Searching for Jobs While on Postdoc

[clinpsych]

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I'm about to start my postdoc and am thinking about what comes next. For those who have secured positions (especially VA positions), when did you start applying? Coordinating the timing of the end of postdoc and the start of a FT position seems like it could be tricky.

Also, I was wondering how common or acceptable it is for postdocs to leave early to accept positions. I'm coming from a site where this was acceptable and expected but I wanted to get a sense whether this is the norm.

Thanks!

 

[erg923]

I'm about to start my postdoc and am thinking about what comes next. For those who have secured positions (especially VA positions), when did you start applying? Coordinating the timing of the end of postdoc and the start of a FT position seems like it could be tricky.

Also, I was wondering how common or acceptable it is for postdocs to leave early to accept positions. I'm coming from a site where this was acceptable and expected but I wanted to get a sense whether this is the norm.

Thanks!

I applied and interviewed for some entry-level VA positions during my internship this year and started applying in March (my internship ends August 1st). Seeing as how the process can take up to 4-5 months from the time of close to getting a formal offer.

 

[JeyRo]

I'm about to start my postdoc and am thinking about what comes next. For those who have secured positions (especially VA positions), when did you start applying? Coordinating the timing of the end of postdoc and the start of a FT position seems like it could be tricky.

Also, I was wondering how common or acceptable it is for postdocs to leave early to accept positions. I'm coming from a site where this was acceptable and expected but I wanted to get a sense whether this is the norm.

Thanks!

I completed a postdoc in the east coast and then moved back to California to study for licensure full-time. While i did so I worked some odd jobs and after licensure was secured, worked several part-time licensed jobs in a very stressful combination for a full year, and was sorely underpaid and overworked for it.

However, the upside was that as soon as the ideal local VA position opened up (ideal in the sense that my education, training and experience made me ideal for it), I was hired and got myself in as a 13 (e.g., due to the post-doc experience and the year working as a consultant for various outfits).

I'd say it took me about eight months from the date of my initial application to land my current VA job, which might be unusually lengthy a period to wait (compared to the 4-5 months erg is quoting). But, it was worth the wait.

 

[Pragma]

I can't comment on the VA, but generally speaking, "it depends" for your end date. My job offer in academia required me to leave my postdoc a little bit early, but we were able to negotiate it. Now we're talking a matter of weeks, not months, so negotiations were amicable. I also anticipated the possibility and filled part of that time with vacation I saved up.

For people getting clinical jobs, I'd imagine that it depends on the context. I know some people that applied and interviewed just towards the end of postdoc (last 3 months), but those were positions with less red tape than say, a VA. I'd imagine that places like private practices might be more flexible about when you start.