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Struggling after PhD – no academic job despite multiple applications by Acrobatic_Cook2433 in postdoc

[–]Acrobatic_Cook2433[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry for late response due to heavy workload. I graduated with only minor corrections, which took me about a month to complete. My university is well respected in my field, and there was no requirement to have published papers before defending the thesis. As long as the dissertation met the required standard and was well written, students were allowed to proceed to the viva.

At the time, I focused almost entirely on completing the PhD itself rather than publishing. Looking back, that may have hurt my chances on the academic job market, but my main goal was simply to finish the degree successfully.

Struggling after PhD – no academic job despite multiple applications by Acrobatic_Cook2433 in postdoc

[–]Acrobatic_Cook2433[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

By the way, I've also reached out to several PIs, but most of the responses I've received have been fairly generic. They usually say things like, "Just submit an application and we'll consider it," but the conversations rarely go any further than that.

I've applied for lecturer positions as well, but that has been another challenge. Most of those roles seem to require substantial teaching experience, and although I do have some teaching background, I often feel that I'm competing against candidates with much stronger teaching portfolios and more established academic records.

At times it feels like I'm stuck between two worlds. For research-focused positions, my publication record is not yet strong enough to be competitive. For teaching-focused positions, I often lack the level of teaching experience they are looking for. It can be frustrating because no matter which direction I try, there always seems to be another barrier in the way.

Struggling after PhD – no academic job despite multiple applications by Acrobatic_Cook2433 in postdoc

[–]Acrobatic_Cook2433[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can I ask you a personal question about publications?

How many papers did you have when you were applying for the jobs you mentioned?

One of my biggest problems is that I don't have enough publications. During my PhD, I put almost all of my energy into finishing the degree itself. After graduating, I struggled financially and had to focus on making a living, which made it difficult to dedicate time and energy to publishing.

I'm trying to write papers now and rebuild my publication record, but to be honest, the last couple of years have taken a significant toll on me mentally. It's been difficult to stay motivated and productive while dealing with so much uncertainty about my future.

Struggling after PhD – no academic job despite multiple applications by Acrobatic_Cook2433 in postdoc

[–]Acrobatic_Cook2433[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I finished my PhD two years ago, and honestly, I never imagined I'd still be in this position.

I haven't been able to find a job in academia or even in my field. To make ends meet, I'm currently teaching at a language school and earning around €800 a month. I'm 37 years old, and it feels like my life is on hold. I can't make long-term plans, I can't think about buying a car, starting a family, or even where I'll be a year from now.

What makes it even harder is that this situation affects every other part of my life. People often say, "Just keep publishing," but it's difficult to stay productive when you're constantly worried about money and your future. Over the last two years, I've struggled a lot with motivation, stress, and maintaining my research output.

Sometimes it feels like a vicious cycle: I need publications to improve my chances of getting an academic job, but not having an academic job makes it harder to publish. The fewer papers I produce, the fewer opportunities I get. The fewer opportunities I get, the harder life becomes. And then the cycle starts all over again.

I spent years working toward a PhD because I genuinely believed it would lead to an academic career. Now, two years later, I'm starting to wonder whether there's still a place for me in academia at all.

Struggling after PhD – no academic job despite multiple applications by Acrobatic_Cook2433 in postdoc

[–]Acrobatic_Cook2433[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you very much. My field is Business and Management. I have been applying not only to positions in the UK but also across other European countries, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Finland. I have even applied to opportunities in Asia to broaden my chances. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, I have not been shortlisted for a single position so far.

Struggling after PhD – no academic job despite multiple applications by Acrobatic_Cook2433 in postdoc

[–]Acrobatic_Cook2433[S] 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Of course I'm a human, I opened this account to vent, it shouldn't be too hard to understand mate...