postdoc offer -- complicated

[PsychResearch]

I just edited the initial post by mistake. I got 1 postdoc offer and e-mailed the pi that I am interested and would like to move further with the process, but I am not sure 100% that this is the position I want. She said she'll e-mai me the job offer tomorrow. I almost think that I ought to have waited but I felt the pressure to respond b/c she told me on Thursday to e-mail with an answer on Monday. What can I do now?/ I am waiting on 2 other programs to hear from.

I should say that the reason I am not sure about it is that this postdoc is 2/3 project coordination and 1/3 writing. The other 2 places I am waiting to hear from are training programs. Will it be bad if I decide to change my minf, if let's say, I get an offer from any of those 2 places within the next week? How can I correct the fact that I already alluded toward having made my mind?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[PsychResearch]

I hope someone with experience can help me. What I need to know is whether the e-mail I sent serves as acceptance of the position. Obviously, there is no job offer yet, but there will be soon. In the meantime, I'm waiting 2 hear from 2 other places.

 

[docma]

Saying you are interested is different from accepting, but it sounds like she will make you an offer and want an offer soon. She may also have others in line she will consider if you are not ready to commit. You are probably best off saying you are very interested but also waiting on 2 other positions and would very much like to have x-1 days to reply. Then call the other sites and say you have an offer and could they let you know where you stand within x days. That may move those offers (or not)--but at least you will have the data.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Saying you are interested is different from accepting, but it sounds like she will make you an offer and want an offer soon. She may also have others in line she will consider if you are not ready to commit. You are probably best off saying you are very interested but also waiting on 2 other positions and would very much like to have x-1 days to reply. Then call the other sites and say you have an offer and could they let you know where you stand within x days. That may move those offers (or not)--but at least you will have the data.

Pretty much this. If you're still interested in the other two sites even after having an offer from this one, I don't see anything wrong with saying what docma's suggested.

 

[PsychResearch]

Pretty much this. If you're still interested in the other two sites even after having an offer from this one, I don't see anything wrong with saying what docma's suggested.

Okay. I will give more details. Esentially, after i spoke to the PI from the site that wants me for sure, I e-mailed the other 2 places. The PI from one of the site responded and offered to talk with me over the phone on Saturday. I agreed and she called me. Two concerns were brought up -- 1. my dissertation defense (scheduled for end of June) -- she wants to make sure I defend and I told her the date is set and if needed committee members can confirm. She said it wasn't needed but that at some point I will need to sign some paperwork.; 2. application asked if person is US citizen. I am not (yet), but at the time of the application I checked on the NIH website and permanent residents are eligible for NIH funding. She since then checked and confirmed that what I read was accurated. In the meantime I applied for citizenship, in part, because of this position (but also b/c good to have and US is now my home -- I've been here for 9 years). I now have citizenship interview on 6/14 and she was happy from what I could tell about that. I told her I began the process after this requirement came up.

Since site #1 wanted an answer on Monday, I e-mailed saying that I want to go ahead with the position and if they can send the contract. I got an e-mail saying that job offer will come today and another from the person who is in that position at the moment saying "welcome" to the lab. So, I am now stressed not knowing what to do. The reasons why I'm in doubt:

1. Site #1 offers postdoc for 1 year with possibility for another year contingent upon funding (they'll resubmit a grant that apparently got good reviews in July). 2/3 of time project coordination. 1/3 of time writing. Said there are plenty of opportunities to publish if I take the initiative. Better school than where I am now.

2. Site # 2 -- training grant -- no project coordination responsabilities. Writing most of the time + attend a weekly seminar. Better deal and it prepares one for an academic research career. Better school than were I am now.

Faculty at both sites are Clinical professors (site #2 has some Developmental professors), but ultimately it's a good mentor that I think would make the difference.

P.S. I just got the job offer saying its contingent upon my graduation and that

Please sign and return this letter to XY indicating your acceptance of the above terms by June 15
A copy is enclosed for your record. Your employment cannot begin until you have signed and returned this offer letter.

