A Recipe for selecting Postdoctoral Fellow [A New Normal]

This is a simple proposal to make all parties happy during the application process of Postdoctoral Fellow.

Step 1a: Make a form of 50 questions related to your research project. Each question will have four multiple choices. The right answer will get 2 points. Total points are 100.

Step 1b: Select 5 top candidates among all submitted ones.

Step 2a: Now, make the 2nd form and ask the selected candidates for their feedback on few selected topics, such as skill, experience and involvement in the relevant research field. All feedbacks will be few lines in length.

Step 2b: Receive their feedback and select the top two candidates.

Step 3a: Request them to prepare the real application with the details of their previous research activities and the future research plan.

Step 3b: Select your final candidate and give the position.

Step extra: Keep the remaining candidates (1+3) as waiting list, and inform them.

In the current procedure, professors ask all candidates (interested candidates) to start from Step 3a. Candidates spend a considerable amount of time to prepare all documents. Few of them receive acknowledgement. There is no win-win situation.

So, now is the time to start a new-normal, and make all parties happy.