Hi ViroGirl,

I am honestly not sure and others will be better placed to say about the specifics.

However, just wondering if you know why you failed the exam? I don't know your situation obviously but As in most modules and a fail in an exam seems quite a big difference, so if there was a reason (just throwing possibilities out there) such as you were ill during/before the exam or you have dyslexia/another learning difficulty and didn't know it (again, not saying you do as I don't know, just throwing possibilities out there as there are some learning difficulties which can really affect exam technique and writing under pressure but would be less of a problem with a project).

If there are extenuating circumstances then it might be worth mentioning these when you apply, or perhaps making enquiries beforehand to explain the situation? But again others might be better placed to say.

Good luck!

I know this has been asked before many times but here goes again: just found out I've got a PhD interview next Friday for a project I'd really like to do! Yay!

However, scary as well...this is my first and I've only done non-science job interviews recently, at which I am not very good because I get nervous about answering questions about myself of the type you get in non-academic interviews. However, I'm guessing that this is more likely to be about the work/what I've done on my Masters.

Have been told it's 25 mins or so plus a tour of the Dept/lab and possibly meeting a former PhD student who's now a postdoc there.

Any general tips would be much appreciated! It's psychology/neuroscience if that makes any difference, not sure if interview styles differ within sciences though guessing it varies in different places.

Hi, I can't get the Journal of Physics one but I do have access to the ScienceDirect one - if you PM me your email address I can send it over.

Thanks Reenie and Noctu! Not been on today so just seen this - much appreciated. Noctu - have PMed you (and totally off topic, love your pic - is that your cat?)

Hi,

Left it a bit late I know but I don't seem to have access to this journal and could really do with this paper for an MSc essay due end of this week - any help gratefully received!

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00018-008-8428-0#page-1

Congratulations wowzers! That sounds great - and I'm feeling the same way about the hypothetical situation in which I get the one I'm just applying for now (will have interview fairly soon if shortlisted so hopefully not too long to wait to hear). It's a project I'd really like to do but at the same time lots of unknowns.

Hope you're planning to celebrate somehow - it must be a good feeling to know what you'll be doing; if you're anything like me the uncertainty can be quite stressful.

Thanks Wowzers, that's really helpful. I'll go and send them an email along those lines.

Thanks wowzers! It makes a lot of sense, just not something they do in the job sectors I'm used to so was a bit puzzled re what they were after.

Can I ask what kind of form your 'enquiry' took - did you drop them a brief email with an outline of relevant qualifications/any questions?

Thanks Dan! Good points there - I think I was just a bit confused with the whole 'PhD' style blending into a job app, as I am not used to 'informal enquiries' with a job app. To me it makes sense with a PhD (is this person doing the kind of work you want to do? do they like the sound of your proposed project? are you what they're looking for? etc) but less so with a job which has defined responsibilities and criteria - it's not as though I can ask to change those, and I can see what they want out of an applicant already.

I'm applying for RA positions as well as PhDs atm (I'm doing an MSc). I've found one that looks interesting and where I meet the minimum requirements and some of the 'desirable' ones, and it says 'informal enquiries are encouraged'.

To me, this seems like contacting a supervisor for a PhD before applying informally and probably a good idea to get in touch if it's 'encouraged' - but I'm not really sure what kind of thing to say! For a PhD I'd briefly outline my background and say what I'd like to work on, but here the job has specific duties and criteria outlined and the details seem clear.

It's part-time and I do have a couple of questions about how many days a week etc it works out at and when they'd want someone to start which I thought I could ask at this point - I'd like to know the answers esp as my MSc isn't finished yet (dissertation due Sept, not sure if it's usual/doable/advisable to just finish off the dissertation while starting a job if they want someone sooner.)

I was also thinking of doing a few lines about my background that are relevant to the job description - is this the kind of thing they're after? I want to be proactive but I'm finding it hard to know what 'enquiries' to make without it seeming a bit artificial, given the job details are given and I'm going to be outlining how I meet the criteria in my actual application. I've only done job apps for commercial jobs in a totally different area before so this 'informal enquiries encouraged before you apply' is a new one - normally I would just apply and see what they said about my application!

