I recently completed my PhD, and I've been searching for a job for five months, without success. I have to remain in my current location because of family ties and my boyfriend's job, and there aren't exactly a lot of jobs around, especially with the recession.

In five months I've seen three decent jobs advertised in my field. One was a lecturing job and another was in industry, they both turned me down without giving any reason. The third job was also in industry, and they admitted that I know more about my subject than many of their employees do, but they still turned me down because they said I lack commercial experience and research experience gained at university doesn't count. Their reply said "We believe you would be happier in academia and this job is not right for you" - I want to scream that there are no jobs in academia and surely I should decide what's right for me!! I emailed them back and begged, even offered to work for min wage on a trial period, but they just ignored me.

I can't even get a shop job - I keep getting turned down for everything. I called one shop to ask why they turned me down, and they said they wanted a permanent employee and someone with my qualifications would obviously leave as soon as a better job came along. I guess I can understand their point of view :(

I've even altered my CV so it sounds like I was an assistant at the university, not a PhD researcher. I sign everything Miss instead of Dr, and it makes me feel like crap because I basically have to hide the qualifications I worked so hard for. One of the degree students I used to teach has a job in my research field, and I have a PhD but can't get a similar job - it makes me so depressed, I feel worthless.

I applied to work in a call centre alongside all the uneducated people I went to school with, and I just feel like my whole life has been a waste because I made all this effort and I'm no further ahead. I spent a decade at university to provide a better future for myself, and it was completely futile because I'm still looking at working in a min wage job alongside people with no qualifications. I'm beginning to feel like I should just commit suicide and be done with it, because there obviously isn't a place for me in the world :(

Hi Rigel 34

Very sorry you feel so disillusioned with the jobs situation just now, I know it could be a lot better certainly.

I found that when I finished my PhD there was nothing in the area my old university was, so I moved. I still have a long term gilrfriend in my old University town, we are currently 150 miles apart, this is not ideal but I'm happy with work, and like it or not this is where i spend most of my time, so I think doing the long distance thing is probably the best thing for me.

Would your BF be happy if you widened the net, so to speak, in terms of where you apply for jobs? Surely he wants you to find work, so maybe you would have to move. Perhaps his work gives him options of moving around, so maybe if you talk to him about this you could try moving. Regarding family ties I appreciate this is a difficult topic, but presumably they do not want you to be unhappy, so perhaps if it was just a few years, this would be ok (remember most post-doc contracts are 1-3 years only).

Apart from this, I have little else to suggest, but try to remember you are not the only one with this problem, and try to stay positive if you can and talk to people, especially your boyfriend and family

Hi Rigel34
I haven't any practical advice and am only in the middle of my own PhD, just wanted to show some moral support! You should be really proud of your accomplishments, it is a huge achievement to have done your PhD and don't let the depressing state of the job market tell you otherwise. There is definitely a place for you somewhere in the world! Hang in there
With all good wishes and positive thoughts
Jane

======= Date Modified 19 May 2011 13:40:02 =======

First up, if you're feeling suicidal then your first priority is to start talking to someone asap. Go for a coffee with a sympathetic friend, or if none are free then talk to your GP or the Samaratans (www.samaritans.org). There is a place for you in the world, but the job market is tough right now at lots of levels (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13394533). Don't take as a reflection of you personally.

It sounds like a horribly frustrating situation. A couple of thoughts:
1. If you're up for working in industry/the commercial sector, but there is a perception that you lack 'relevant' experience, is it worth trying to get some work experience/an unpaid internship? Obviously paid would be better but at least it would be a foot in the door and give you something to enhance applications.

2. I don't think it should be about 'hiding' a PhD - I think (although I have no direct experience of this situation) that it's more about making sure you market what you did in your PhD in such a way that non-academic employers can clearly see the benefits of you having done it. So emphasise things like project management skills, self motivation, collaboration and give examples. Get someone who is not in academia to cast an eye over your CV when applying for non-academic jobs. Also have a look at this to get a feel for some of the different expectations:
http://scienceblogs.com/bioephemera/2011/05/cvs_vs_resumes_when_it_matters.php

3. Be proactive if possible. Not many jobs advertised? Then identify places where you might like to work and get in contact with them asking if anything might come up in the near future. Ensure that the enquiries you make are specific, not generic. It might not yield anything, but you never know.

Good luck.

I really can't move. The only way I can work and have a social life is if my parents babysit my daughter while I'm out; childcare is too expensive, I need their help so so I can't move away from them. I'm certainly not going to move and leave my daughter behind. I'd also have to give up all my friends, all my hobbies, sell my house, and have a long distance relationship with my boyfriend. Moving away is pretty much impossible.

What am I supposed to live on while I do an unpaid internship? How would I pay the transport costs and lunch expenses? The rent and bills?

I've already submitted heaps of prospective applications; most ignored me, while some were at least kind enough to say no. I don't think there's even anywhere left to apply to prospectively, I've already approached a lot of companies and been turned down.

