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[sunball]

Hi all!

I was out in the market for about 8 months now and some stuff has been just appearing. Having completed a PhD degree in Business Administration in US, I ve mainly applied to positions at home (which is a developing country-with some real good schools teaching in English with research possibilities but low wages) and in Europe. Currently I have to select one of the two options (or none of them) in a few days of time and wanted to share my experience:

-I can accept a tenure track assistant prof position here at home, and continue working at the same institution forever.

-I can accept a post doc position that will last 2 years. If I choose this option voluntarily, I am pushing myself to work more under stress, as those 2 years will be under inspection when I return back to job market. I ve heard that being an ass. prof is really hard for internationals, so coming back to home and starting from where I left is a very probable result. Moreover, I ll deploy myself both financially and effort-wise settling to another, foreign country after US.

I can not predict what post doc can offer me for the future -- and can not make my mind about moving, although every professor directs the post doc route.

Feeling the stress: publish, publish, publish, you have no guarantee, your future is dependent upon your productivity through your post doc years is not easy (especially just after completing a dissertation).

But does not staying in a developing country mean you are rejecting your chances for the future yourself? I am really confused.

[mleok]

It sounds to me that you want to accept the TT position in your home country, but your advisors are pushing you towards the postdoctoral position. Remember that it is ultimately your life, and that you should do what makes the most sense for your long term career aspirations. If you'll be happy spending the rest of your life in the institution in your home country, then I would say that you should go ahead and accept the TT position, just be aware that it may limit your mobility in the future.

[totoro]

My guess is it will likely be hard to move to another country if you accept the position in your country. But if your long-term goal is to be a professor in your own country, consult with firms in your country etc. then that would make sense. It really depends what your long-term goal is. You might be able to go onto a position in the UK say from a post-doc in Germany if positions in Germany are hard to get. I recently was interviewed in Austria and in business and econ they want people who can teach in English (I'm Australian/British with a US PhD). Same in Sweden. So there is a lot of demand for teaching in English in Europe. But it is more moving etc.

[polly_mer]

Remember that it is ultimately your life

This.  If what you want is to not to have to move again in the near future, take the TT position.  A two-year post-doc means that you will be moving now and then again in about two years.  If you are in one of the fields that overlaps mine, you may be moving from that post-doc to a second (or third or fourth) temporary position with other moves.  Some people think that the lots-of-movers trade-off is worth the shot at being a world-renowned star at one of the top institutions in the world.  Other people are happy being a solid performer with a home base.

Neither of those things are inherently right or wrong; the catch is figuring out which is more you and then choosing that one.

[sunball]

I thank you so much for your replies which are really helpful to someone with zero experience:

Staying at home with a TT position does limits my mobility and chances to work worldwide and for further promotion. I am absolutely convinced that this is not what I want. Even I pursue a happy and fulfilled life teaching at home, I will regret, not to be using the chances. And a TT position at home is equivalent to a post doc position in a developed country, so as some think, it will not undermine my qualifications.

I am going to go to Germany and give it a try, taking it easy, and let you know about the updates from my side, wish me good luck!

Thank you!

[mleok]

I am going to go to Germany and give it a try, taking it easy, and let you know about the updates from my side, wish me good luck!

If you would regret not aspiring beyond the TT position at home, then the postdoc is the natural option. However, you should most definitely not "take it easy" during the postdoctoral period. The first few years after the Ph.D. are critical in determining your long-term career trajectory, and you need to be exceptionally focused and productive during your postdoc period for you to have a real shot at a TT position at a research university.

Two years is much shorter than you might think, given the time to write up and submit a paper, and then have it be accepted. Note also that you'll be applying for a new position after only a year on the job, so you really want that first year to be productive.