Can anyone tell me what they usually do when applying for this sort of job?

Hmm more questions sorry!

Given that I can't afford to do the PhD at my current place unfunded, is it better to leave the field clear by withdrawing from the application now so if I want/need to apply next year I haven't messed things up by being rejected or getting a place and then saying I actually can't do it (don't want to mess them around, or make them feel like I am)? Or would it be better to 'show willing/interest' by carrying on and seeing if I can get it this year - would it be possible to defer entry if I DO get it until next year when I can apply for funding, or is this not allowed/frowned on/impossible?

Sorry if this is a really stupid question and what I'm thinking makes no sense - I'm fairly new to the process and concerned about accidentally putting my foot in it somewhere or messing up a chance (slightly paranoid possibly...).

Thanks GeneNat and Thumbelina, that's really helpful!

I've had a chat with my MSc supervisor who was helpful - she said I can apply next year and will be in time for ESRC funding etc then, and the project will be available though may need some modifications depending on what work has been done meanwhile - and she's happy to give me a reference to the other place, she knows the supervisor there and thinks it's an interesting project.

Have been to sites like jobs.ac.uk and set up alerts - wondering if I should put up my CV there. Are there any other sites etc which people have used to search for RA-type jobs?

(continued)
I have one more application (for a funded project I'd really like to do), but nothing more up my sleeve as I am too late for the research council funding and various other ones - wasn't sure I wanted to do a PhD until my supervisor sent me the links for the GTA positions and suggested I apply, and then when I discussed it with her and got thinking about it and started my dissertation research I realised I really would like to do a PhD. So if I don't get this other one, realistically I'll have to wait till next year.

I've seen ads for research assistant jobs which I would have a chance at, if I do have to wait a year - I was thinking that would be a good thing to do in a 'year out', if I can get one, but they're so far in totally different areas from what I want to do my PhD in. Is this a case of 'beggars can't be choosers' and it's better to have the experience in neuroscience/research, even a different area, than a totally unrelated job where I forget what I've learned on the masters? Or does it look indecisive if I've done an RA or similar job in a different area? My feeling is if I held out for the 'perfect' job at this stage I'd never get one so I should be flexible, but wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience with PhDs etc and what you did.

So I've just been rejected from the 'job' portion of a PhD application. It was a GTA position and they've said no without an interview (I'd been hoping to get a bit further at least). They have said I can continue and apply for PhD study there as a self-funded applicant, but tbh I can't really afford this. I know people have done it by working and I admire them massively but I don't feel confident enough about my time management skills, or, if I'm honest, my willingness to say goodbye to a social life for 6 years!

I don't know whether I should say I want to apply for the PhD anyway and see what happens. My supervisor for that would be my current masters supervisor who suggested I apply for the PhD/GTA position, and I don't want to seem like I'm just giving up too easily as I'd really like to do this project and work with her - but the funding is a big sticking point.

I would also, I think, need a job which is more relevant - my masters is in neuroscience, I work currently in a totally unrelated job and I'm finding that more and more difficult to juggle - not the time as much as the constant gear-shifting. We were told that generally part-time PhDs work if the job you're doing alongside is relevant and mine is really not.

(Continued)

Hi,

I can't really comment on my experiences as I'm at an earlier stage than you (masters, applying for PhD). However, I suspect in a few years' time I may be in a similar position; I do like doing research but there are drawbacks to the academic life as you say - and like you, I'll be early 30s when I finish the PhD, assuming I actually get onto one this year!

What I really wanted to say, though, was that last night I was at a talk given by a biological chemist, and he was talking about funding in his area; he thinks either the commercial or the public sector *could* do the work but historically, he thinks a lot of the best work in the area has come out of the commercial sector and that actually for some things you do get better scientific results with the commercial/financial incentive! It is just one person's opinion and others may well disagree, but I thought I'd share as it seems pretty close to your area and you were concerned about what you'd get to do working in industry; it seemed from what he was saying that interesting/potentially important scientific work can and does come out of industry. (And in academia, you'd still be restricted by availability of grant money as to what you can do, though I don't know enough to compare any restrictions imposed by this with any restrictions imposed by industry).