To begin, I should say this post is not about how to make a correct decision at the very beginning of your postdoc life (someone can, but I can’t due to subjective and objective reasons).

This is a journey to learn from mistakes, avoid making them again, and seriously share the experience so others might avoid the same situation.

I accepted a postdoc position two years ago, but looking back, if I faced the same option, I should ask for more details about the purpose of the training and what I would be expected to do during this training.

I may have stepped onto a path that was not quite suited to my strengths, and over time it became harder to find my footing. Although J tried to help keep things on course, I still feel very bad recently. Perhaps it is only the view from where I am standing, but recently I have felt a little like a stranger in a room I once hoped to belong to.

So lessons:

Before accepting the offer:

1. Ask what the training goal is, what and how many publications are expected, and what collaborative work you will need to do. Does all collaborative work have an outcome when you finish the contract?

During the training:

1. Don’t complain even if you feel something shouldn’t be like that; it only makes your supervisor feel that you can’t do that.
2. Be professional, don’t interpret, and maintain good manners.
3. Protect your own rights.
4. I am too serious to do everything, but it really doesn’t need to be so responsible. Don’t spend time doing something that won’t have an outcome.
5. Don’t be led by consulting questions, and reply slowly to avoid disrupting your current work.