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[u_got_that]

Hey guys,

I am a 5th year PhD student (in science field) and I am currently writing my thesis and projected graduation date is May 09!
I have two publications already (one as 1st author and the other one as 4th author), both are published in solid peer-reviewed journals.  I also have two more manuscripts (I am the 1st author on both papers) awaiting to be published, they are submitted and we are waiting for reviewers' comments.
Now, my question is - I have a dilemma.  In my head, I think that I should wait for at least one of my other papers to be published because then I will have two journals with my name as 1st author. The reasoning behind this is because I really think that my postdoctoral application will be that much strong with another paper published (or at least accepted) on my CV.  BUT, with the economy is as bad as it is, should I worry and change my strategy here and start applying for a postdoctoral fellowship asap?
I don't want to just apply for any position, in fact the postdoctoral fellowships that I've been eyeing are pretty prestigious - meaning there'll be a lot of competitions - and meaning there'll be people with many publications as well.  I guess, I just want to get some advice and feedback from you all ... I am just confused, wait for another paper before applying or apply now?
Help!!!

PS: My current thesis advisor/principial investigator already told me that she is willing to take me (and pay me) as a temporary postdoc associate in any case I don't have a job offer by the time I graduate ... so technically I am in no rush and I will have income to pay bills no matter what. But, still I want to move to better and bigger things when I am done here, ya know?

[svenc]

Whether or not your current publication record is good, great, or mediocre depends on your exact field.  You'd be in great shape as is in my field (economics); in some fields you could be half a dozen publications away from adequate.  If you are willing to share more specific information, you may get more useful responses.

Yes, more pubs are better, but what benefit is there to not applying for jobs that are advertised now?  Do you really think the same jobs will be open in four months waiting for you to apply then?  Or do you think that if you apply to a job now and are not considered, you'll forever be branded as "the grad student with two pubs and two in review" instead of "the grad student with three pubs and one in review"?

Again, much of this is field-specific.  In my discipline most people apply for jobs the fall and winter before they finish their degree; in some fields people are expected to have a degree in hand before they start looking.  This may be more important than moving one more pub from "in review" to "forthcoming" on your CV.

[bashir001]

The two submitted papers should be accepted until may, if the journals are not too difficult to get in. Two to four papers in ISI-listed journals with IF 3+ are OK to apply for a post doc in many science fields. So try it. It depends on the institution your are looking for.

[macaroon]

Apply now. 

Don't postdoc for your thesis advisor if you can avoid it.  It'll do nothing to further your career, and it will just postpone you moving up in the world. 

[locutus]

This may be ignorance on my part about different science fields but the timing on this confuses me. When would these postdocs start? My impression is that most deadlines are fall/winter and postdocs generally start the following fall.

I agree to not postdoc with your advisor if you can avoid it. It might be better to just stay a graduate student slightly longer if you have the funding to do so.

Either way I would go ahead and apply. You've got nothing to lose.

[sciencephd]

I don't know what field you are in.  You seem to be conflating "doing a postdoc" with "postdoctoral fellowship".  You can look for postdoctoral positions in labs independently of the fellowship applications.  You can also apply for fellowships after starting in the postdoctoral lab.