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[onnis]

I'd like to do post-doc in the UK (I'm not from the UK) but have been reading about the competitiveness.

I only have one forthcoming journal publication in a C grade journal, and a conference paper that was published in a book made by the institution that held the conference. Would this lack of 'real' publications automatically exclude me from being short-listed?

On the bright side I have presented at many international conferences, have 3 years' teaching experience (I know it's not that important though for a research-only position), and have - what I think - is a great research proposal.

I don't want to waste my time and my referees' time chasing a pipe dream.

What is the main priority of committees when they look through applications? Do I have to have good publications to be considered or can this be compensated by other things?

[watermarkup]

What field are you in? Are you seeking a postdoc where you work in a PI's lab, or where some institution supports your research in the humanities? Different people will have useful advice, depending on you situation.

[onnis]

I'm in the Humanities.

I've seen some advertisements from Oxbridge for postdocs in my field, which I'd like to apply for, but then I read on here that there can be close to 1000 applicants.

I'm assuming the committees skim over each applicant's material quickly and toss most of them out before they even think about shortlisting. What is it that they look for in those 30 seconds (or however long they spend skimming)? If they are looking for good publications then I have no chance.

[totoro]

Who's your advisor and what program are you graduating from? The latter is less important I am told for UK PhDs but if you don't have any decent publications, that and your proposal is what they can go on.

[onnis]

Unfortunately my advisor is not well known and people in the UK probably won't have heard of my university either.

Does that mean everything will be riding on my proposal, writing samples and CV?

[embitteredhistorian]

You want to get an Oxbridge post-doc? I assume you're thinking of the JRFs. If people in the UK have never heard of your university, and you have no major pubs, you have absolutely zero chance. Sorry.

[onnis]

There are some that are not advertised as JRFs as such (use a different terminology). Does that make a difference?

So in answer to my question the first thing they look at is the university you graduated from? And if it isn't a university that has worldwide fame they toss your application out (maybe after checking your publications)?

[embitteredhistorian]

There are some that are not advertised as JRFs as such (use a different terminology). Does that make a difference?

So in answer to my question the first thing they look at is the university you graduated from? And if it isn't a university that has worldwide fame they toss your application out (maybe after checking your publications)?

Welcome to Oxbridge.

Of course this isn't true 100% of the time, but it is the rule IMO. I've heard stories of fellows getting snooty over Manchester grads at high tables. Granted, this is all secondhand. I avoid Oxbridge as much as I can.

[onnis]

It's not that I particularly want to go to Oxbridge per se. It's just that I don't see any other post-docs advertised by any other universities in the UK in my field. The reason I want to do post-doc in the UK is that my research proposal is based on something happening in the UK and I would need to be there to carry out my research.

Would my chances of getting post-doc be higher if I just sent out random emails to particular departments I was interested in working in?

[embitteredhistorian]

It's not that I particularly want to go to Oxbridge per se. It's just that I don't see any other post-docs advertised by any other universities in the UK in my field. The reason I want to do post-doc in the UK is that my research proposal is based on something happening in the UK and I would need to be there to carry out my research.

Would my chances of getting post-doc be higher if I just sent out random emails to particular departments I was interested in working in?

...are you serious?

http://www.journal-online.co.uk/article/7018-at-a-glance-higher-education-cuts

[onnis]

Yes, I do realise what is going on with the funding cuts in the UK. But it does say "excluding research" and can you really say for sure what the impact is going to be on research projects?

So you're basically saying: don't even bother trying to get post-doc at all. Because if advertised positions are based almost solely on your home university, and trying to get unadvertised positions is considered a "joke", I can't come to any other conclusion.

[embitteredhistorian]

Yes, I do realise what is going on with the funding cuts in the UK. But it does say "excluding research" and can you really say for sure what the impact is going to be on research projects?

So you're basically saying: don't even bother trying to get post-doc at all. Because if advertised positions are based almost solely on your home university, and trying to get unadvertised positions is considered a "joke", I can't come to any other conclusion.

At least at my old UK institution, unadvertised positions were against the rules. This could be a law; you might want to check that.

Go ahead and try, but don't have high expectations. This is a very dark time for British universities, from what colleagues in the UK tell me and what I read in the paper. I rather expected this, which is partly why I left the country.

[totoro]

There are generally few post-docs in the social sciences and humanities in Anglo-Saxon countries compared to in the natural sciences. And your CV sounds like it won't help you. These kind of positions are likely to be advertised as EH says. I got a post-doc in the UK in econ with a US PhD (I'm a British citizen). It was advertised. I had several publications already. The dept. head in the UK knew my advisers in the US etc. This was back in 1993 though.

[monsterx]

I'm not in the UK, but in Europe.  I'm in the social sciences. I just got through advertising for a postdoc position.  There is a big stack of CVs.  Lots are from the UK - I suppose we can guess why that is. Many of the applicants have strong publication lists. On the other hand, there is a certain skill set I want.  So, while I'm not just going to toss those without publications, they will most likely not be getting the job in the end.  If I end up seriously looking at any who don't have publications, I'm going to need to see something else to reassure me about their research potential; if I can't judge them by their published work then I'll need something else to indicate that they will be able to publish.  It is already a big black mark, not having a single publication coming out of graduate school. 

I'd say if you find a project where the PI is looking for something specific, you might have a chance if you are a perfect fit and can make a good case.  But if it is just an open competition based on academic merit, without publications, you will lose, since 90% of what they'll judge you on will be your publication list.   

The way to get an unadvertised position is to know someone who is submitting a large grant, and help with the application.  If the grant gets funded, and your funding doesn't get line-item-vetoed, then you'll have a job.  Of course, you've pretty much got to know the person and already be involved with doing work with or for them...

[watermarkup]

I wasn't in the UK, but the standard applied by the body that granted my European postdoc was that the publication list had to be appropriate to the stage of your career. If you're a brand-new Ph.D., maybe you'll look passable, depending on your discipline.

I do think you need to talk to someone about finding a broader range of postdoc possibilities. Are you at a university with a grants office that could help you look?