Trouble finding job after disappointing PhD in India Started PhD in 2014.
Mistakes that I have committed:

I did my PhD in a topic that was not the area of expertise of my PhD supervisor.

I was doing computational work, while the past graduates on the topic were all experimentalists. So, I did not know the career prospects.

I did not take relevant courses. My committee did not tell me to take them. I am technically unsound now.

I published very late, in 2017 and that too a bad paper (just 3 citation till date) in a decent journal.

Finally graduated in 2019. Tried everything to get a postdoc or industry positions. Did not get anything. I have just 4 papers from my PhD.

Currently unemployed. Looking for positions since. I am an Indian national. Doing part-time job in call center to make ends meet.

My PhD advisor has offered me 2 years postdoc position. Topic will be little bit different and more collaborative with other research groups. Should I accept? I don't know my career prospects after that? Can I still get into academia or research industry after that?


I apply to both industry and academia. No responses. I want to be in a research field either in industry or academia.
Is every career redeemable?
You did a PhD in 5 years, published 4 papers and got an offer for a 2-year postdoc position in times where research funding decreases. Keep going, looks fine.
Take some courses or workshops on topics where you think you aren't skilled enough, but given that you could publish, I suspect that you underestimate yourself here.

&quot;Can I still get into academia or research industry after that?&quot;

With a postdoc position, you are in academia.