why Italy?
My priority was based on working with positive people, with not only a suitable project but also righteous conduct as humans! You must be mature enough to categorise people on that note at this stage. It is important for working and building a long-term professional relationship with your collaborators. But, of course, everyone has a different priority. Therefore, I was enthusiastic about the Italian position (this definitely does not demean the others! everyone was good to me). My second priority was to be in a country that has more scope in my area of research, future alliances, and gives importance to Research and Development. And lastly, it was also based on my personal choice of remaining within the Schengen zone (of course, I was flexible to move to other locations, but this was a priority).
Closing Statement
Consistency is the key!
You can get there; you need the right guidance. You have to be self-motivated and believe in your potential. You must know the selling point (very important)! You must know exactly what you want and what your course of action is. Plan early and work accordingly!
Key note: You may also checkout my mentoring profile here on Uni-Bridge: https://uni-bridge.com/profile/3a01f79a-ea30-4594-91f9-0cddbb5306cb
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