why do we all look for post-doc jobs? - while many lucky people get permanent lectureships (May/25/2011 )

I see many lucky people immediately get high profile jobs after PhD and settle down. We have a lot of these people around our lab. As long as I'm a foreigner I have to be post-doc (obviously). But what about those who are local? why do they go for post-doc instead of finding permanent jobs?

what resume you must be having to get permanent position in your uni? in Essex we had to have at least 4 years of post-doc. but in here, nothing.

Depends on what you define as "high profile"? Here (Austria and as far as I am aware Germany as well) the jobs available at the university are either lectureships (but do you really want to end up doing teaching for 30 h + per week?) or jobs that will let you end up as assistant/secretary/technician of a Prof with additional teaching duties and a lot of administrative work to do which will basically not allow you to do science.

On the other hand you will have to proof independent scientific achievements for usually at least 6 years (i.e. two post docs) if you want to secure one of the Professorships.....

I know many people who are happy with the permanent jobs mentioned above, but if you want to start your own group and become a scientifically independent you will have to go for one or two post docs......

really? post-doc is for professorship? I don't necessarily want to do that. I'm tired already.

I was in Germany a while back, there was this guy aged 38 who was a graduate from Karolinska university. He was still doing post-doc in Giessen University, and while he was still pipetting, a PhD student in the same team got a permanent job because the boss liked him more.