I am sure you are right and this issue varies with each university, but in my department (science), a lit review would not qualify for a Masters. Some experiments and results would be required too.

Think I might have found your summer, H. It is still down here in the southern hemisphere. We just had our hottest May night on record, a minimum of about 18 degrees, and are all wondering where winter is. Today is cold and rainy though, so I think things will be getting back to normal soon.

I have a short chapter (11 pages) and it sits between two beasts of chapters (both more than 40 pages). The data was not relevant to any other chapter, so it had to stand alone. I wouldn't worry about having a short chapter at all - if it is relevant and necessary for your thesis, just leave it where it is.

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.

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.

Fair enough.

I still choose to pretend he looks distinctly like Colin Firth circa 1995. Oh bugger it, if I am going to do that, I also choose to pretend I look distinctly like Scarlett Johansson.

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?

You are very knowledgeable of all things Australian, Rogue Academic - are you in Australia yourself?

That is a bit mean, H. If you know Coastman outside of this forum and you know what he looks like, that comment is mean. If you don't know him apart from on here, your comment is still mean. What is wrong with Coastman???

I would love to work overseas. Have always lived here, so overseas (especially somewhere I would need to learn a 2nd language) would be a great adventure. Also, my supervisor insists it is essential to spend at least a couple of years working in an overseas lab to get somewhere in an Australian university later.

But, my boyfriend works here (Melbourne) and is doing well in his career, so leaving is not possible at least for another few years.

Regarding what I want to do...Ideally (ie. I am dreaming here!) I would love a post-doc position or two overseas for a few years and then become a lecturer at home. I would love to lecture and I think I would be okay at it too.

I would rather swallow razor blades...

Just to keep you all up to date with the sad and sorry state of my life...I didn't get the shop assistant position. I rang to check on the progress of my application after a week and was told interview calls would be made in a couple of days...that was a couple of weeks ago, so I take that as a big fat NO to me. No email saying thanks, but no thanks. I think that is the part the annoys me the most. So rude.

So, I am still unemployed...and our prime minister is singing his own praises in light of Australia currently experiencing the lowest unemployment rate in more than 30 years! It seems in this country of 20 million people, I am the only one who cannot get a job. Boo hoo.

Oh pea, that is a wonderful image! Yes! I can see the thin white undershirt clinging to his masculine chest as he emerges from the water...and strides towards me with confidence...I must stop, I am going to get carried away.

I may have put a bit more thought into my name had I known I would still be posting months later. I think I thought it would be one of those sites you sign up to for a day then forget all about and never go back to again. Oops. Have to say I love fluffymonster and pineapple.