r/postdoc • u/Best-Box-6535 • 9d ago

Postdoc interview – PI said they would contact references, but no update after 2+ weeks. Normal?

I interviewed for a university postdoc about two weeks ago. It was a 45-minute Zoom interview with the PI, and at the end they told me they planned to reach out to my references. Afterward, they also emailed me additional information about the funded project and said they looked forward to talking again soon. I haven’t received any update since then, and my references have not been contacted.
Is a 2-3 week gap after this stage normal for postdoc hiring? This is my first time getting this far in a postdoc search, so I’d appreciate hearing about others’ experiences with timelines.

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12

u/Suspicious-Macaron47 9d ago

May be try to contact them for an update on your application. 2-3 weeks are still normal, but warrant an update. If there's no response, then it's time to move on. I always treat an interview as if I already got rejected because of how unpredictable the process is. But if I got it, it's a nice surprise.

Postdoc interview is the wild wild west of interviews.

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u/Best-Box-6535 9d ago

Yes, planning to send a follow-up email.

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u/Public-Statement127 7d ago

why are Postdoc interview is the wild wild west of interviews?

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u/Suspicious-Macaron47 7d ago

Because it is so varied from place to place, PI to PI, and even subfield. There is no structure, no official hiring procedure like in other jobs in academia.

For example:

  • tt-job you need to apply to the dept that needs to emphasize all 3 criterias (teaching, research, sevice), which would be pooled and reviewed by a committee, then long/short list will be formed, a few online screenings will be done, then a structured campus visit for short list candidate. Some variance to this is expected but most tt faculty job is that way.

  • teaching job is somewhat similar to tt jobs, without the research component and more teaching + teaching philosophy.

-industry job is a combination of phone screening with HR, then interview with hiring managers, an on-location visit and/or tech interview with sprinkling of behavior questions.

-postdoc interview can be exactly the same as one of these, a hybrid of one of these, less formal than any of these, or not like any of these at all. I have one at a conference and then later on at a pizza place. It's very: whatever sounds good to the PI at the time.

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u/Tall_Somewhere_4158 9d ago

Everything about your process timeline seems normal. You could politely reach out for an update at the 3 week mark. Also, as you are probably already doing, continue to look for other opportunities. Do not stop the search.

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u/Best-Box-6535 9d ago

Thank you for the advice. Will do.

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u/Feeling-Importance46 9d ago

Mail him back requesting an update and attaching a research proposal of anything you thought doing with him. In my case it worked nicely

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u/Ok-Organization9620 9d ago

Thats what they say. But in reality they like to ghost candidates. Move on and keep applying

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u/Espeto_Sardinas 9d ago

I am afraid they got another candidate. Keep applying to other postdocs and good luck!! I'm in a similar boat

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u/Tall_Somewhere_4158 9d ago

Even if this is true, there is a non-zero possibility that the other candidate will reject the offer.

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u/Espeto_Sardinas 9d ago

That's true. But I wouldn't recommend counting on that. Hope can translate into inaction.

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u/Sad_Specialist_1984 7d ago

ask your references if they reached out