Dear MumPhDstudent,
wow, two huge events coming up: viva and giving birth to your second! congrats on both counts.

The question you are preparing for is meant to be an icebreaker and to put you at your ease. It is very likely to come up (or a similar question to which you can probably 'bend' your prepared answer). Prepare it, rehearse it and you'll feel far more confident.

In my viva I felt the external asked quite a lot of questions that I felt were more related to their research than to mine so I was sooo pleased I'd swotted up on all their papers.

I know a few people who have done their vivas while pregnant and they reckon they may have had an easier time because of it, if that helps. Just wear a flowery dress or something (obviously don't know if that's your style ;-)). I think the bump makes it harder to judge the formality of your clothes in any case. I had a fellowship interview at 8 months pregnant with no time to buy a suit because of family circumstances, so just wore a jacket that had no hope of fitting over my belly over a vest top that did with my normal maternity trousers. I got the fellowship at the time! (hope that helps)

Sounds like your life is a complete rollercoaster so I reckon you'll take this viva into your stride no problem.
All the best of luck! let us know how it went
Tennie

Hi,

The other thing I'd say is that there is often a lot of help available once you ask for it... supervisors and admin will assume all is well unless they hear otherwise.

as you are not very specific on what you need guidance about, have a look at www.vitae.ac.uk/pgr and find what area you want guidance on. I sincerely hope this will help.

Good luck,
Tennie

Hi Kiori,
I switched fields a couple of times (PhD in structural biology, then did postdocs in biochemistry, then back to structural biology but in different fields and different topics). i think it's a big asset to bring slightly outside knowledge to a field and a fresh new look. It made my research time very enjoyable (I like being on a steepish learning curve). But I am not sure it benefited my chances of an academic career- that might have benefited rather from more focus and depth! But I know lots of people who have steered away from their PhD topic (or focused in on what was originally slightly off centre maybe) and have gone on to become very successful academics. In fact, almost the ideal situation is if you stumble across something completely new in your doctorate and persue that, as you'll be the leader in that particular new field.

Good luck!

I have written some content for Graduate junction on '8 ways to tailor your CV' http://www.graduatejunction.net/career/cv_writing_tips
and initiated some discussion on this on their forum: http://www.graduatejunction.net/forums/11/topics

are people familiar with Graduate Junction?
anyone fancy joining in?

ta Sneaks,
that is a really useful angle, about knowing how to make the most of opportunities too.... glad you were in agreement with most of it though.
Tennie

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cool! what is your research subject- anything to do with planned happenstance? I'd love to know whether you reckon I've got it right- expert opinion:-) (although very scary as I've already sent it out...)

Hi All,

As many of you know, every month I compose a list of tips on some aspect of doing a doctorate or your career. This month it was on a topic close to my heart: the career theory of planned happenstance: the idea of allowing luck to play a role in your career... without just sitting back and waiting for an opportunity to arise. So how can you increase the chance of being lucky? Read: http://www.vitae.ac.uk/CMS/files/upload/1.PGR%20Tips%20issue%2041%20creating%20luck%20in%20your%20career.pdf
hope you enjoy it and find it useful
Tennie

Hi Walminskipeas,
Hope you are feeling better and more positive.
Doing a doctorate is a huge undertaking: when else are you singlemindedly working towards one goal for a solid three years or more? To my mind its a real stretch and with being stretched comes feeling the highs and the lows more deeply- does that make sense? The whole PhD thing also potentially makes you learn a lot about yourself, which is not always easy. At times it really made a dent in my confidence even in things I thought I was good at (because you start comparing yourself with really exceptional people I guess).
By the end I felt a huge sense of achievement though... Noone can make me feel like a dumb blonde now- it's Dr Dumb Blonde to you, mate.

All th every best!!!
Tennie

======= Date Modified 22 01 2010 13:01:56 =======
Vitae are running the 'Leadership in action' course again on 8-11 June after the success of the pilot last year. The course is designed for both postgraduate researchers and research staff (postdocs). It is a 3 day residential course which will allow you to explore and develop your leadership skills. This course takes a ‘learning by doing' approach. There will be presentations on leadership theory, but for the most part, you will be actively participating in the sessions and activities.
Do you want to...
develop your leadership skills? explore the concept of leadership? build confidence in your own leadership style? The course will be led by a team of experienced facilitators who will work with you throughout the 3 days to support your learning. They will be from a variety of backgrounds with experience in leadership, academia and other sectors.

Did anyone here go last year?
Hope this is of interest...
Tennie

======= Date Modified 22 01 2010 13:01:32 =======
Vitae are running the 'Leadership in action' course again on 8-11 June after the success of the pilot last year. It is a 3 day residential course which will allow you to explore and develop your leadership skills. This course takes a ‘learning by doing' approach. There will be presentations on leadership theory, but for the most part, you will be actively participating in the sessions and activities.
Do you want to...
develop your leadership skills? explore the concept of leadership? build confidence in your own leadership style? The course will be led by a team of experienced facilitators who will work with you throughout the 3 days to support your learning. They will be from a variety of backgrounds with experience in leadership, academia and other sectors.

Did anyone here go last year?
Hope this is of interest...
Tennie

Hiya,
if you are interested in the statistics, I co-wrote 'What do researchers do? First destinations of doctoral graduates by subject': http://www.vitae.ac.uk/CMS/files/upload/Vitae-WDRD-by-subject-Jun-09.pdf. So, depending on your discipline and subject, about 50% of people stay in academia.... but have a look. This is all just first destinations, what people do long term is very varied (and really interesting!).

If its stories you are interested in try: http://www.vitae.ac.uk/CMS/files/upload/Vitae-WDRD-career-profiles-Jun-09.pdf or http://www.vitae.ac.uk/policy-practice/200941/Database-of-career-stories.html.

(DM me for glossy hard copies if you want..)
hope that helps!
Tennie

Hi 404,
In my experience it's not worth deviating from your institute's requirement in terms of format at all- it just ends up in delays.

My bit of advice? Not to be too perfectionistic and make sure you are reasonably happy with everything, rather than getting one part/ chapter absolutely perfect. if there is then time left you can polish it all up a bit more... the things you do want to be perfectionistic about are references and whether the numbers of the figures you refer to in the text are still the numbers of the actual figures you are referring to.....

Hope what we've written on the Vitae website is helpful too- but I'll keep an eye on this thread to see if there are any tips to add there;)
http://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1240/Writing%20your%20thesis.html
I guess for you the 'knowing it is finished' bit might be of most use.

good luck!

Tennie

Hi Lilbobeep,

I also meant to say: it's okay to say 'I don't know' if this is the case. One approach by examiners is to keep asking until they reach the boundary of your knowledge... you're not expected to know everything! And let your enthusiasm for your subject shine through. let us know how it went!

good luck
Tennie

In 2009 the Careers in Research Online Survey (CROS) was revamped and run in 51 higher education institutions. CROS anonymously gathers data about working conditions, career aspirations and career development opportunities for research staff. It is invaluable to institutions in helping to understand the experiences and needs of their research staff. Vitae produced and published a report on the data. In 2010 CROS is running again. Findout if your institution is participating. Although there won’t be a national report it is still important to fill in the questionnaire. I have written a post on the 9 reasons why it is important to do so on the Vitae research staff blog. The crux is to have your opinions heard... Go and have a look!
cheers,
Tennie

post on the 9 reasons why it is important to do so on the Vitae research staff blog. The crux is to have your opinions heard... Go and have a look!
cheers,
Tennie