If standards are not too high???!!!!
After completing my PhD in Microbiology I have to say I find your thread offensive ! Why exactly do you want a PhD? If it is only for the so called glory of having a Dr title then you are misguided and I suggest you need to reassess what you find important in life! A PhD is the gold standard of research if you cheapen that then having a PhD means nothing! There is no easy way to get one,if you are not prepared to work for it then don't bother!

Thanks for all the supportive posts!!!

I finally have some good news to report. My old boss rang me to tell me he has secured 3 months worth of funding in association with a biotech company for some part time work in the lab. He offered my first refusal. Its only 15 hours a week so can fit round my retail job and has the benefit of getting me back in the lab. Will its involved in working with a number of organisms and may make good contacts with the company. I am pleased as will not have too big a gap in cv and will find out about another grant in november. The work i do on this project may lead to more.

I have also got 2 papers submitted this month in good journals. Maybe my luck is starting to turn. Sending positive vibes to all!!

I have also bought a lotto ticket for tonite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello People,

Just though i would post an update. Well my interview went well and got good feedback and they thouht i would do a good job but their was some one with more relevant experience (apparently a former colleague applied from that lab).I am disappointed I did my very best. But what can you do.

I had my first day in retail yesterday (day off today) I was ok but its not want i want to do. It pays the bills but i just kept thinking how did it come to this. I keep telling yself its only a stop gap and something will come up. I keep thinking i hope no one from my lab comes in and see's me. I know i should be pleased i have a job but my panic from lack of a job has went to sadness of not being able to do what i want to do. I feel like a failure.

Any words of wisdom?
:-(

I can empathise with you 404. I have only been unemployed for 6 weeks but the whole job application/ interview process had badly knocked my confidence. Getting rejection after rejection at any job level was hard. I kept thinking why is everyone better than me. I think there is a lot of luck to the whole interview process ie how well u gel with the interviewer anfd who else is interviewing. You can only try your best, buts its hard not to take it personally when you dont get it and you build your hopes u.

As you have technically passed it i would not make a big issue of it. You could say you passed it with corrections and u are well on the way to resubmitting and this will not effect your job if you were offered it.

Good luck for next week, i have an interview too so fingers crossed.

Yeah I think i made the right decision. It really helped to chat to my partner about it and look at our financial situation. Hopefully if i dont get the post doc then i will get more hours at the opticians, its 20 plus so will allow me to look at other things too. But we can manage on just 20 hours. Did not want to get myself in a situation where i dreaded going to work, thats no quality of life and that would have happened at the call centre. I would be trapped in a dead end job.

Have my time table for the interview, am starting to get nervous!!

I hate the post interview situation. I have a horrible habit of running it through my mind after its all said and done. Thinking why did i say that or i should have said this. I am sure its a form of self torture. We are always our own worst critic!!

Will keep my fingerscrossed for you!!!

Well I have rejected the call centre! Took the cowards way out and emailed!! Could not be fussed with anyone being arsey!

I feel relieved to be honest, a couple of weeks ago i would have killed for tha job, any job. After a discussion with my partner who said i would not be happy there (he had call centre experience) and we can manage on his wage and me being part time in an opticians i made my decision.

The call centre was very strict on time keeping and went through a large number of people which made me worry. I googled them and if they loose contracts they make everyone redundant. One of the shifts was 1 till 9 in some weeks and its open seven days aweek. At least with my part time job on the high street it shuts at 5.30!!

Well neeed to focus on post doc interview next week!! Come on!! Sorry for the ramble, I am just clearing things in my mind. I dont want to seem unhappy about getting jobs in a recession. But i know a call centre is not for me. If i had nothing else i would have took it.

How far are you into your PHD? Could you explain to future employers why you quit it.

Doing a PhD will give you a lot of transferable skills, it all depends on how you market it!! Now is not a good time to be job hunting!! Trust me. You need to decide what you want. Finishing your PhD could ride out the recession!

Whats what i was thinking! I really i get this post doc. Its a bit out of my field but the PI was impressed with my application and has been chatting to my old boss about me. However i have heard an old colleague of hers may apply!! Not confirmed though its a little out of my field but needs the microscope skills i have.



I did not like how the call centre job tried to make me decide straight away. I felt old at 29m for applying with 21 year olds. They rang me before offering me the job as to how i would cope with angry posh people. THeir words not mine! Is its cos i am northern in a southern town??? I found that question offensive! The money is attractive though but not great better than being unemployed. hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Bugger!!

Well its done now! Maybe resend it with the correct one attached. By doing this they will see that you saw your mistake and took action to correct it!

Bugger!!

Well you cant do anything about it now. Maybe you should resend an email with the correct one attached. By doing this they will see that you have seen your mistake and took action to correct it.

Its a suggestion!

Advice needed!!

After managing to bag myself a part time retail job, I have just been offered a full time call centre job. They wanted an answer immediately but i managed to make them wait till tomorrow. I have also managed to get an interview for a senior postdoc position next week after the PI said they were really impressed with my application.

Obviously I want the postdoc but thats not in the bag, I have said yes to the part time job but dont know what to do about the full time one. Its full time so the money is better but the hours are pants. I prefere working face to face with people rather than be on the phone, I know i would not like that job but its the money aspect thing. I am waiting till my partner to get home before I decide. Would I be stupid to turn down a full time job? But it looks like that could be a dead end job and full time may make it hard to go to interview for other things. The part time job has the potential to become full time and have training programmes in place for development and is more closely linked to medical sciences as its an opticians.

EEEEKKK!! What to do??? Have to ring the company tomorrow at 9 for my answer!

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.

Why would they fail you? If your thesis was that bad they would not bother to do the viva!

Dont go in there defeated, you dont know the outcome yet!

Just think in 22 days you can move on to new challenges and opportunities no matter what happens!!

xx

Thats right Dazed you have a loving family and thats more than some people have but I can understand your stress.

Well, i have just found out i did not get the research post. Apparently someone with more relevant experience did. I have to say in the interview they did say they never had someone like me apply before usually just graduated people with one degree. This sent alarm bells off!! They said why are u leaving a career u have build up for nearly 10 years.This annoyed me as if there is no jobs in my area what am i suppose to do. I my answer was i that i was honest and said that because of the recession times are hard ie no funding and now would be a good time for a career change and face new challenges. Would you not miss science they said my answer i can learn to love new things. They must not have believed me and though i would leave after a couple of months which i not true as i valuse job security.

Hey Ho. Must not be my career path!! NEXT interview please. Which is tomorrow. At least i have my part time retail job.