My CV is as good as I can make it; I have several CVs for different levels of jobs, and I'm still unemployed. I've already been supporting myself on debt for the last two years while I finished the PhD; I haven't had an income since 2009 and I'm desperate. I'd take a shop job or a waitressing job if I could get one, but it's extremely depressing and humiliating when you've worked so hard to get top level qualifications and you can't find a decent job to support yourself and your family. I'm a huge burden on my parents and I cost them money every single day; it shouldn't be like this :(

I empathise as i am in the same position and feel the same frustration! My post doc ended last month and i have been applying for all sorts of jobs. I can not move because my partner has a stable job with good prospects. Getting rejection after rejection is so depressing! I sometimes think having a phd puts employers off. But we still need a job to pay our bills. If there is no jobs in our area we have to try new things. I eventually managed to bag myself a part time retail job which is min wage and not ideal but its a job and gets me out of the house. I feel disappointed about how my career is turning out but try to remain positive as one door closes another opens!

This is just a low point in your life things will get better. You have a loving family and boyfriend, the career part of your life is just on aspect. Sooner or later someone will give you a chance it may not be ideal but could lead to other opportunities. You are not alone in this situation and its good to have forums like this to get support. Please talk to your family about how you are feeling.

======= Date Modified 19 May 2011 14:08:25 =======
I stand by my comment about getting other people to look at your CV if you haven't already done that. Sometimes it's possible to get stuck in a rut.

Are you receiving job seekers allowance (http://bit.ly/b2xq7s)? If not, I think you should apply if you're eligible. It will also give you contact with a job centre which might help you market yourself better to different employers or highlight some opportunities you maybe haven't thought of. I wasn't suggesting an internship as an alternative to a paid job - rather that it might be a productive thing to do until a paid job comes along. Even a couple of weeks work experience might be productive.

I really do think you should be talking to people who care about you. Is your boyfriend aware of how you're feeling at the moment.

======= Date Modified 19 May 2011 15:05:43 =======
======= Date Modified 19 May 2011 15:02:51 =======
You can't do an internship or unpaid work while claiming Jobseeker's Allowance and child benefits. You're allowed to do a few hours of voluntary work per week, but you can't claim travel expenses or anything, and JSA is hardly enough to live on never mind pay train fares to get to a voluntary job. I can barely afford to eat never mind anything else.

I've tried talking to my parents and boyfriend about how I feel, but they just say something will come along eventually. They don't realise how difficult it is to live like this every single day when I worked so hard and had such high expectations for my future. My boyfriend has a job, but he doesn't live with me and obviously his money belongs to him, I can't impose upon him financially. I feel guilty because he takes me out and spends money and I can't reciprocate. At Easter he bought me a gift and I couldn't afford one for him, and he also bought chocolates for me to give to his mother because I couldn't afford them - I felt so worthless.

The type of job I'm qualified for would offer a good salary - I could buy new toys for my daughter and nice clothes for myself, I could take my parents on holiday to thank them for all their help, I could buy nice food and take my boyfriend out to dinner, I could get a car... my boyfriend and I could consider buying a place and moving in together in a home of our own, a nice clean place with nice new furniture. The only thing standing in the way of having a great life is my inability to get a job - because of that I'm living on the poverty line in a broken down old house without enough food to eat. I want to cry when I have to feed my daughter on cheap junk food and give her old toys from the jumble sale - I worked hard because I thought I'd be able to provide a better life than this :(

Hi

Just wanted to apologize for suggesting you move away for work, I appreciate with a child this would simply not be possible, I did not know to what extend you depended on your family for assistance.

In this case I would suggest maybe try and cast the net wider in terms of considering other career options that would use the skills you have but not directly in an academic science type situation. I know this is not ideal, and I cannot obviously think of any specific job types to suggest, perhaps some kind of careers advisor might help, maybe try your old academic institution? I'm sure you have probably been down this road though.

I wish you the very best of luck

No apology is necessary, I don't expect everyone to know all the details of my life!

I've already cast my net as wide as I possibly can by applying for waitress jobs, shop jobs, etc - I keep getting turned down because I'm over-qualified and they don't expect me to stay (which is perfectly correct, I'd leave if I was offered a proper job). Most jobs require qualifications that I don't have - I'm only qualified to be a lecturer or a researcher, not a lawyer/nurse/designer/dentist or any other skilled job. If there are no jobs in my field, all I can do is apply for unskilled jobs, and they keep turning me down for being over-qualified.

What really gets me is that for unknown reasons I was turned down for the few jobs I was qualified for, and in one case at least I was rejected for an industry job because research experience gained while employed by a university supposedly doesn't count!?! Each rejection stings really hard because there are so few decent jobs to apply for in the first place. I'm smart, I'm hard-working, I'm well qualified... and I'm apparently completely worthless because nobody sees any value in employing me :(

I'm also sorry for making suggestions of things you've already tried and not had any luck with, but it wasn't initially clear what the circumstances were. All I can say in that regard is to keep trying. One question - you say there are few 'decent' jobs in your field - are there any that are less decent but worth maybe applying for as a stop gap.

