How do I get a post-doc? It is a process of trial and error.

Find your referees, address the selection criteria, draft a cover letter and an introduction for your email. And have someone proof read all of it!

In my experience two referees was the minimum and often three are needed. Ask your referee in advance so they can think about what to say. When you list them as a referee let them know and send them the job ad. Ideally a referee is a supervisor or co-supervisor (who has worked with you in the last five years or so). It could be someone you have published with. It can also be senior academics who know you but may no have worked directly with you (choose academics who might be know to the group your applying for if this is the case).

There are mixed opinions on writing cover letters. I was under the impression that they are a really important way to introduce yourself but I have been told by one professor that he never reads them. I include one in my applications, because I think it gives you a place to list referees, your address and the job your applying for. I also include a paragraph on my experience and a paragraph on why I want the job. One page is the maximum length. If your using LaTeX, below is the template that I repeatedly use:

\documentclass[11pt]{letter}
\topmargin=-35mm                         % Make letterhead start about 1 inch from top of page
\oddsidemargin=-5mm                      % leftmargin is 1 inch
\textwidth=6.5in                         % textwidth of 6.5in leaves 1 inch for right margin
\textheight=280mm

\begin{document}

\pagestyle{empty}
\signature{Your Name}     
\longindentation=0pt                       % needed to get closing flush left
\let\raggedleft\raggedright                % needed to get date flush left

\begin{letter}{
Professor John Smith \\
Institute Address}

\begin{center}
\large\bf{Dr Your Name} 
\makebox[1.0\textwidth]{\hrulefill}
\small Current Research Group \\
current address \\
website address \\
email address \\
\vfill                                    % forces letterhead to top of page
\end{center}

\opening{Dear Professor Smith,}
  
Content of letter
		    
\closing{Sincerely yours,} 
\vfill                                    %move letter to the top
		    
\newpage
\begin{center}{\Large\bf  Title}\end{center}

Sell yourself and or put your selection criteria here
		    
\end{letter}
\end{document}

If you have been asked for selection criteria then it goes on a newpage after the cover letter. Even if you are not asked for selection criteria you can still introduce yourself and your experience. You can also add information that would be helpful for the position though not directly asked. At a minimum I include two pages that state my research interests, research experience, career plans and motivation for the position.

Take the time to write selection criteria that highlights your skills, experience and anything you excel at. You have to sell yourself to the point that you sound confident and professional but not over commit or embellish your experience to the point its no longer true. It can be a real challenge to sell yourself on paper. But it can also boost your ego after a few rejections to remind yourself you have skills and will find a job.

The other advantage of well thought out answers to the selection criteria is that in interviews you will likely be asked these questions again. So you have already started your interview preparation.

When you send in your job application don't forget to include a subject for the email that describes the job your applying for (I can't tell you the number of times I forgot this). I also include the job I am applying for, a brief statement of my experience and why I am applying for the job. This may motivate the employer to look at your application or it could be ignored. I have no idea.

If you use LaTeX I also recommend installing pdftk to manipulate pdf documents. I was repeatedly asked for a single pdf file to be submitted for applications. When you write a cover letter and resume in LaTeX you at least have two documents that need to be stitched together as one.

If you don't hear back about a job you applied and two weeks has passed since the closing date then you should probably send them a follow up email asking how the recruitment of the position is going.

Applying for jobs helps you to develop a thicker skin. I was repeatedly rejected, ignored, told I did not have the right skills or experience etc. For a few positions I was rejected (or ignored) only to see the job be advertised again. This even happened to me after I was interviewed for the position. Sometimes its easier to hear there was someone better for the job. You can't argue with that. But its a little different to hear that your not what they are looking for at all.

I think I applied for about 15-20 jobs. By this I mean really applied, selection criteria etc, not just sent an email with a resume for a job I was vaguely interested in or send out cold emails. I got 6 interviews during my 18 months of searching. It is a great feeling when you get offered an interview. But it is equally scary to prepare for it.

Clearly I am awesome and they want to hire me if they have offered an interview. Right? Wrong. You have to nail the interview first. But how do I prepare for an interview?