Postdocs under pressure: ‘Can I even do this any more?’
I mean, isn&#x27;t it clear, ever since the bulk creation &#x2F; funding of so many colleges (and faculty positions) pre + post WW2, the US faculty job market has been on a decline ever since -- (that is, from the average postdoc&#x27;s point of view of success % when seeking a faculty position).<p>It is structurally not a growing, dynamic market where you&#x27;re going to have an easy time.  I would call it stagnant, or in the worst case, cutthroat.<p>You do understand right, that the faculty system relies on a pyramid of people entering and leaving the system? And only a certain fraction getting to the top, and people having to vacate the top of the pyramid for anyone else to get there? (for stable, or in other words, stagnant fields)<p>When the US was in a college-building phase (funded by economic stimulus &#x2F; public programs), all these posts were new and empty, waiting to be filled. So it enabled a generation of new professors to fill those ranks. As that became stable, now instead of a fresh pyramid you fill with eager people (who think that&#x27;s still how easy it is), you have grad students and postdocs seeing who can outlast each other (or publish more) to get to the top through attrition or publishing prowess.<p>Certain fields, let&#x27;s say, pure math, or history, until a professor retires or dies, there&#x27;s just no spot for the people below even to compete for. That&#x27;s why you see people going to Asia, Middle East, etc. where the new money and universities are. Follow the money. I mean this is pure population pyramid, demographic stuff that you can predict. You almost don&#x27;t even need to know the student&#x27;s thesis topic to say what chance he&#x2F;she has of becoming a professor.<p>Joining the climb up the ladder in a generally stable pyramid -- it&#x27;s not going to end well for the bulk majority, or be enjoyable while you do it.  <i>Especially if you have visible proof of friend, etc. following much easier paths.</i>