In a bit of a panic about jobs & with my financial
situation so dire, I have been tentatively sending off my CV for jobs. I have had a response for quite an interesting and possibly well paid position, and they’ve said they are very interested in me but are concerned about when I am finishing ( between us, 6-8 months away), however I have heard of people taking jobs and writing up in the evenings and weekends. I know it would put a lot of extra pressure on the PhD but at the same time I am wondering if it would help me focus? Also if it means I am already employed I wonder if it would really matter that the thesis might take an extra 3 months or so. Its a commercial job so it is possible for me to "play down", whats really left to do.

What does everyone think?

am planning to apply for a job to start in sept next year whether i've finished or not. probably following submission waiting for viva. 8 months is a lot. i wouldn't combine writing up with a full time job. its too distracting, time and energy consuming. why don't you try and write up and finish before taking up this job or take a loan finish and probably a job will still come up?

Does the job cite your PhD as a requirement? If so obviously you will have to finish it and maybe they will give you some kind of time limit, or it may impede your progression in your job, promotion etc.

But if you don't need to have a PhD I think it will be hard to find the motivation to write up while you are working. There will be enough to deal with (Learning new things, getting up at the same time every day!) and finishing your thesis may slip off the radar which would be a tragedy so close to completion.

You said you have 6-8 months left, assuming your start date would be in a couple of months time that is still a long time to juggle working and writing up which are two very different lifestyles to have. As someone else pointed out if you found this job, there will be others. I know it is nice to daydream about having a job sometimes, I do the same! But you have to be realistic.

Hope that helps.

You sound like you are a long way off and it could be distracting. Could you try a short term job e.g. only for a month or so, or wait until you are further along? It does depend on your financial situation, if you can claim benefit or not and whether you feel you could do it.

someone posted an excerpt from a PhD book - today, i think - on how not to get a PhD. one of the seven reasons given there for why people don't get a PhD is if they take a new job before they are finished.
that said, how important is that job for you? is it "the perfect job", the thing you have been hoping and aiming for? then i would take it. if you only got your PhD in order to get that job afterwards, it wouldn't matter very much now if you didn't get the PhD but did get the job. if it is more like "well, it's a good job, but..." then you should think about it very carefully. can you discuss the matter with your potential future employers? will they for example give you a month unpaid leave after three month or so, for your last big effort?

thanks everyone, it's a lot to think about.
it's a good job, but not my dream job so we'll see....