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I did a ten month stint as a postdoc while I wrapped up some research and looked for a job. This was common for people in my program at the time, i.e. graduating from a top 20 school (but not top 10) in a weak job market.

That was a few years back, but in a recent job interview the interviewer spotted the post-doc on my CV, raised an eyebrow, and asked "What's this all about? Why couldn't you land a job after graduating?" Kind of jerky. I don't know if it was a serious question or she was just looking for a reaction.

Postdocs are fun if you like your research. Finding a job that allows you to continue what you like working on is essential and could take awhile.

I studied physics, not CS, but my experience was that it boiled down to weighing the specific job offers that you get in each sector.

A possible reason to do a post-doc is if a full blown industry job search would detract from finishing your PhD. Nothing is worth delaying your PhD.

On the other hand, at least in my field, a post doc was not a step towards industry.