Yes, I feel stuck in Melbourne because my boyfriend, who works in an entirely different industry to me, is succeeding here...more or less. Plus, his qualifications would not be recognised in many other countries, so he would find it hard to get work overseas. Particularly work that is meaningful to his career when he returns to Australia. Having said that, he has been supportive of me being a student for the 9 or so years we have been together, so I am prepared to make this sacrifice (or postponement as I like to view it!) for him.

I don't have a great desire to schmooze my way up the academic ladder and being 31 and female (ie. time off to have kids), I am guessing it is not really possible anyway. My supervisor is 41 and there is not way I can get from unemployed to what he has in 10 years. But I would still like to be a lecturer. Is that possible?

I would've taken the assumption that you'd lean more on the side of feminism, considering your inferred accusation of male chauvinism upon me when I made a comment about our admin girls in another thread. So in this context your comment in your second paragraph about what's not possible surprises me, coupled by the fact that you have spent so much time resources and made sacrifices to complete a PhD in your chosen field and yet you appear to be content to not aim for the stratospheres of academia which is open to you in your post-PhD years.

For his support over nine years, it does appear that your boyfriend deserves your support in return. But I guess there is a very fine line to consider if your job prospects consist of 'shop assistant'. That I must say is devotion not often seen in normally high-achieving partners in relationships.

Incidently, a friend and colleague of mine went from completing a PhD to being lecturer and Principal Researcher of his own lab (consisting of all his own honours, masters and PhD students) in a highly prestigious university in Australia within the space of two, possibly three years. In retrospect I should perhaps have given him more grief for his meteoric achievements.

I would beg to differ that 31 is too old to start, far from it. In fact I find irony in that 31 can be perceived as an unusual age to begin applying a job as shop assistant, wouldn't you think? Not that there is anything wrong with that..

Dear Piglet, just to add something... One of my supervisors is 39, he came back to academia after working in the private industry for 3 years at the age of 30. Now he is the head of the research team that he formed at our university and the principal lecturer of the subject he is teaching.

What you are experiencing at the moment is temporary. I can understand the situation of being stuck in your city doesn't help. But it will all get better. I think you should apply for some teaching positions at universities and adult education schools; as well as applying for some high-level (research or other) positions at the private sector.

Melbourne is not such a bad place to be. There is a thriving biomedical industry (if that is your field), with a number of universities looking to expand in this area.

Thanks guys. I know at the age of 31 and with a PhD, success is still possible for me. It is just difficult to imagine success (stratasphere or otherwise) now when I can't even get a basic job. I must explain that part of the problem is my field (my undergrad, honours and PhD) is quite narrow and there is simply no research in it here in Melbourne. Convincing potential employers that my skills are transferrable to other areas of microbiology/molecular biology seems to be the hard part. Either that, or there are candidates with more relevant backgrounds.

Regarding the shop assistant job - it was kind of relevant to my qualifications and I was not applying for it because it is my dream job or what I want to do for the rest of my working life. But, working in a shop is going to be infinitely better than sitting at home with no money.

Plus, I know I would do that job to the best of my ability - I would not go to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol, I would not harrass my colleagues, I would be polite and helpful to the customers, I would shower and iron my clothes before I went to work each day, I would always be on time, I would not steal money from the till, I would not call in sick unless I was genuinely unwell and I would not think I was above any of it simply because I have spent 13 years at university. But all of that is irrelevant it seems.

I hear 'ok' stories in retail but I seem to hear a lot more horror stories (a few from the direct sources). Don't feel so bad about not getting a job in retail, you may be the best person for the job but that doesn't mean that the idiots interviewing you can recognise it. Same goes for the academic side of things, idiots are a dime-a-dozen at university/research institutions.

What you said about trying to explain the transferability (is that a real word?) of your skills astounds me. In the depts I have been involved in, academic staff all come from a myriad of backgrounds, each with a different set of skills that contribute to the dept as a whole. In fact my major studies were absolutely not related (although still in the same faculty) to the position(s) offered to me, and that meteoric friend I mentioned previously - his PhD was quite specific as well, right down to the specific enzyme he worked with. And yet where he is now is very very broad, his responsibilities cover a wide area.

I am assuming the "transferability" is the problem. I have never actually got to the interview stage with any of my applications, so have not had the chance to be told that by any employers. Problem is I have no choice but to "transfer" out of my field now.

I understand that people change subject areas all the time - which is why I am willing to try it. I only have to look as far as my own supervisors and friends for examples of that. I suspect the problem is that if any other candidate has slightly more relevant experience than me, my application gets put on the scrap heap straight away.

I know I will get a job one day. I can't be unemployed until retirement, can I? I was just so naive that it never occurred to me this could happen and that now it is, I am not coping. Pathetic, but true.

The whole retail thing is just clutching at straws for a job. I have some retail experience (admittedly not the type I applied for a job in the other week) so I thought I would do it for a while and hope a "real" job comes up later. Anything that gives me money each week and a reason to get out of bed in the morning, other than my boyfriend asking me to iron a shirt for him!

You are a sweetie, aren't you, Rogue? A chauvinist, but a sweetie!

Spending time outside or slightly outside your field of expertise is important to de-pigeonhole your options and career. It's a given.

I am neither a sweetie (???), nor a chauvanist in fact I strongly detest being referred to as one. I have many chicky babe friends who would be more than happy to stand (in stilettos) for me.

The sweetie comment was in reference to your willingness to discuss my current predicament with me. It was meant as a compliment, but I know that many guys do not take it as such. Seems you are just another one of those!

And your last sentence makes me regret saying you are sweet at all. Chicky babes? What, are your friends 15 years old? Stand in stilettos for you? What, are you a pimp?

*sigh* If I must spell it out - the comments were made in jest with sarcastic overtones which I guess is lost over the WWW.