1. Visit career offices of nearby unis sometimes they would provide advice if you're an alumnus and you can even access some of their resources.

Good point. I've already been using the local resources as best I can, but perhaps they need another visit.

2. Know what you want! Do you want a PhD, do you want to work in research? Without knowing what you're aiming for you can't tailor your CV successfully which's why you're not getting that many interviews.

My CV has been tailored for PhD work, partially with the help of the local uni offices. Perhaps it needs work for employment use too.

3. As TreeofLife says, work on your interview technique: get a friend or relative to role play the interviewer and practice or do it yourself at home as well this helped me.

Yep, this would be a good idea, I'll remember it next time.

4. There's no such thing as "the best places to work"- every employer has pros and cons and you need to research each employer individually. It's hard work but it must be done I'm afraid otherwise you'll be grasping at straws.

Equally good point, but I was just looking for some suggestions on where to start. I don't apply to jobs I wouldn't want to actually do, seems sensible to treat employers the same.

5. Consider volunteer work if you can- this will help you end the "unemployment gap" in your CV, build your skills portfolio, and will make you a more attractive employee to employers.

Been doing this, alot. Finished a 6 month internship at the local uni in April, been caring for a family member post-op since then.

Can anyone else make some suggestions please?

You have a point. My firist interview was for a job, and the interview went fine, but they gave it to someone with a PhD+10 years experience. Fair enough I guess. The second was for a PhD, and feedback I got was that the successful candidate was apparently more enthusiastic about research. I'll remember that for next time.

I've been applying for PhD's and jobs for months but only gotten two interviews thus far. Unemployment is starting to really bug me, I don't feel I'm making any progress at all, banging my head against a wall. I've got a decent Bsc and Msc degree, plus a few decent internships on my CV.

For those of you who have some experience of this, can anyone make suggestions on how I can improve my chances of getting jobs and PhD's? People to approach for internships, alternate places to look for opportunities? I'm also interested in the best places to look for job in the biology field, especially genetics and neuroscience. I've been checking university websites, but I'm not sure who else to investigate. Should I check pharmaceutical companies etc? Are there any good websites with lists of the best places to apply?

To be blunt, I'm grasping at straws to make any kind of progress in getting started with a job or career. I've been using and making contacts as best I can, but I'm getting pretty despondent on the whole thing.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I've actually gotten a 3-month placement at my local uni in the neurogenetics lab with the chance of a job at the end of it. Guess I wasn't unemployed for so long after all.

Janine, are you just looking at local places, or are you actively hunting down labs that deal with the area you wan to work in? It was pure luck that my local place is both doing the research that I'm interested in AND looking for help. I got involved by emailing and asking the supervisor in question.

Yay, got my masters result back: Merit grade [B+]. Happy with that, time to get back to job/PhD hunting.

Guess I'll have to keep trying for the moment, but this unemployment thing is pretty crushing at times. How the heck do people stand this for years at a stretch?

At least I'm getting fitter, plenty of time for cycling now!