hi Evakimou, it's only the 16th today :-)
the best is coming!!!
remember to post back with the good news

love satchi

hi everyone, I received another rejection letter today (Letter no 6!!)
I don't feel sad :-)

I think posting about my job search experience here has helped me a lot.
Thank you so much.

I've still got 3 pending-job apps, so the Waiting Game continues!

love satchi

hi Elsie thanks for posting! Please do keep in touch if something comes for you, it will really motivate us all!

love satchi

hi tt dan
my best advice would be:

1. first of all, don't offend your supervisor--if he is giving you silly suggestions, try your best to show him alternatives of his silly suggestions in a way that will make things work. May be hard work for you, but it's worth it if you are going to work with him for the whole of your phd. Remember that you may need referrals in future--and the first port of call for stuff like this always goes back to the supervisor.

2. recognise that everybody is different--and learn to work at different levels with people. For example, some day you might have really "stupid" colleagues at work--and because you need the job etc. you still need to interact with these so-called "stupid" colleagues

3. recognise that seeing imperfection in others reflects something back in ourselves---"we see what is mirrored"

I'll share my experience with you--my supervisor was always lastminute.com and send_me_a_report-now.ac.uk

the thing to consider---could I work with him??? For 3+ years???
I found that I was able to put up with lastminute.com, and stuck with it.
today Dr. lastminute.com is willing to write references for me, and is very encouraging of my job search.

love satchi

hi JanineG, sorry to here about your job rejection and the UCL PhD. Hope you're feeling ok. Do you know anyone who works with Royal Mail? I've heard from people--like if you know the manager, they can recommend you for jobs with Royal Mail. When I was looking for my phd, I also had 2 rejections, and 2 interviews. I hope you find something soon, and thank you so much for sharing.

hi Swetchha, its really great that you can be in a position to do volunteering and unpaid consultancy work. I just found out today that a friend of a friend of a friend got a job with museum (don't remember which one). The thing was that she had a BA for something not related to History, but she liked museum jobs so much that she did a lot of volunteering and internships (she planned activities for kids coming to the museum etc.) and then she landed her job as a coordinator in a museum. Well, a real job with a real pay. When I heard this I also felt more encouraged. Hopefully something good will turn up for you, and thanks for sharing.

as for me, I posted off two job applications yesterday--today I did some gardening (planting potatoes!!!!) I have never grown them before--but at least this takes my mind off worry or thinking about things I shouldn't worry about!!!! I'll look at jobs again tomorrow.

:-) love satchi

hi nick
you are welcome :-)
have a great week
love satchi

hi journey
thanks for your advice. It was really nice and thoughtful of you to post back.

love satchi

:-) if you are presently involved in the present project with both wetlab and insillico data analysis, then you are definitely in a good position, you are not a freshie to biotech.

My opinion is that it reads like you have almost set your sights on the biotech phd, if your heart is there, go for it.

Whatever you choose to do, don't look back.
The world is well ahead, the world is out there for you.

love satchi

well done nick!

yes they are good enough! You can also expand on your two points. For example, from no. 2, if focusing more on doing reduces your chance for perfection, what approach would you take so that you could aim for more perfection?

love satchi

hii Dwro8ea
I love fashion! but can't even sew a button. yes I have considered leaving academia. In fact I rather like being a housewife and my boyfriend likes me being at home. We used to say to each other "at least one of us has a job!" but ideally if I would love to have some paid work, that would be great----so I won't give up. In fact I am feeling more encouraged since I posted my job worries here. Thank you so much for your response.

love satchi

hi nick, welcome to the forum!
If this is related to your learning styles, then course experiences can be something like:

How the presentation/teaching/deliverance of the subject was perceived by you--that means, was the topic presented appropriately to suit your learning style--this could be the methods used by the lecturer--was there enough group discussion--did it inspire you--did it make you think a lot more--did it make you bored so you had to take a different approach to learning this subject

Also--did it make you think about your life? --- did you feel any relevance in that course in terms of your degree, was it usable etc.

--was the teaching style practical? -- was the information presented sufficient, was it clear...

--did you struggle to complete assignments? -- were the goals realistic???

:-)

However---the easiest way to go around this is to email your course lecturer or tutor--and ask him or her directly!!! That way, you get direct answers, and you know better what to write in your word reflection!

all the best
love satchi

hi priyanka
If I am not mistaken you want to change field from bioinformatics to biotech.
Sorry for my ignorance, but is it like this---
Bioinformatics is working outside a lab--and the biotech work that you want to do is working inside a lab.

