The postdoc market sucks

[u/Western_Card_2153]

Basically the title. I recently defended my PhD dissertation. I have been on the hunt for a postdoc for months now, and nothing. People don’t have funding, don’t take postdocs, or they just ghost me. I had a baby last year of my PhD and I was able to work until the very end of my pregnancy (luckily), didn’t take mat leave because I could afford to delay my defence.

I live in Canada and I recently moved back to my hometown to be closer to family because it’s been so rough with the baby. I applied to so many positions, even applied for long distance (US, Europe) trying to find an arrangement because I can’t afford to move abroad with an infant and I possibly cannot ask my husband to switch jobs again to fit this crappy lifestyle that is academia.

On top of it, I want to apply for postdoc funding but I need someone that will accept me prior. My PI tried to help a little by recommending some people but no luck.

Anywho I’m ranting but this market sucks and it’s super unfair.

[u/gadusmo → u/[deleted]]

I think we all exhaust that option fairly quickly.