After PhD - Need advice

Question

I completed my PhD about 2 years ago. During the PhD period I left lots of bad things that affected my life. I divorced, moved to another city, lost motivation because of some big political situations which were directly related with us in my country etc. After all those bad things I finished my dissertation and graduated. Now I'm working as an assistant professor in a university. Everything looks better than before, absolutely. But I want to move to another country. Some problems are still going on and this seems to be the only way to get rid of them.

I don't have too many publications. In fact, I have just my thesis and a paper which I wrote from my thesis to show my expertise. The other ones are generally related with different subjects, stemmed from the many courses I took during the PhD period.

I'm trying to find the best way for me to go abroad. I have 2 options. First one is postdoc. I'll find a project or fund and try to find a permanent job. The other one is long period graduate certificate programmes. I will take a year-long advanced certificate about my area, and after completing the university based course, I'll apply for academic or non-academic jobs. However, I'm unsure if taking an advanced certificate course as a PhD person is possible in the US, Canada, and Australia?

I'm not sure which one is the best option for me. I hope I can consult someone who has similar experience, as I really need to find the best option for me.

Thank you in advance.

With best.

Answer 1

There is another option for you, of course, which is a regular position in a non-research oriented institution. In the US, most undergraduate colleges require some research but with lower intensity than at research institutions. Teaching is highly valued and helping undergraduates get started in research, even if not publishable is also important.

There are, in fact, many fine such colleges and they do send students to graduate school as well as into industry. You might spend some of your effort in exploring such opportunities.

But, in general, institutions don't depend on narrow criteria in hiring. There are a lot of things that can influence a decision. Your current experience as an assistant professor can be a help if it is successful. Depending on your field and the level at which you enter employment, your past publication record may have more or less impact.