The thing I would consider, if I were you, is do I have sufficient background to carry out the wetlab procedures--how challenging would it be for me--how quick can I learn--because molecular techniques do take some time to perfect--and you need to optimize your protocol etc.

You dont want to do a phd--and be struggling having to learn stuff that your other phd-friends already know--because they did this for bachelor or masters. The good part is--if you SUCCEED, then ok. But if you get stuck, it can be very difficult. An example of getting stuck is doing experiment without getting any result.

I had a friend who did a masters in computer field, but she was not from computer science, and she struggled a lot. She was really miserable.

Another thing I would seriously think about--which NOBODY told me when I started my crazy academic journey--is that once you have DIFFERENT qualifications--employment is very very very difficult. You must remember also--how much biotech you will do in your phd--and when you compete for jobs, there will be people with Biotech stuff and Biotech experience ever since the first day they stepped into university, from bachelor degree etc.etc.--and very often, THEY will get the job, not someone with a phd in biotech but bachelor degree in another area.

I have learnt this lesson very very very very well by now :-)

By that time, you will find that it is too late to go back to Bioinformatics.

Think very carefully, and choose well.
love satchi

hi Drwo8ea, which field of masters are you doing? Is it MBA? I did speak to a careers service lady at uni some time ago. She told me I could also apply to do portfolio jobs. Ideally I would like to do research work in health area. I know lectureship is next to impossible to get (my part time teaching work which i did during phd is still not enough and I haven't published anything yet!). I live with my boyfriend, that's why I moved away. He pays all the bills. We eat at home. If I really need a dress, for example, I only buy from a sale, and he pays for it. There is enough to survive as long as I don't go crazy and buy things like cosmetics etc., but really no spare money for me (or him!) to use. He also has car instalments to pay, MOT etc.

hi kovurs, looks like you have been through a lot. I'll share this with you. When I was doing my 1st degree, I always wanted good CGPA. I thought, if I have more than 3.5 I will be happy. I got into the honours list, and I had a good CGPA. But I wasn't happy. Then I thought I would do a masters--and I got a full scholarship to do it, I passed with all As. But when I held the Masters degree paper (the certificate) in my hand, I still didn't feel happy. I don't know why. Still not happy. Then I did a phd--and today I am still not happy. I have learnt (for me) that this has not led to any happiness in me at all!

What I should have realised long ago--was that I could have been happy with myself without even going to university. It took me so so so so so long to realise this.

Anyway I am glad you know what you want to do with your life. Don't be worried about your telephone interview! Enjoy it!

love satchi

hi everyone, thank you so much for your responses. I am willing to move, but the idea is to have paid work, if that was so, my boyfriend would help me with the move (putting the down payment for a place to stay etc.), this would go on his credit card first--and I would pay eventually it when I get paid. It is not possible at this moment to move back near my university. I have really no place to go (no family as well). I don't know if I have mentioned before, I am a foreigner, so I am not on benefits, if I get dental work or prescriptions, I have to pay.

When I need to go back to the university for phd meetings, I stay with friends--and they are already sharing houses--so that's the sofa for me for 2 nights. I just curl up under my big coat. Another thing is everybody is finishing as well, so they'll have to leave too. I have also stayed with some people I met at church, but doing that long term is really not possible. That is why I am not able to volunteer with research projects in my university, not now that is. Maybe later.

I really appreciate the advice I've received from everyone here. I'm going to print out this thread and keep it with me so I can look at it if I feel down again. I'll definitely have a look at moodscope.com. The problem with meditation is that I haven't been doing it regularly. Just like I have told people to exercise--yet I haven't done much myself!!! Come on, satchi, get on with it!!!!

Kovurs--for telephone interviews--you need to speak clearly so people can hear you--I think that is the first important tip--and when they are talking, don't look at anything else because you can get distracted (I have had skype interviews before phd). Also, get ready notes (on paper) infront of you--to answer, just incase you forget anything--put them around you, infront where you can see them quickly, because this is a telephone interview, nobody can see your notes, this will help you. But you need to remember where to look if you need to look and don't go "ahmmm...ummm" too much. Best of luck :-)

thank you so much larrydavid, catalinbond, JanineG, bemused, anon007, journey, Pjlu, kovurs--and the junkcar stuff made me laugh

please do post back if you have any good news about getting jobs :-)
that will be very motivating

love satchi

hi kathy, I read your post with interest--and also the very good responses from people. Regarding this part :