Physics PhD Job Search: Start Well Before Graduation

Start your job search well before graduation

In the previous chapter you finished your thesis defense and submitted your thesis to the graduate school. Although that feels like the end, your job search should have begun earlier—about one year before you plan to graduate.

If you wait until after your defense to start looking, you’re putting yourself at a serious disadvantage. Do NOT start your search only after the defense unless you absolutely have no other option. Beginning earlier lets you pursue the right opportunities and avoid last-minute desperation.

Decide a career path, but keep options open

About a year before graduation you should have a sense of whether you want an academic career, an industrial career, or to leave physics entirely. Even if you prefer one path, keep other options open unless you have a very strong guarantee of immediate employment (for example, an adviser with exceptional influence or an obvious job offer). Practical considerations—paying the bills—matter.

Academic path: postdoctoral positions

If you aim for academia, you will usually seek a postdoctoral appointment. Most universities and national laboratories hire new Ph.D. holders at the postdoc level. Note: US national laboratories typically require that the Ph.D. be awarded within four years of the postdoc appointment start date to be eligible for a postdoctoral position.

Where to look for postdoc openings

Common places to find postdoc openings include:

• Physics Today classified ads (the job listings section)
• Major physics conferences (especially the APS March and April Meetings)
• Department and national-lab web pages and mailing lists

The largest number of postdoc and faculty positions are advertised in the fall and early spring for appointments starting the following fall. For example, openings for Fall 2007 would most often be advertised in Fall 2006 and early Spring 2007. That timing is why you should begin your search nearly a year ahead.

Conferences and job fairs

APS meetings and similar conferences often provide a job service: you register, submit your résumé, and employers review candidates during the conference. You don’t have to attend in person to use the service, but I strongly recommend attending.

Why attend?

• Some employers post openings and interview candidates on the spot.
• Attending lets you meet potential employers face to face and often schedule interviews immediately.
• Presenting your work at the meeting gives employers a chance to see you “in action.”

My experience at an APS meeting

A few months before I graduated, I attended the APS March Meeting to present a talk and continue job hunting. I already had an industrial offer from Applied Materials, but academia was still my first choice.

I almost decided at the last minute to attend the Job Fair. As fate would have it, a faculty member looking for a postdoc at Brookhaven recognized my adviser’s name on my résumé and thought I might be a good fit.

The faculty member requested an interview through the Job Center and also attended my presentation. After the interview he was satisfied I fit the project. No offer was made that day, but a week later I received and accepted the job offer.

Lesson: use all reasonable avenues. Job fairs at conferences are effective because employers are actively looking for candidates there.

Word of mouth and pedigree

Another (less reliable) avenue is word of mouth. Faculty—especially your adviser—may hear about openings through colleagues. If a trusted faculty member recommends you, take it seriously: name recognition can give you an advantage. However, this is rare, so don’t rely solely on it.

Industry and non-academic positions

If you prefer industry or non-academic work, cast a wider net. Physics Today and APS meetings still list non-academic roles (my Applied Materials offer came through these channels). Also monitor trade journals in your target area—for instance, solid-state physicists should check IEEE publications.

Use your school’s career and placement services. Employers often recruit through universities that have supplied successful hires in the past; your school can list your résumé with interested employers.

Prepare your résumé and publications list

Start preparing these materials about a year before graduation. Create a clear, proofread résumé and include ALL publications. Have mentors, advisers, or your school’s career office review your résumé and publications list before you send them out.

Next chapter

In the next installment I’ll describe life as a postdoc and how things change after you begin a postdoctoral fellowship.