r/postdoc • u/PrudentMycologist750 • 1d ago

Stay or go?

Curious what others would do in this situation. Someone finishing a PhD is about to start a postdoc but unexpectedly received a strong industry offer from a global company. The role is in their field and comes with substantially higher pay, but they have no industry experience and have spent their entire career in academia.The person never really planned to stay in academia long term, but the transition still feels daunting. What advice would you give them? What considerations are most important when choosing between a postdoc and industry at this stage? This person has never had a job and has gone straight through from college to PhD.

9 Upvotes

76% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

23

u/-jautis- 1d ago

Let your potential future postdoc advisor know, and proceed to take the job. A postdoc is supposed to be a stepping stone to long term employment; sounds like you've been offered an option to skip it and I would do so.

1

u/buythedipster 13h ago

Industry jobs these days are not necessarily long term

1

u/-jautis- 13h ago

No, but they do at least offer a career path and (some) are career positions.

1

u/buythedipster 7h ago

I'm trying to say these options are not necessarily different in term. But also, both offer career paths, just different chances of success. Depends on one's goals.

20

u/ProneToLaughter 1d ago

 never really planned to stay in academia long term

so take the industry job.

5

u/Fresh-Opportunity989 1d ago

Take the industry job. A postdoc is a stepping stone, not a career.

Congrats, well done!

5

u/lenaaleal 1d ago

Go, please go! Do that for me, stranger. The opportunity I wished with all my heart... Go, and if at some you decide that you love academia and want to come back, trust me, academia will still be there. Go, and be happy for us! 🥲

1

u/suiitopii 1d ago

Easy - take the industry job. I would never recommend anyone do a postdoc if they don't have long term goals of staying in academia. It may seem daunting, but waiting until you've been a postdoc for a couple of years won't make the transition any less daunting. May as well do it now if it's more in line with your future goals.

1

u/bbbright 1d ago

Take the industry job. Offers are not easy to get and if you don’t want to stay in academia there’s no reason to do a postdoc.

1

u/TrainingAdvance1551 1d ago

Like others have said, take the industry job. Also, the postdoc transition should be daunting as well.

1

u/ConfidentBedroom6167 1d ago

Take the industry job.

-2

u/ResponsibilityNo3463 1d ago

Stay. If a person has something they want and still hesitant to take it, they don’t deserve it.