A postdoc position is a critical step in the classical academic career path, and an effective job search requires significant time. Ideally, you should start planning 12-18 months in advance, with the exact timeline depending on the funding situation. To increase your chances of landing your desired postdoc position, we encourage to be proactive:

• identifying a research project that genuinely excites you, reflecting about which group leaders/lab environments you work best with, identifying the skills you want to develop, and choosing a location where you would be happy living.
• researching labs that are a good fit and subscribing to any relevant job mailing lists for your research field.
• identifying independent postdoctoral fellowships that you are eligible to apply for.
• reaching out to group leaders with unsolicited applications to explore opportunities to join their lab.
• applying to advertised positions.

See below for our slides, handouts, and resources to plan your postdoc job search. Good luck!

For group leader/Principal investigator (PI) positions, it is crucial to understand how the academic track varies across different countries and come up with a tailored strategy before applying. When to start applying for positions is a complex topic with many factors coming into play, including status of your postdoc work, career stage, track record of research outputs, future research plans, and field, among others. To facilitate your job search and the future application process, we encourage you to consider the following actions during your postdoc: 

• making a list of potential institutions where your research fits.
• building connections by attending conferences and joining scientific societies. 
• seeking advice from mentors and colleagues who have successfully navigated similar job searches.
• reaching out to group leaders at institutions or in countries of interest to learn about their work, potential job openings and the application process. 
• reflecting on how you want to be perceived in your scientific community and creating a personal website to communicate your scientific vision, research interests, and achievements. 
• considering social media presence to engage with scientific peers and enhance your visibility.

A non-academic job search involves more than just googling your preferred career area. To design an effective strategy, start by assessing the likelihood of finding your preferred position(s) in your chosen geographic location. If there are few roles available, decide whether to expand your search to other locations or different roles already, or when you might consider this option.

Different strategies have their own benefits and are effective for different types of roles. For example, applying to positions that are regularly advertised is straightforward, but highly competitive. In contrast, engaging with recruiters can open doors for positions requiring specialist, in-demand skills. Build an action plan and consider which of the following actions you should prioritize:

• identifying potential companies or organisations, and searching for biotech clusters and  science parks to find less visible companies. 
• signing up for job vacancy mailing lists.
• sending speculative applications.
• leveraging networking opportunities and attending career fairs and local career events.
• updating and consolidating your social media presence.
• letting recruiters know of your job preferences.

See below for our slides, handouts, and resources to plan your non-academic job search. Good luck!