Don't worry Harry_K!

I had exactly the same experience.

Here's my story....
Graduated with a 2:1 in biochem (2004). Got a dreadful job selling insurance over the phone, but wanted a science job (2004-2005). Kept applying for science jobs and got a lab technican job (2005). Lab technician job wasn't so hot so kept applying for Ph.Ds., eeking any relevance possible from the lab tech job on to my C.V. (2006). Started PhD in July 2006. I'm now waiting for the viva and started work as a postdoc last month.

1.) Forget the master's they're a waste of money and purely created to milk foriegn cash cows. (unless someone else is willing to pay for you!)

2.) You should be joining a scientific recruitment agency and getting any sort of (relevant) science job, eg NHS path labs, uni labs tech? But be prepared to move.

3.) You could see if your final year supervisor will take you on as a part funded M.Phil student/technician, then jump onto the Ph.D. off the back of your excellent lab work and general science greatness!

;-)

It's that blasted education inflation again!

Unfortunately you're the at bottom of a higher pile now, work hard and publish then you can get a higher paid position (well at least that's the carrot that is being dangled for me). I've just started my first post doc and don't get paid more then 2000 euros a month, but then again, I get paid in lovely old-fashioned, low-value pounds.

A good friend of mine did a PGCE while I was in my second year rut during my Ph.D., it looked like a lot of work but good fun. I'm now a post doc and they're a teacher, I get paid more but I reckon I have less job satisfaction. Teaching seems to have its own pitfalls, but most teachers seem very passionate and take a lot of pleasure from their job.

One thing though, do go into a school and watch some lessons or get involved somehow. You'll get a much better idea of if it is really for you.

Good Luck!(up)

Blimey all these long theses! Mine is just submitted at 37,000. I did a molecular biology stylee and write concisely.

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I think the real answer is nobody knows! I had finished my stipend and was writing my thesis (and was in the registration only period) and decided to apply for JSA, which I gratefully received. I had to show them the jobs I had applied for once a fortnight.

The Job Centre said I would be able to claim housing benefit. So I sent off an application, I was perfectly upfront and honest about my claim (including my situation with the PhD, now the council wants me to pay back the housing benefit I recieved, as according to their records I am a full time student... hmmm, I can't get a student loan, my stipend finished in June, no savings, and looking for a job. Benefits screwed me over!

I would be very wary about any application for benefit, as my experience is that no one knows their arse from their elbow in these places. Perhaps in future if I need benefits I'll just outright lie about my situation.

Good luck with your aplication!

Surely there are plenty of opportunities for overseas students in the U.K.?? I'm in a molecular biology related discipline and almost half the Ph.D. students I meet are not U.K. residents and funded through the university system! I think a quick look at findaphd.com will show you that there are literally hundreds of Ph.D. programmes with overseas funding. Failing that, you could do a Ph.D. in your home country.

In reply to your questions.
1) If you’ve already got a publication(s) supervisors will be very pleased to see it/them.
2) Yes, research experience obviously counts.

I'm at the 130 page mark too. The thesis is nearly finished, just got a few more pages to write for the intro (about 10 I reckon), it's eight chapters, that's five for results (one chapter is incredibly short), one for the intro, summary chapter and materials and methods. My subject area is cell biology.

A few people have said that I've got too many chapters, but I say " if it feels good, do it!"

My supervisor is the same as always... completely disinterested!

Ho-hum, not long to go now...

Loving the political procrastination today!

I thought it was he didn't quite get the humour right. He should have weasel worded it up a bit, that way he would have got off the hook!

Although, I think the article brings into question the suitability of academics as lecturers... Just because someone knows a lot doesn't mean they can teach a lot, or as this article points out are suitable people to be around naive 18 year olds.

I'm hoping to see a Germaine Greer-esque follow up with sordid 60 year old women admiring the young Adonis like UGs... lol.

Bottom line is that no one should be shocked by this, it is soo obvious that old men like looking at young women it's barely worth raising an eyebrow. The only thing is you're not allowed to say it when you hold a VC position. He should have waited until after retirement before publishing.

sneaky Sneaks!

Hi Benm, interesting topic! I worry about this a lot.

Firstly, on a slightly different ilk, I feel that universities are dumbing down the UG degrees in order to cater for students with v.poor English skills, in order to milk the international cash cow. I have first hand evidence of first year UGs (NB plural) being passed, even when their written work is absolute gobbledygook.

From my point of view I feel that work that is entirely beneficial to the British population should probably be undertaken by a British student. My Justification, the person highly specialised techniques/knowledge is more likely to stay here and benefit the nation, both from a tax return and social point of view. Foreign students should pay more, as in *most* cases (anecdotal evidence) they go back to their country of origin taking the skills with them. A better system may be for their country of origin to subsidise their stay here(?). Of course, that would rely upon British universities providing a tip top education to attract foreign government investment.

Another point, often funding for science research and consumables comes from UK sources (charities, government, university coffers) and is used to train international students. You could argue that that represents a pretty impressive subsidy for non-UK students from a UK source.

Hi Maria,

We had a few of these lying round the department when I started. I can whole heartedly recommend "Your Ph.D. companion" (Marshall and Green). Its written with wit, not bogged down in unnescessary detail and easy to dip in and out of. Avoid "How to get a Ph.D." (Pugh) because it's written like a Ph.D. thesis... I found the former to be quite motivational and the latter to be confusing. Worth noting that I'm talking from a science point of view.

One thing to consider is the extra debt. At my institution masters courses are just a way to milk the (usually international) cash cow, also having known people on masters courses I'm not confident that the quality of teaching is worth the money paid out.

If you're sure you want to do a PGCE and become a teacher... why waste time, you should get signed up right away! I've so many friends who became teachers and not one of them dislikes it. It's hard graft but rewarding is the general gist that I get. Most universities offer a PGCE as a masters now too!

You should apply and see! :p

Good Luck!

Hello All,

I'm just getting to the end of my thesis (and wits) and I'm more on-off/stop-start with the writing than an Englishman’s kettle. How do you lot of industrious Ph.D. students overcome these peaks and troughs and avoid the P word (procrastination)? Any tips, advice, good working practices that I should be aware of? I've included a poll of the things I do, that currently don't seem to work, to get me started so I can I have unique working practices.

Thanks!