Postdoc dilemma

[Istilldontknow]

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Hello!

I am currently on internship and verbally accepted a post-doc position at another location starting in the fall. However, I was just offered a job with my current internship placement. I would much prefer to stay at my current site for a variety of reasons including fit, location, pay, and room for advancement. If I had not already accepted a postdoc, I would 100% take the job. How bad would it look if I stepped away from the post doc offer after already verbally agreeing to it? Has anyone ever done this before?

 

[cara susanna]

Someone in my internship cohort did this (well, accepting another post doc and not a job) and it seemed to turn out fine, although I have no idea if they burned bridges or anything.

 

[PsychPhDone]

Hello!

I am currently on internship and verbally accepted a post-doc position at another location starting in the fall. However, I was just offered a job with my current internship placement. I would much prefer to stay at my current site for a variety of reasons including fit, location, pay, and room for advancement. If I had not already accepted a postdoc, I would 100% take the job. How bad would it look if I stepped away from the post doc offer after already verbally agreeing to it? Has anyone ever done this before?

Were you given a written offer with the site you're turning down (and do you have a written offer for new job)? Do you ever want to affiliate with the site you'd be turning down?

 

[AcronymAllergy]

My take--it's potentially going to burn a bridge with the postdoc, particularly as they now only have perhaps a couple months to find a replacement before their scheduled start date. However, it's your career, and at the end of the day, you have to do what's best for you. And as cara said, it's certainly been done before. If the position at your current facility is ideal, and especially if positions there can be hard to come by, I would say it's reasonable to respectfully inform the postdoc that you'll need to renege on the commitment. Silver lining = it then opens a spot for someone who could be frantically trying to find a postdoc.

Edit: To re-iterate PsychPhDone's points because of their importance, do not withdraw from the postdoc until you have a firm (ideally written) offer for the position at your current site. And expect that you will have trouble finding positions at the postdoc site for at least the near future if you were ever to apply there. This may not be the case, but there's a decent chance it'll happen.

 

[WisNeuro]

 

[thebalmofhurtminds]

On the other side of this, my husband recently had someone rescind their postdoc acceptance ~7 months after accepting for a different position. We both are very pro-do what's best for you, but be aware that this puts them in a terrible position. Trying to get a postdoc this late in the game is next to impossible, so you are very likely screwing them over.

 

[Istilldontknow]

Were you given a written offer with the site you're turning down (and do you have a written offer for new job)? Do you ever want to affiliate with the site you'd be turning down?

I was not given a written offer from the post doc and was told not to expect one until August. I do have a written offer for the new job. I have no intention of ever affiliating with the post doc position and neither do any of the current post-docs. I am honestly dreading the position after talking to the current and previous post docs. It sounds like I will be burnt out rather quickly and that they take advantage of post-docs.

 

[Istilldontknow]

My take--it's potentially going to burn a bridge with the postdoc, particularly as they now only have perhaps a couple months to find a replacement before their scheduled start date. However, it's your career, and at the end of the day, you have to do what's best for you. And as cara said, it's certainly been done before. If the position at your current facility is ideal, and especially if positions there can be hard to come by, I would say it's reasonable to respectfully inform the postdoc that you'll need to renege on the commitment. Silver lining = it then opens a spot for someone who could be frantically trying to find a postdoc.

Edit: To re-iterate PsychPhDone's points because of their importance, do not withdraw from the postdoc until you have a firm (ideally written) offer for the position at your current site. And expect that you will have trouble finding positions at the postdoc site for at least the near future if you were ever to apply there. This may not be the case, but there's a decent chance it'll happen.

Thank you for the reply. I am concerned about burning bridges, which is the only reason holding me back from accepting the job offer. However, during internship I learned more about what I want to do with my career and forensics is just not the right fit for me (it's a forensic post doc). I don't intend on ever applying for a job at this site. I will definitely not withdraw the position until I have a written offer for the job.

There are so many negatives to staying with the postdoc compared to many positives if I were to accept the job (more loans for moving expenses, unable to start paying off loans due to high cost of living and half the salary offered at the job, high burn out potential, not the right fit...) . I know the job is the best fit for me, but I am so scared of going back on my word to the post doc site.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Thank you for the reply. I am concerned about burning bridges, which is the only reason holding me back from accepting the job offer. However, during internship I learned more about what I want to do with my career and forensics is just not the right fit for me (it's a forensic post doc). I don't intend on ever applying for a job at this site. I will definitely not withdraw the position until I have a written offer for the job.

There are so many negatives to staying with the postdoc compared to many positives if I were to accept the job (more loans for moving expenses, unable to start paying off loans due to high cost of living and half the salary offered at the job, high burn out potential, not the right fit...) . I know the job is the best fit for me, but I am so scared of going back on my word to the post doc site.

It sounds like you've given it a significant amount of thought. Based on what you've said, the job seems the preferred choice, and it's not especially close. I don't know that there's any way around potentially burning bridges; all you can do is be respectful, be forthright, and give them as much time as possible to fill the position. I can probably also speak for most training directors in saying they don't want their trainees to be miserable. So at the end of the day, if you know it's a poor fit, you're doing the responsible thing by letting them try to find someone who'd be better served by taking that spot.

That's my take, anyway.

 

[Istilldontknow]

It sounds like you've given it a significant amount of thought. Based on what you've said, the job seems the preferred choice, and it's not especially close. I don't know that there's any way around potentially burning bridges; all you can do is be respectful, be forthright, and give them as much time as possible to fill the position. I can probably also speak for most training directors in saying they don't want their trainees to be miserable. So at the end of the day, if you know it's a poor fit, you're doing the responsible thing by letting them try to find someone who'd be better served by taking that spot.

That's my take, anyway.

Thank you, that was very helpful and reassuring.

 

[foreverbull]

I concur that it seems like it's very clear that you would prefer to stay on where you are, and I think the benefits may outweigh the risks.

One piece we can't comment on is how well-connected that forensic site is in terms of who knows who professionally, but if you're in a large enough city, it may not matter as much as a small town with only a few sites that employ psychologists/trainees.

I've had to turn down an accepted job due to a better opportunity before and would say that as soon as you know, let the site know so they have the maximum time possible to replace you, as @AcronymAllergy said. Don't put it off! I felt relieved after getting it out of the way.

 

[summerbabe]

However, during internship I learned more about what I want to do with my career and forensics is just not the right fit for me (it's a forensic post doc).

Sounds like you’ve put significant thought into this decision and that your career prospects have evolved from when you applied/accepted until now so go for it.

I know multiple people who have reneged on postdocs. It definitely sucks for sites but it doesn’t seem to have bothered those individuals any. Good luck!

 

[Istilldontknow]

Thank you everyone! I appreciate all of the advice.