I'm re-reading my thesis, and isn't it incredible how many silly errors you find after submission?!

I'm not letting them get me down, as I'm sure they're not major errors, but how about these couple of pearls:

* Mozart wrote a piece in 1971, not 1791...
* All of my (see fig. XX) numbers are out by four, between fig. 20 and 80, because I deleted four but musn't have gone through the text changing the references to them...

I'm hoping the examiners laugh at the first one and ask me to change it, and that the second one will be seen as a minor formatting error.

So infuriating when you're sure it's all right, and then you look back at it.

I shouldn't be worried about those minor things should I?

My very first publication is a chapter in an edited collection, released in February this year. The contents are purely an adapted version of my MA thesis!

So yes - definitely possible! I'm in the Humanities, so very different, but just letting you know it is possible!

Just to clarify what I meant by the PhD being the focus. What I should have said is research > teaching. The PhD incorporates the other stuff (conferences, articles and so forth). I meant the PhD experience should always take priority over the teaching/marking.

Sorry for the confusion!

Thanks both for excellent replies.

Bewildered - you are correct, I'm in the humanities.

In terms of last minute sessional teachers - is it acceptable to email HoDs with a CV? Would it not appear a little desperate? Is this an accepted thing in academia? I'm not questioning your suggestion, as I've seen it suggested elsewhere too, but I'm genuinely intrigued.

If it is the done thing, would you suggest doing that now, or perhaps a little closer to the start of term? Also - what would I write in the covering letter? Just highlight my specialist areas and offer my availability?

Ok guys, so I posted a while back about what to do in the interim year between PhD completion and (hopefully) a first academic post. I've now got my act together and have a rough timeline of what's happening.

I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions/concerns about my plans, and could offer any guidance as to whether I'm doing things right.

OK so here's where I'm at.

1) PhD - I'm currently just weeks away from submitting my thesis. The viva should be around October/November. Providing minor amendments (or even major) is the result, I will graduate with a PhD in July of 2016 (but will technically have it before then when the corrections are signed off).

2) Teaching - I've got a PGCTHE qualification and FHEA status. Also have 3 years experience of teaching undergraduates and supervising dissertations.

3) Publications - one currently out (a chapter in a book), two currently under review, and I plan, in the following year, to write up 2 or 3 journal articles from my PhD. By next summer, I would like 4 either printed or accepted.

4) Fellowships/prizes - I have 3 internationally renowned fellowships on my CV which were used for foreign research, and have also received funding from 6 other bodies to attend conferences internationally.

5) Conferences. 12 papers presented over the past 4 years. some internationally (as above).

6) Job? - I've got one sessional lecturer position in my area from September, and have two applications in the pipeline of a similar nature. This will pay the bills just about, but it does give me time to write/research.

I'm very proud of my CV to date, and have worked very hard (too hard at times), but I'm realistic enough to know that nothing guarantees anyone a job. So my question is, other than publications from now until next summer, what I can do to really increase my chances of landing my first FT academic position in September 2016?

Many thanks indeed for any help.

PS - if you're doing it at a north-west England uni, PM me!

I'm a GTA, and am now at the end of my 3 years.

Advice. Well - there's several things I wish I knew in September 2012 that I know now...

Firstly, and you must remember this at all times and get the Graduate School to back you up if necessary. The PhD takes priority AT ALL TIMES. Yes you'll be expected to teach, prepare, mark assignments, but the reason you are at the university is to get a PhD. A PhD completion is what they will want and expect.

The teaching will occasionally take up more time than you wished, and the PhD might seem to be taking a back seat, but never let this be the case for more than a week at a time. Ensure that you are not being asked to do more than your contract states. GTAs are very easy to abuse, as it is effectively free staffing for the department. Thankfully, I didn't have much trouble with mine, but make sure you're conscious that some departments might be a little less forgiving.

Another bit of advice is to hit the ground running with your research. If you spend the first month getting used to teaching, then realise you've done no PhD, the pressure can already start to rise. Get the PhD and teaching going straight away. It might hit you like a ton of bricks, but it's worth it.

Organisation? If you're teaching seminars/tutorials only (which you should be in your first year really), then ask the module leader for materials well in advance. You shouldn't be asked to give lectures really, or prepare very long sessions. Be professional, but put the bare minimum of hours into teaching preparation as possible while still offering a good student experience.

Finally - good luck! It's been a whirlwind 3 years for me. I've enjoyed moments, had horrible mental health dips, but have nearly come out of the other side with a PhD and 3 years of VITAL teaching experience on my CV. All worth it!

I had a full first draft before starting to revise it.

If you polish Chapter 1, and it's perfect, but then 18 months later chapters 8 and 9 mean that chapter 1 is no longer perfect, you end up doing twice the work.

Best to have a full draft, which may be rough around the edges, and polish it as a whole thesis IMO.

In the UK, your two examiners MUST agree on what action is to be taken.

I would seriously ask questions of the process behind your examination if you have such a broad difference. Did your examiners sign off the corrections as R+R? Questions to be asked here.

Go home for the summer if I was you. I'm inclined to say that it is not your PhD that is causing you this blip in your mental health, but the two issues of your gf and attempted suicide have probably affected you more seriously than you thought.

It's August. In Europe, at least, universities practically shut down. Get some rest time. Even if it's 2 weeks, do something different. If you can afford to go home, I would. Family and friends make a monumental difference when you're feeling down. Do something goofy with old friends from home. Spend a day shopping with your parent(s). Anything like that will restore you to a bit of normality and context.

Having the two aforementioned things happening at home would be tough, but 10,000km away will intensify that. Go home, get some context and rest, and go back to it refreshed a couple of weeks later.

I agree with the post above.

I'm using theoretical textual analysis which has been done 1000s of times before. However, nobody has used it on the case studies I'm looking at.

The methodology is incredibly simple, yet the research and outcomes of looking at a new case study are, in my opinion, interesting and - here is the killer word - ORIGINAL.

If you have done everything that was on your sheet of corrections, they CANNOT fail you.

Simple as that!

At my university, there a handful of people who went straight to funded PhDs from undergraduate.

In all cases, they had received very high First Class degrees (75-80 average marks), and got in on the strength of their research proposals.

I think an MA is beneficial, and don't agree with the undergrad-PhD process, but that's nothing personal, and I wouldn't treat anyone differently for not doing an MA. I just think you're more academically mature having done one, in terms of you know what to expect and troubleshoot a little easier.

40 minutes is hardly anything in this day and age for a commute. For the sake of 20 minutes more each way, I'd say the second one is definitely worth considering.

I think you've answered your own question. 40 minutes extra travelling a day. but more financial security. No brainer to me.

I don't know you Kathryn, and I'm not going to judge, but I think nearly the entire problem here is your outlook on life.

I've struggled from anxiety, burnout, and I'm pretty sure almost depression at times during the PhD, and I know how negative the world can look. However, I reassessed my life, where it was going, and I'm back on track. I spoke to someone professionally about this.

Again, I don't know you, so forgive me if this is way out of line, but have you considered counselling for your negative outlook on life, but also confidence in social situations?

What struck me most was the fact you found the isolation of the PhD the most rewarding part, when most people find that the most UNenjoyable part.

Social anxiety and negativity will only get worse if left untreated.

Forgive my rather forward suggestions, but I think this is a deeper seated problem than just not being able to find work. Calling yourself unemployable when you have a PhD is not a rational statement.