I wonder if I can get some advice.
I found out about a really exciting opportunity this week but needed a reference before the closing date (tomorrow). My supervisor went away for a week without telling me so I had to call on my 2nd sup. I emailed Wednesday with specific instructions meaning the reference should take no more than ten minutes. He hasn't replied and I really need it by tomorrow or I'll miss out.
What the hell do I do? I know this was really last minute but I'm desperate for the opportunity!

This sounds silly but maybe you can send off for it anyway, but put a letter in explaining the situation and that the reference will follow asap? That may be the best thing you can do, as you only have a matter of hours.

i'd do the same as the previous poster suggested. but besides that, you say you only mailed that 2nd sup of yours? i'd go on and call him instead. that's always faster than mailing, and at least you can be sure that he got the message and didn't forget about it. good luck with it!!

I tried phoning he wasn't in his office. I'm just going to turn up today with the material I think; it just feels completely audacious....
They're supposed to check their email every day and I'd made it quite clear it was urgent!

Hello Pamplemousse, I had the exact same infuriating issue today in fact.

I had contacted two supervisors at the beginning of the week and needed references from both of them.
Only one got back to me- not my director of studies.
I had to e-mail the funding body to advise that the second reference will follow. I sent off the application late this afternoon because I had put a lot of work into it and there were at least 5 other documents which I had written to accompany the application.

My other potential reference (director of studies) didn't even reply to my e-mail....:-S...they still haven't replied...If and when they do, I'll forward on the reference. I have no other choice as a distance learning PhD student.
I hope this works :-S. Let us know how you got on.

I got my reference!
After a bit of a panic...
Supervisor emailed at 8am saying he'd email the reference that day. I was a bit panicked because they clearly specified wanting a signature.....
Anyway it turned out my sup was off sick so he couldn't do it at Uni for me to collection. The long and the short of it is he wrote me the ref despite being sick and did some computery wizzardry to get his signature on it!
Box of chocolate time for him methinks, since I think that was slightly beyond the call of duty!