Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Titles and Affiliations (untitled and unaffiliated!)

Right now, I am title-less and institution-less. I'm unemployed, but hoping to bag a research postdoc. I have several questions that I would love for you, dear readers, to weigh in on.

EDIT (1/26/14): I want to clarify that these questions (revised) all pertain to courtesy appointments, not actual paid postdocs. I know how to search for and apply for actual jobs and postdocs, which is my first choice! But in the meantime...

1. How important is it for me to have an institutional affiliation, even if it's just an unpaid title? Will being institution-less hurt my job prospects? Will it make me look like some kind of academic leper?

2. Where should I try to affiliate? I'm sure I could get a courtesy title at my graduate institution, but we no longer live there. Would it be better to be at an institution here? 

3. What types of titles do people in this position (i.e. unemployed/volunteer postdoc) usually have? Of the possibilities, which are better?

Finally, if anyone has been in this position, I'd love to hear encouraging stories of how you made it work and landed somewhere with a paycheck.

7 comments:

African Fieldworker said...

I would talk to your grad advisor and get affiliated with your grad institution. I think it is an advantage as you're trying to publish, etc. May even give you library access.

Karina said...

I still have library access for about 6 months after graduation, which is right. Honestly, if I'd lost it I would have figured this out already just for the access! Yeah, I hadn't even thought about the affiliation for publication! I need something.

Anonymous said...

I am not sure what you mean with 'title'. You have a PhD? That's the title you need. That and a letter of reference from you PhD adviser and at least one other professor you interacted with.

I can't imagine unemployment being a problem, if you can explain why.

Anonymous said...

P.S. You go about it by asking your advisor if s/he has a buddy who is looking for a postdoc. Postdoc positions are also advertised on websites. Finally, you should throw around some applications to labs you know would fit your interests.

and research on the internet on sites like this: http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2003_11_21/nodoi.11212074956017904155

Karina said...

Thanks, anonymous. I am encouraged that you think the Ph.D. is the only title I need.

My explanation for my unemployment is I graduated and moved and I haven't found a job yet.

aimee said...

You need an affiliation, but I don't think it matters where. You can also have more than one affiliation. You want it to look like you have an academic home.

Karina said...

Update: I have affiliation through UBC now for about a year, and I'm making connections at a local institution. Thanks, readers!