17 Tips on Successfully Applying to Postdoc Positions

Be selective and apply to specific positions that excite you and where you can make a strong case for yourself.
Know the name of the person who would be hiring you and do your research on them. Don’t send out generic applications just to send out applications. It’s not worth your time and you probably won’t get interview calls. Make two good applications rather than 20 generic ones.
It’s who you know and what you did. Use your network to find opportunities and get referred for them, but also focus on finding positions that are a good fit for you based on the work you did. Having a strong network will help to get you the leads and put you in a better position for getting interviewed, but if what you did is not going to make you a strong candidate for what they want you to do next, then you will be passed over for someone else.
Everything you have done already should make you the perfect candidate for the perfect role. In your research statement, talk about the things you have already done that make you a particularly strong candidate for that specific position. That will work to at least get you an interview, from my experience.

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