Okay, here's the issue. I graduated in 2001 from a not-so-great university (got a 2.i) but with a great sandwich year managed to get a job at Pfizer. I've now been there for 10 years as a high-flying scientist and am leaving the company with a fantastic skill set and a brilliant set of recommendations (plus a killer CV).

I've been looking for a PhD since March 2011 (a little late?). Have sent a few applications through for PhD's I know I can breeze through but for some reason I'm not getting anywhere. I'm either getting the silent treatment or rejection emails. I can't seem to understand why...is it that I'm too old?...they don't like my university?...or am I too experienced?

I'm beginning to think that I should give up on getting a project before October and go back to the world of work!

I'd ask the people who're rejecting you. It's ok to do that, and only they can really answer it.

But at a hunch I'd worry about the 10 year gap since your degree. Yes you have industry experience, but that study gap could alarm potential supervisors.

And your degree was a 2.1, so you are competing with people who got firsts. And you don't mention having a Masters, and some of the people you are competing with will have that too.

But keep trying. Then again only looking since March is maybe a bit short notice for starting this year. I'd have personally started looking earlier. And keep looking until you are successful.

Good luck!

I think you must live very near me. I'd say, judging by the current state of pfizer, they may be assuming that you've been made redundent and then making more assumptions about why.

Realistically though, PhDs and many academic jobs often go to people who know the person hiring. A typical way to know this is if the PhDs only come on the job boards for a week or two. The best way to get round this, in my opinion, is to get your foot in the door somehow, in one department, and then apply for one with the appropriate supervisor once you are known to them.

I also graduated in 2001 and worked up until last year. I started applying for PhD studentships last May and managed to secure one in July. It took six unsuccessful interviews (and even more unsuccessful applications) before I got there though! So just keep at it and hopefully you'll get one in the end.

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Yes you are up against people with 2.1's, but I got a 2.2 and just managed to secure a very good studentship. It's one thing having industrial experience, but you need to look at the individual bits of the application. Are you really suited to a particular project?

Pretty much everyone I know who has managed to get a PhD for next year had to apply to several dozens before their first interview, and then even more until the first acceptance. It really is a matter of perseverance even if you feel like giving up at many stages along the way.

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I'd agree with the others - you should definitely ask for feedback and ways to improve your application.  It's not very long to be looking from March - it takes many applications as DrBiochem mentioned sometimes even years.  It does take perseverance to get anywhere in academia especially in current conditions though studentships don't seem to be so hard hit! 

Good luck - stick at it if it's what you really want as it'll be worth it but don't expect anything to move fast in academia!  You need to sound keen and be motivated as those are what you need to get you through so you need to show you have those qualities as well as research skills.  I agree you don't necessary need a 2:1 but it depends on the competition as you can get a place with a 2:2 which is helped by a MSc but then if other people have 1st/2:1 and MScs that maybe more difficult.  But then again it also depends on what you propose to do or how well suited you are to the project.  It could be even down to how you gel with potential supervisor (or not ;-) ) or your references. As it has also been mentioned if you have referees who are known to the potential supervisor you may have more of a chance. 

Have you kept/got yourself up to date with current developments or the big areas of research in your field of research?  This will also show you really are keen! (up)

Thanks folks for all your messages of support (except Dr Biochem).

I never realised that it would be this difficult to get a project (you have all proved that)..with only 4 applications out there and one dodgy interview, I'm probably being quite impatient and not quite observant of what academics want (not someone with 10 years experience)...and yip, if it's something that I really want I'll just have to persevere.

For those of you who think that I'm full of myself then frankly, I don't care as only I know what I've had to do to get to where I am now (10 years of bloody hard work following the most miserable academic record (before uni) you can imagine).