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I finished my post-PhD, after two years working under a scholarship, in April 2015. In September 2015 I was notified that I was accepted as research staff in my institution (I applied in December 2014). In September 2016 I was finally added to the "payroll" as a staff member.

Between the period April 2015 - September 2016, I kept receiving my post-PhD scholarship in what is known in my country as an "extension of the post-PhD". This is done because the time that passes between the end of the post-PhD and the final addition of your name to the payroll (if you are accepted) is rather long. In my case it took about a year and a half (which is the standard period), and this way one is not left with no monthly income.

The question is: how should I describe that period in my CV? Anyone from my country will be able to tell immediately what happened, but I'm not sure how to explain this to people from other countries.

In rigour my post-PhD ended in April 2015, so I can't really say I was working on it for an extra 1.5 year. What I did for that period of time was what I do now: research. But I can't say that I started working as a researcher after April 2015, because my first actual paycheck as such didn't come until September 2016.

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    In that period, if I understand correctly, you're just doing the job like you did after September 2016 right? If that's the case, you can keep one job description but with different funding source: XXX Post-PhD research fellow (funded by YYY scholarship from Apr 2015 - Sep 2016); then XXX Post-PhD research fellow (funded by ZZZ organization, Sep 2016 - Now). Jan 30, 2017 at 19:20
  • It's the same organization which founded my post-PhD scholarship, the "extension" of that scholarship, and my staff member paycheck. Also, I think you understood the dates wrong. My post-PhD occurred in the period April 13 - April 15, then the "extension" May 15 -September 16, and finally the staff research position Sep16 - Now.
    – Gabriel
    Jan 30, 2017 at 19:25
  • What are these things called in spanish? Jan 30, 2017 at 22:40
  • With a somewhat uninformed opinion not knowing the particulars of what is common in your country, it seems to me like an "extension of a Post-PhD," which I would call in the US a "post-doc" or more formally a "Postdoctoral Fellow," "Postdoctoral scientist", or "Research Associate," is indeed that: an extension of a post-PhD, so still part of that interval. How does the type of work you did as a post-PhD differ from what you do now ("research") and in the "extension" interval?
    – Bryan Krause
    Jan 30, 2017 at 22:51
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    AnonymousPhysicist "Posdoctorado" (post-PhD or post-doc), "Extensión de posdoctorado" (post-doc extension). @BryanKrause the extension of the post-doc is not necessarily related to the post-doc. In my case I used that time to research a topic that was not directly related to the post-doc. Thus, it wouldn't be correct to simply say that I was enrolled in a 3.5 year post-doc. I have to mention that period separately to be accurate.
    – Gabriel
    Jan 31, 2017 at 2:03

2 Answers 2

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In the comments you said it is called an "Extensión de posdoctorado". It is fine to list that phrase as your job title during the period. It is reasonably clear to english speakers.

People reading international CVs expect to see unfamiliar terms and career progression.

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  1. I would avoid putting months on the CV. Just use years. It's a very small minority of hirers who still push for that exact info like some detectives searching for gaps (as if that were some embarrassment to root out). That way, unless you have a gap that is a ful calendar year, it won't show. Those who care can ask for it or do an application. But this is just going up on a website for now regardless.

  2. There is nothing wrong with just calling the extra months as a postdoc or researcher. Whatever works better for presenting you. Sounds like you didn't get the title/pay yet, but were doing the job elements. Although I am mystified what is different in research done by a postdoc or individual researcher.

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