So, is it too late to change my mind??

 

[AcronymAllergy]

My gut tells me that since you haven't signed the contract yet, you technically could pull out; however, that isn't to say site #1 will be happy about it (my guess is they're going to be at least a little irked).

Ultimately, it's your career, and if you're ok with potentially burning bridges with site 1, and feel that sites 2/3 offer a better overall opportunity, some would argue it'd make sense to turn down the offer. Mind you, I have no clue about contract law, or if by agreeing to the position verbally you perhaps entered into some kind of binding contract. Although even if that were the case, I don't know that there's any way they could force you to take the position.

 

[PsychResearch]

Thanks. I am now on waiting to hear from site #2. I am taking a risk of losing #1 and not getting in at #2. Since #1 is for 1 year, I don't think it's enough to get done what I want. So, I decided to wait at least until Monday to decide if I sign with #1.


Site #2 interviewed me on Saturday and said she has my e-mail and will get back to me by Friday -- it did not sound definite, but she left it open. The PI said that she's out of town for a conference until Friday with limited opportunities to get in contact, but that she has my e-mail. She knows about my other offer. How does this sound in terms of what she said regarding sending an e-mail. She asked me about my dissertation, research interests, and what has changed (if anything) since I applied in January. I feel like I gave her a good (but not great!) overview of my dissertation. I said that my statements stays the same in terms of core interests but that my interests develop over time and gave her an example (it had to do with a method I'm looking into learning). She talked about the program and I asked about mentoring and how it works. It seems overall positive. When I asked about mentoring -- she asked back "what kind of mentoring you are looking for?" I felt the tone was a bit sarcastic, but I decided to not read too much into it. I esentially repeated back what she said and how I can work both independently and interdependently but that a good mentor can make a great difference. I did my best to be as ethusiastic as possible. Any thoughts about what I described?

 

[aagman01]

Doesn't seem too complicated to me. You have until June 15. Wait 2 weeks and try to hear back from sites 2 and 3. If you don't hear anything by like the 13th, overnight your acceptance to site 1 (assuming you are willing to take the position).

Thanks. I am now on waiting to hear from site #2. I am taking a risk of losing #1 and not getting in at #2. Since #1 is for 1 year, I don't think it's enough to get done what I want. So, I decided to wait at least until Monday to decide if I sign with #1.


Site #2 interviewed me on Saturday and said she has my e-mail and will get back to me by Friday -- it did not sound definite, but she left it open. The PI said that she's out of town for a conference until Friday with limited opportunities to get in contact, but that she has my e-mail. She knows about my other offer. How does this sound in terms of what she said regarding sending an e-mail. She asked me about my dissertation, research interests, and what has changed (if anything) since I applied in January. I feel like I gave her a good (but not great!) overview of my dissertation. I said that my statements stays the same in terms of core interests but that my interests develop over time and gave her an example (it had to do with a method I'm looking into learning). She talked about the program and I asked about mentoring and how it works. It seems overall positive. When I asked about mentoring -- she asked back "what kind of mentoring you are looking for?" I felt the tone was a bit sarcastic, but I decided to not read too much into it. I esentially repeated back what she said and how I can work both independently and interdependently but that a good mentor can make a great difference. I did my best to be as ethusiastic as possible. Any thoughts about what I described?

 

[PsychResearch]

Doesn't seem too complicated to me. You have until June 15. Wait 2 weeks and try to hear back from sites 2 and 3. If you don't hear anything by like the 13th, overnight your acceptance to site 1 (assuming you are willing to take the position).

Thanks for this! Yes, it seems less complicated now after I got a chance to speak with a few people and started to put things in perspective. Now, do I have to e-mail site #1 and acknowledge receipt of offer or okay to just wait in the meantime? I am not sure how to go about this and today doesn't sound like an awful many days past by without me saying anything. I just don't know the etiquette with these sorts of things. My advisor told me to wait but did not say until when.