Here's another perspective from a physicist in one of the less popular sub-fields (IE not quantum computing, high energy, etc.). I am currently coming to the e

Here's another perspective from a physicist in one of the less popular sub-fields (IE not quantum computing, high energy, etc.). I am currently coming to the end of my PhD and want to end up in industry later. However, I am going to do a postdoc for at least a year for a few reasons. Firstly, it is with a scientist that I work well with and is doing work that I believe in. They are a great boss and I take time off when I need it and without guilt. Second, the location is right and in an area I want to live in and eventually find jobs in. Lastly, the postdoc pays like $80k with benefits; less than I could make in ad-tech, etc. However, it is a decent amount to live well in the location. I'm also doing work on problems I choose and without a need to justify them. It's amazing to me that I can earn money doing this type of work at all. Plus the postdoc is meant to be a job-hunting exercise. I basically am getting paid a salary to do interesting work and shop around for a job and live in the area I want a job in. It's a win-win. Even my most anti-academia friends in my PhD program are considering doing this for similar reasons. I guess I am posting this because going through PhD I only ever heard complaints come through about the system (a lot of them valid IMHO). However, now that I'm making the decision it seems like I have a lot of great opportunities. Not that my field doesn't have its problems, but I wonder if the severe ones are concentrated elsewhere. I suppose there's hope out there if you're in the right field.