sounds like a plan, piglet. i worked in a bakery once and we got to take home anything that hadn't sold that day. great when you're on a budget. i miss the smell of fresh bread...

Have an interview for a part-time job in a shop this morning - not the bakery. I am worried they will ask me questions about their (bloody extensive) product range and find out I have no idea! Aaarrrggghhhh!!! I am supposed to know all about this stuff and I haven't got a clue.

When I started my PhD a friend of mine who was half way through her PhD gave me a hot tip. Any time your supervisor asks about your experiments/data/writing, you just laugh really loud and start talking enthusiastically about something completely different. Your supervisor will be so distracted he/she will not notice you didn't answer the question and forget all about it. Believe me, it works a treat - I used it several times during my own PhD with great success. Admittedly, my supervisor thinks I am a little crazy as a result, but at least it got me out of a couple of sticky situations. I am thinking I will rely on this technique during my interview!

Wish me luck! I have new shoes for the occasion. Yay!

What type of shop?

Oh - and good luck!

Alcoholic beverages. Right up my alley.

I had a friend who worked in a wine shop once, seemed to spend a lot of time after work doing wine and whiskey tasting if I remember...

So long as he/she didn't post on an online forum after said tasting .

Got to go now. Bloody nervous. Will probably crash my car on the way. Goodnight, Coastman.

Alright, we've got our fingers crossed for you. Goodnight.

Hi, I just joined this forum and am quite excited to read comments from Piglet and so many others who seem to be stuck in the same journey as me. I guess I will try to use my free time here, encouraging all the Madam Curie-wannabes, creme-de-la-creme of science field.....living in poverty (yeah its scientific poverty isnt it?).

A funny experience I had here in UK when I visited a recruitment centre, immediately upon entering, an asian receptionist (I am an asian myself) stated that oh.......the industrial vacancies are towards the other side........I guess people are just judged by their choice of apparels and fragrance only.

Just to chime in...
I too am stuck in a dull job while searching for the academic one. I do data entry all day, and it makes my eyes bleed, but at least it is a job. For those of you out there still looking, recruiters/temp agencies are the best way to get jobs because they appreciate all your education/that you are not an idiot... because they get a lot of idiots.

I agree with correctedshoe, temp agencies will welcome educated people. I have worked for and had temps work for me and you would be surprised how many are complete idiots. Most places I have worked they are so glad to have someone who can use their own initiative and get on with the work without being spoon fed. Also, depending on where you are working you could possible take on extra work because of your skills (for no extra money but at least it might not be as mindnumbing as basic stuff). I ended up producing newsletters and publicity material for a company where I was a receptionist because of my previous journalism skills. It just made the day a bit more interesting. And if you do not want to go into academia you might be able to network, again depending on type of company.

how did it go Piglet? By the way, have you searched for jobs at the Open university over there? If it's like the one here, the teaching method sounds easy and the pay is good.

Interview was vin ordinaire - to use an appropriate term. But, today (Saturday) got a phone call and a job offer from them. Only 15 hours a week but have to work 22 hours next week for training. Woo hoo!

That's great Piglet. I hope this will give you a chance to concentrate on job applications in your area without being out of pocket.

Piglet

congratulations, well done, you must be pleased.

Regards