It's not so much the poor salary that makes doing postdocs so unattractive, it's the insecurity. It makes it very difficult to settle down and start a family if you're permanently on one or two year contracts. Furthermore, the next job may not even be in the same country. Would you really be willing to up sticks and take your family abroad for yet another one year contract? If you think I'm exaggerating then you're wrong. I know some very competent people currently into double figures on the postdoc tally. I also know of tenure track professorship positions (which, by the way are no easy ride once you land one - 70 hour week anyone?) that attract several hundred applicants. Obviously there's variation amongst the different academic fields and some are easier to succeed in than others, but overall it's really tough out there at the moment.

Not only is the salary shocking, but what's even worse is the total lack of job security due to an extreme shortage of available permanent positions. When you combine these factors it's little wonder that few people consider a career in academia a viable option.

Well to me it just seemed like a p**s-take of jojo's blog and seeing as the name was so similar and the person had never posted anything here before, my suspicions were aroused. As to why someone would create a hoax blog, I have no idea, although reading through some comments on jojo's thread her posting wasn't unanimously well received.

Anyway, I take it back if jola is genuine, although I would warn that it's perhaps not the best idea to actively state how lazy you are. You never know how someone might find your identity on the web as nothing is truly anonymous.

Yes, I have read the blog, that's what makes me suspicious.

Examples:

Tuesday, 29 April 2008

"I normally just rock up and chat about myself for an hour, and they never seem to mind. Do you guys prepare anything specific, a short skit, soliloquy, interpretive dance? Actually, my supervisors would love that- One guy in our research centre was recently asked to 'dance his life story' infront of a group of other researchers. He just span around in circles till he was allowed to stop and it moved someone to tears :)"

Tuesday, 22 April 2008

"I feel really bad that when she tries to have an academic debate with me, I just stare at her blankly and agree with everything she is saying, but I do love her, because as well as being wise she is great at baking, and normally brings me home made biscuits or treats. That's right, I'm so simple the rest of the PhDers reward me with biscuits. WOOF!"

Does anyone else here think that jola is writing a hoax blog? To be honest, I was immediately suspicious as soon as I saw the name.

Apologies - I didn't realise the work referred to in your fourth comment meant extra work, outside of the PhD.

I would say though, that if you enjoy your industry position and there is a chance to progress without a PhD then you should stick it out.

What people like you don't realise is that when someone quits their PhD the resulting repercussions have an impact on more than just that one individual. The department may lose funding for the next year if they cannot fill the newly vacant position and it can land your supervisor(s) in it as well, especially if they're just starting out in their career. Your scholarship was low precisely because there isn't much money in academia - it's not like industry where a few super-rich shareholders might suffer at the end of the year because of a bad decision. So please consider the implications of your actions.

"4. i could not put up with the low scholarship i was getting!! i wanted a bit more money in but didn't want to work while doing research. yes, i'm probably a lazy BA****** but i think i'm smart enough!"

Presumably you knew how much money you would receive before you started, so this is just inexcusable. Please do not waste someone else's opportunity to get a PhD by starting something that you're not committed to finish. Get an MBA from a good school, work in the City, make your millions and be happy. You may have the brains for a PhD but if you're not self-motivated and able to work independently you will never succeed.

From your other post (Supervisor playing games with me) my understanding is that you are half way through your PhD, not half way through writing your thesis. Am I correct? If that is the case, then it is makes it more feasible to change supervisor.

I agree pinpoint. This post seems to have been created so that Liverbird could boast about the number of publications he/she has. Totally inappropriate when you consider the near suicidal content of some of the threads on this forum.

juno, light aircraft are far more dangerous, comparatively speaking, than commercial jets. Flying low is a danger as you're at the mercy of unfavourable weather conditions. Larger aircraft fly above the weather - except for take off and landing, of course.

As for the OP, I do not believe he has a phobia rather a dislike of flying. Anyway, I didn't take his post seriously because it was written in such a jokey style. As with much in life, you get out what you put in, so if I see a native English speaker using 'words' like "flyin", "thot" and "talkin", then I believe I am well within my rights to take the piss!

As you say, it's not unheard of for PhD students in the UK to give presentations during their viva, but it's slightly unusual. On the Continent it's normal as they tend to have public defenses. Perhaps this is actually a request from your external examiner, via your internal, since you mention that she is not from the UK?

My suggestion is not to worry about it and just stick to the key points in your thesis. You could even adapt one (or more) of your conference presentations, assuming they are relevant to your thesis topic. Use this to your advantage, as you say feel confident presenting with slides as a back up. Good luck!

I don like flyin me soup neither guv! Innit..

Getting a postdoc in the States shouldn't be a problem. Bear in mind you will be worked like a slave, though.

Getting a permanent position is another matter. To achieve this you really will have to be outstanding and it most probably will require, at a minimum, 3 or 4 postdoc positions and an exemplery publishing record to even be considered. It's not uncommon for people to wait until their 40s for a permanent position, having been in academia throughout their working life.

There is a dire shortage of permanent positions throughout academia and the situation is especially acute in the US. Furthermore, you will be competing against postdocs from overseas (usually China and India) who basically dedicate their entire lives to their careers and are quite willing to work 70 hr weeks to achieve their objective. Good luck!

If you're serious about quitting, do it sooner rather than later. Less than one year is acceptable - everyone makes mistakes - any longer and it gets more difficult to justify. I wouldn't bother with the MPhil route as it's another 6 months of work and even then there's no guarantee at the end of that time you will definitely get it. Instead you should focus on trying to get funding for the subject you actually want to study and move on.