One thing I do think you need to do asap is to try to separate the practical problem from your self identity. To be rejected from 3 jobs doesn't make you 'worthless' - rejection is an unfortunate part of the current job market and many excellent candidates are being turned down for things just because of competition. Also, try to ditch the guilt. It's not helping. I'm sure if the tables were turned you'd be treating your boyfriend and buying things for him even if he couldn't reciprocate. So don't add to the negativity you're experiencing by beating yourself up about things. Although it's not helpful to hear 'something will come along eventually' it does at least suggest to me that your boyfriend and parents are not viewing you as a burden but rather that they are understanding that you are trying and have been unfortunate not to have found something yet.

======= Date Modified 19 May 2011 15:59:48 =======
I was in this situation a few months ago before I started my PhD and I felt very demoralised about being turned down for work that I could do with my eyes closed and hands tied behind my back.

I was also desperate and needed to get a job ANY job and found that I was automatically being screened out for things like shop assistants, data entry clerk etc etc because of my cv. I was a qualified professional who changed careers and my CV was putting people off because I had listed my qualifications and previous jobs. I cottoned on to this when the recruitment agency I signed up for told me they had nothing for me because I was over-qualified. So I redid my cv. I took off all my degrees, listed my A Levels, listed the jobs I had during my first degree and got a data entry job within the week with my new improved totally out of date CV. I knew that I didn't have to do it forever and I didn't feel like that I had to 'hide' my qualifications - I did what I had to do to get my foot in the door. When I got in there I found out that the other 3 new starters who were supposedly A Levellers only had undergrads and Masters degrees too but hadn't declared it.

I had to beg the recruitment agency - a girl that was 7 years my junior, who really HAD just come out with A Levels and nothing else - for a job typing in addresses into a database (yep all day long just doing that). But at the time I didn't care about that because I just wanted the money no matter what. I had to balance up pride with necessity. It wasn't the best of times but I had to do it keeping in mind that I needed the money now and that it wouldn't be forever. I just kept my mind on that when things got tough.

It is NOT that you are worthless and I am sorry to see you even write that, it is simply the case that jobs are tighter than a duck's backside at the moment and there's a LOT of competition. I know of people with PhDs applying for jobs as technicians because some money is better than no money. It's easier once you are working and earning to plan your next step re where to apply to and what to aim for.

Don't give up, these are difficult times but they won't last forever. Sometimes you have to rough it for a while before the good stuff comes along. I hope things turn around quickly for you.

PS one of my friends who had been working as an administrator despite having an MBA and a PhD, revamped his CV to make it attractive to both employers and academics and is now the Head of Division of a very famous institution. He was also restricted on relocating because of his family situation and relied on his wife (an academic herself) to support him and their two young children whilst he was in the admin position. So you know, big things can happen even if you can't foresee them right now. He was depressed about the whole situation for quite some time but was then determined to fight back and get the kind of type he felt he deserved (and really did deserve).

Hey Rigel34, I really feel for you. I'm coming to the end of my PhD in a few months and can already see how few jobs there are out there that I would actually want to apply for, and I don't have the issues you do with not being able to move away etc. Is there no chance of going to your previous university and putting in some applications for funding with your PhD supervisor? Or any other nearby university? Sometimes it is possible to create a position for yourself rather than wait forever for one to come along. Although I am free to move after my PhD, I really want to stay put and have been putting in a few applications for funding with my current supervisor- of course the chances are still slim, but it might be worth a try if you haven't already done that. For the moment it sounds like you really need some support though- you sound at the end of your tether. Is there anyone you can talk to about your situation? I know talking doesn't solve the practical issues of your problem, but it can help you feel less isolated and more positive. I realise voluntary work doesn't help pay the bills, and as you said, you can only do a few hours, but is it worth doing something like that until you get something, just to get you out of the house and take your mind off things a little? Sometimes voluntary work can end up with you being offered a job as well if something comes up- I've a couple of friends who got paid jobs like that. Keep your chin up, and please get some help if you really do feel so low- you don't deserve to feel like that. Best, KB

======= Date Modified 19 May 2011 16:04:50 =======
I regard a decent job as anything which is remotely related to my field of research. A non-decent job is waitressing, call centre, shop, or anything else on minimum wage. I've applied for them all without success; I've even applied for jobs that I'm not qualified for on the off-chance that I might be lucky.

I haven't just been rejected from three jobs - the three jobs were jobs in my field which I really wanted. I've also been rejected from dozens of other jobs ranging from barmaid and receptionist to sixth form lecturer and staff trainer. Not only am I not good enough to be offered a academic or research job, I'm not even good enough to pull pints for minimum wage.

My ex-supervisor has applied for some funding, and he said he'd employ me as a research assistant if the funding was granted, but it could take ages and the chances of it being granted are slim anyway. I can't do voluntary work because I can hardly afford food and bills in my present situation, never mind afford the train fare to go to a voluntary job.

I know my boyfriend and parents don't mind helping me financially, but it's humiliating and soul-destroying. I want to have nice things and a nice home for myself and my daughter, not scrape by on handouts from other people. I feel like everyone's laughing "Haha, you thought you were so intelligent, and now you'll be lucky to even get a call centre job like the rest of us" :(