I have been asked at a couple of interviews recently for "can you give me an example where you encountered a problem and how you went about resolving it"

Also go through the job description and rustle up examples for each key quality/skill they are looking for. So rather than say you are good at meeting deadlines, have an example ready to demonstrate how and when you have done this in the past. If you don't have exactly the skill, then be able to show how another skill complements it etc

One other question I had recently was - "say you had five different tasks to do, all with the same deadline, how would you prioritise them?"

======= Date Modified 13 Dec 2011 15:54:11 =======
Again, thanks for the replies. C++girl, I remember you writing so honestly about your viva. I don't think I could eat a thing either and would be afraid that I would slurp the water - not an impressive start! I know a fair bit about my external examiner and even downloaded his own thesis from the early 1990s from ethos! Don't know if it helped as he used mixed methods whereas mine is qualitative all the way. Still his acknowledgments made for interesting reading and gave me an insight into him! My internal I also know and as you say, she is all about the 'big picture'. She is also very much a 'less is more' type person so I can see a few areas where she might take issue with me. I actually wouldn't mind doing a presentation but don't think it's normal in my discipline unless the thesis is very quantitative.

@Delta, thanks for your honest account; a bit scary but no point sugar-coating things. I think I agree with you that it's all but decided before the candidate enters the room. A pity for me as I think I can argue my case better orally than I have in my thesis. I sent you a pm, btw.

Thanks all (up)

Edit: just see your post now KB - thanks for taking time to reassure me - I'm never happy unless I'm stressing about something! Hope your postdoc is going well :-)

Thanks guys, I really appreciate and value your input. Interestingly you are all really saying a version of the same thing, ie it's my research, I know it and it's up to me. I DO know my own research but get really nervous thinking about all the things I don't know. I was a bit ambitious in my head with what I wanted to do with the prep. I think the advice to go through it and summarise the various paragraphs and sections into short bite-size chunks is great. Methodology wise, yes there are counter-arguments but (fingers crossed) I think I can defend what I did. It's the theory and abstraction of what I found to a higher level is what has me quivering.

thanks again Pink_Numbers, Dr Corinne and Alexandrak - hopefully I can join your club in the new year!

I wanted to ask those of you who are now successfully on the other side of your viva for any top viva prep tips.

Time is slipping away for me and while I pulled all the stops out to submit, my motivation for thesis associated work has plummeted :-( I am preparing, sort of, kind of, a bit ... Any tips???

That's too bad Delta, sorry to hear that. You're right not to take it personally although it's tough getting those rejection emails. You will get something, and hopefully soon. You have your PhD albut under your belt, save those minor corrections. Willing good thoughts your way (up)

======= Date Modified 13 Dec 2011 09:55:07 =======
Hi Timefortea - sorry to hear your children haven't been well although now it looks like they're better, just in time for the holidays!!! I would be realistic with what you can achieve over the next few weeks and maybe just tip away at a bit of reading and admin-type stuff 'til January. Shelve any attempts at writing but try to get your thoughts in order for when you will have some spare moments for it.

Me - my brood are older than yours but I am facing into Christmas while simultaneously trying to prep for my viva - which I am failing at miserably. I have hardly looked at my thesis and time is slipping away. One of my twins acts up a fair bit and has gone from last year sneaking out of the house and me never knowing where he was to this year, feigning illness and not wanting to go out past the front door. Neither is how I want it to be with him. Fourteen years old is a tough age with all those hormones raging inside of you. His twin (also 14!!!) has little sympathy as long as his x-box is working. And I thought it would get easier...

Happy Christmas all PhD Mums, and Dads, and sisters, and brothers, and aunties, and uncles, and friends(gift)

Brill news Catalinbond, many congrats(gift)

oooh, good luck Delta and Catalinbond - fingers (and toes) crossed for you both.

Hi Rahbar

I can get both for you if you want to pm me your email address

Thanks all, I know I'm being silly but whatever about typos, I am so annoyed with myself that something so careless slipped through. My external may well not cop it given that he is from a different country but my internal probably will notice it.

Am very annoyed with myself :-s

well done Sneaks, a bottle of vino tonight methinks:-)

Hi Naturalme

(Thanks for the reply to my ques, btw!)

I use present tense throughout except for my methodology where I spoke in the past tense about what I actually did. One of my pre submission 'to do' things was to conduct a tense check and I did spot a few inconsistencies and that's probably the most important, ie be consistent. I was a little unsure as a couple of people I was referencing are dead (!!) but I decided to go with 'Jones states' and 'Smith advises...'

One thing, if your examiners didn't mention it, should you be changing things??

======= Date Modified 04 Dec 2011 15:29:58 =======
Thanks you guys, you're right but I needed to hear it. I just HATE when I do things which I think are sloppy and completely avoidable. That March/Feb mistake has been in the thesis for ages but apropos nothing (I was actually ironing this morning) it suddenly popped into my head, I flicked through the soft-bound copy and yes, there it was:-(

======= Date Modified 04 Dec 2011 14:04:59 =======
Post submission, I'm currently going through my thesis in preparation for upcoming viva. I have spotted a few mistakes but one in particular is playing on my mind. In my introduction I mention a general election which I say was in March when in fact it was February. If it comes up at the viva would you admit that you got the month wrong (still can't understand why I typed March instead of Feb) OR would it be better to be shocked at such a sloppy mistake (which it is) and agree to correct?

What would you do? :-(