6 ms·

Not sure it will help, but I had two three-year post-doc contracts. During the second I was doing external consultancy, and as my University contract was comin

Not sure it will help, but I had two three-year post-doc contracts. During the second I was doing external consultancy, and as my University contract was coming to an end, the company with whom I worked most closely offered me a job, which I took. After many mergers, split offs and other coporate movements, I (and some colleagues) did a management buyout, so now I (part) own the descendant. It's working well for me, but I think my position is a bit unusual. Still, if you want to get into the commercial world, see if you can do some external consultancy while still employed by the University. They will want a cut, but it will give you a taste of what's wanted, and what it's like.

crocowhile 17y ago
I cannot really do that because I've just finished my first postdoc. Despite scientifically it went extremely well, my contract got terminated pretty much the moment I told my advisor I wanted to look for a position as assistant professor (They don't like people moving on to become their competitors, I guess. Don't get me started with what are the things I hate about academia). I have been thinking of starting an internet business of mine in the past year but did not get far yet because I though it would feel more like a "plan B" than a genuine choice and I wanted first to make sure I'd do it with the highest motivation. Thanks for your view.
- hga 17y ago
  Hmmm; in the corporate world a position akin to a postdoc's would require no more than the standard two weeks notice. Given the nature of the work and the theory of collegiality I'd expect things to be different, but what would you say is expected from postdocs? I guess seeking the position of professor is not something you'd be able to keep secret, if for no other reason than that the hiring institution would expect to talk to your current adviser and so on. Maybe it's a good thing I got sidelined into a sordid life of programming ^_^. Good luck! Finances forced me to change careers after my freshman year in college, but that was at a time when programming and system administration work was very hot (1980) and I had the skills for the former and the foundation for the latter. Today, I don't recommend a career in these areas unless you have a calling, and it doesn't sound like that's the case for you.
  - crocowhile 17y ago
    Getting a job as professor can be difficult. There is a strong competition and it may take up to a year, sometimes more. Scientific etiquette usually says that your supervisor will support you during that time if they can, by allowing you to stay in the lab and keep doing research although at slower pace due to the traveling the job seek involves. In fact, advisors actually gain from postdocs finding good positions because it's the best publicity to attract good people in the future. One thing that I learnd from my time doing research is that science is not moving so fast and so well because of the people; au contraire! It's because of the scientific method. The Galileian method is the best thing man ever came out with. Take a bunch of jerks, make them work in (at least loose) accordance to scientific method and they'll do amazing stuff.
    - robg 17y ago
      Sounds like you had a bad experience. Unless you're completely fed up, I would try finding a lab doing stuff that truly inspires you. They are out there and with some folks pursuing ventures simultaneously - see folks like Ed Boyden and John Donoghue, for instance. If you can't find any research you still find exciting, then it may be time to cut the cord and flee the tower.
      - crocowhile 17y ago
        I did have bad experience(s) with people but it doesn't mean I don't love what I was doing. I am actually very good at my job and find excitement very easily. I am not keen at doing just another postdoc though, simply because I don't need it (unless I decide to switch field completely). There are certain things in academic science that I think simply don't work the way they should. I'd be very happy to try to change them but I am not willing to cope with them anymore. May I ask you what is your main job right now? Is it your startup? The lab? Or something else? I find your split position - academy and outer world - quite interesting. I'll send you an email in the next days, if you don't mind getting in touch.
        robg 17y ago
- lutorm 17y ago
  my contract got terminated pretty much the moment I told my advisor I wanted to look for a position as assistant professor That is outrageous. I've never heard a case of this happening, everyone I know has had supervisors that did their best to make their postdocs succeed. (It seems it's even in your self-interest as a faculty, since screwing up-and-coming people over isn't going to lead to many collaborative opportunities in the future.) Some people are just 1st class assholes, I guess, and you find them in all disciplines.

crocowhile 17y ago

I cannot really do that because I've just finished my first postdoc. Despite scientifically it went extremely well, my contract got terminated pretty much the moment I told my advisor I wanted to look for a position as assistant professor (They don't like people moving on to become their competitors, I guess. Don't get me started with what are the things I hate about academia). I have been thinking of starting an internet business of mine in the past year but did not get far yet because I though it would feel more like a "plan B" than a genuine choice and I wanted first to make sure I'd do it with the highest motivation. Thanks for your view.

hga 17y ago
Hmmm; in the corporate world a position akin to a postdoc's would require no more than the standard two weeks notice. Given the nature of the work and the theory of collegiality I'd expect things to be different, but what would you say is expected from postdocs? I guess seeking the position of professor is not something you'd be able to keep secret, if for no other reason than that the hiring institution would expect to talk to your current adviser and so on. Maybe it's a good thing I got sidelined into a sordid life of programming ^_^. Good luck! Finances forced me to change careers after my freshman year in college, but that was at a time when programming and system administration work was very hot (1980) and I had the skills for the former and the foundation for the latter. Today, I don't recommend a career in these areas unless you have a calling, and it doesn't sound like that's the case for you.
- crocowhile 17y ago
  Getting a job as professor can be difficult. There is a strong competition and it may take up to a year, sometimes more. Scientific etiquette usually says that your supervisor will support you during that time if they can, by allowing you to stay in the lab and keep doing research although at slower pace due to the traveling the job seek involves. In fact, advisors actually gain from postdocs finding good positions because it's the best publicity to attract good people in the future. One thing that I learnd from my time doing research is that science is not moving so fast and so well because of the people; au contraire! It's because of the scientific method. The Galileian method is the best thing man ever came out with. Take a bunch of jerks, make them work in (at least loose) accordance to scientific method and they'll do amazing stuff.
  - robg 17y ago
    Sounds like you had a bad experience. Unless you're completely fed up, I would try finding a lab doing stuff that truly inspires you. They are out there and with some folks pursuing ventures simultaneously - see folks like Ed Boyden and John Donoghue, for instance. If you can't find any research you still find exciting, then it may be time to cut the cord and flee the tower.
    - crocowhile 17y ago
      I did have bad experience(s) with people but it doesn't mean I don't love what I was doing. I am actually very good at my job and find excitement very easily. I am not keen at doing just another postdoc though, simply because I don't need it (unless I decide to switch field completely). There are certain things in academic science that I think simply don't work the way they should. I'd be very happy to try to change them but I am not willing to cope with them anymore. May I ask you what is your main job right now? Is it your startup? The lab? Or something else? I find your split position - academy and outer world - quite interesting. I'll send you an email in the next days, if you don't mind getting in touch.
      - robg 17y ago
lutorm 17y ago
my contract got terminated pretty much the moment I told my advisor I wanted to look for a position as assistant professor That is outrageous. I've never heard a case of this happening, everyone I know has had supervisors that did their best to make their postdocs succeed. (It seems it's even in your self-interest as a faculty, since screwing up-and-coming people over isn't going to lead to many collaborative opportunities in the future.) Some people are just 1st class assholes, I guess, and you find them in all disciplines.