======= Date Modified 19 May 2011 14:08:25 =======
I stand by my comment about getting other people to look at your CV if you haven't already done that. Sometimes it's possible to get stuck in a rut.

Are you receiving job seekers allowance (http://bit.ly/b2xq7s)? If not, I think you should apply if you're eligible. It will also give you contact with a job centre which might help you market yourself better to different employers or highlight some opportunities you maybe haven't thought of. I wasn't suggesting an internship as an alternative to a paid job - rather that it might be a productive thing to do until a paid job comes along. Even a couple of weeks work experience might be productive.

I really do think you should be talking to people who care about you. Is your boyfriend aware of how you're feeling at the moment.

======= Date Modified 19 May 2011 13:40:02 =======

First up, if you're feeling suicidal then your first priority is to start talking to someone asap. Go for a coffee with a sympathetic friend, or if none are free then talk to your GP or the Samaratans (www.samaritans.org). There is a place for you in the world, but the job market is tough right now at lots of levels (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13394533). Don't take as a reflection of you personally.

It sounds like a horribly frustrating situation. A couple of thoughts:
1. If you're up for working in industry/the commercial sector, but there is a perception that you lack 'relevant' experience, is it worth trying to get some work experience/an unpaid internship? Obviously paid would be better but at least it would be a foot in the door and give you something to enhance applications.

2. I don't think it should be about 'hiding' a PhD - I think (although I have no direct experience of this situation) that it's more about making sure you market what you did in your PhD in such a way that non-academic employers can clearly see the benefits of you having done it. So emphasise things like project management skills, self motivation, collaboration and give examples. Get someone who is not in academia to cast an eye over your CV when applying for non-academic jobs. Also have a look at this to get a feel for some of the different expectations:
http://scienceblogs.com/bioephemera/2011/05/cvs_vs_resumes_when_it_matters.php

3. Be proactive if possible. Not many jobs advertised? Then identify places where you might like to work and get in contact with them asking if anything might come up in the near future. Ensure that the enquiries you make are specific, not generic. It might not yield anything, but you never know.

Good luck.

Here's my reply to your other thread:
http://www.postgraduateforum.com/threadViewer.aspx?TID=18289

Same comments apply.

You need to consider:
- what are your long term career plans? Is a PhD crucial for that?
- how stable/permanent is the job? Do you risk being made redundant in 6 months time?
- Why does your PhD bore you? Wrong question? Unstimulating environment? Lack of autonomy? Mismatch between personality type and work type? Is the boredom fixable?

There is no universal experience with regard to how year 2/3 compares with year 1. It's hard to say without knowing more about the circumstances.

======= Date Modified 18 May 2011 12:37:32 =======
League tables are an inherently flawed concept:
http://plus.maths.org/content/understanding-uncertainty-league-table-lottery
http://plus.maths.org/content/understanding-uncertainty-premier-league

Do you really think a prospective employer is going to look at your degree and say 'Well QMUL are down a few points this year so maybe this person isn't worth employing right now'? What really matters is:
1. What is the course content?
2. Does it provide you with the learning and training opportunities that are going to be beneficial to your career plans?
3. What's the quality/reputation of that department?
4. (to some extent) What's the general long term reputation of that university? (in QMUL's case, pretty sound)

Seriously - league tables are good to give you a vague idea but not worth stressing over the details.

Hmmm, I've never used Vista for anything, so I can't help there.

Maybe here there might be something:
http://feedback.mendeley.com/forums/4941-mendeley-feedback

What operating system are you using and what version of Word?

I've never had it cause Word to crash. The 'insert citation' button is only available in Word once you've installed the relevant plug in (go to the 'Tools' menu on Mendeley desktop and I think the install option is there). Alas, this won't work if you're running Office 2010 64 bit version - they've been saying for a while that they're going to develop a plug in for that, but there's no news as to when.

I think Mendeley has a support forum so if people here can't help then try there.

It's understandable that you feel sad. It must be very frustrating to be in this position when you've worked so hard and it feels like it's beyond your control. I do think it's good that you've accepted the retail job though, as at least if you have something structured to do with your time, and the freedom from money worries it might relieve some of the stress.

I hope that you find the kind of job you want soon.

Quitting a PhD is not the end of the world. If it's making you miserable then it doesn't sound like something you should be doing. But before you do, do think carefully about whether this feeling might pass when you start getting results etc. But if you know that you're never going to enjoy it then why carry on for the sake of it?

I suspect that not finishing a PhD won't be a barrier with respect to working in science communication. The important thing is marketing your transferable skills. You don't say which area of sci comm you want to get into - writing? Schools engagement? Different skill sets will be viewed as beneficial. If you quit and then can't find a sci comms job straight away consider that any kind of communications officer type role may enhance your CV, although recognise that there may be a lot of competition for these positions.

There are only a finite number of opportunities in that area so you need to make it clear that you are someone who wants to do it because they have a passion for it, rather than 'because it's not as bad as doing a PhD', which might be some people's motivation. Before quitting I would make sure you have a definite plan of what area you want to target, at least in the short term. And start putting together a 'portfolio' that supports this. You want to do science writing? Then start a blog and use Twitter to network with interesting science people. You want to work with the public? Then enhance your volunteering by actively taking the lead/making suggestions of new projects with the people you already volunteer with. You will need to stand out from the crowd, and experience may be more helpful than a PhD.

You might also want to read this:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/13/wellcome-trust-science-writing-prize?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Good luck

I'd also recommend Mendeley desktop. You can use it offline, and just synch it when you're online. You can add your own tags which you can then search on, which is handy. I've filed my papers into several folders using it but folders are a bit restrictive when papers maybe cover more than one topic, so tags are useful.

Sounds like you're already pretty organised!

I have some familiarity with meta analysis but not of economic evaluations. Doing it with observational data has its own challenges, particularly when reporting of data is so variable.

If you haven't already done so, take a look at the MOOSE guidelines (http://www.consort-statement.org/mod_product/uploads/MOOSE%20Statement%202000.pdf) as if you want to go on to publish your findings you may have to comply with these or similar

Apart from the fact that it made me lose all my tabs, yes, Firefox 4 is not making me very happy at the moment. Too many layout changes mean I keep doing the wrong things. I'm sure I'll get used to it but right now it's really grating.

Actually, despite my browser tab addiction, I don't like having too many windows open, crowding up the toolbar at the bottom. So currently just two word docs, ref software, and internet browser (with 9 tabs - it's starting again!)

======= Date Modified 06 May 2011 16:58:44 =======
Since I started using Firefox I have become a bit of a tab addict. Particularly as you can restore them in your next session. If I'm browsing a page and there are links I want to look at but haven't finished the main page, I'll open them in the new tab. If I read them straight away then I'll either close them or save them for future use. But if I haven't got time to read it then and there, or I'm not sure if I really want to save it/print it out, or if I want to remind myself to look at it again in the next few days, then I'll leave it open.

I recently discovered that I had.... over 100 tabs open in Firefox.:$ They related to various searches and tangents I've had in my PhD since January - things I've kept just in case I want to look at them but which I didn't think were important enough to save there and then. Then I upgraded to the new version of Firefox and the way they retain your tabs changed and I lost them all. In a way, I'm kinda glad for the clean slate! I'm sure I'll cope just fine without them, but I was hanging on to them 'just in case'.

Both duly rewarded. But I think maybe I need something tougher. Maybe I should find me an academic boot camp or something...