Final year support thread on PostgraduateForum.com

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

I've just re-designed my CV! Haha. I've almost completed my first proper application. My cover letter is one page and CV is around 5 pages. Does that sound about right?

T

tuutikki 16 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Hugh:
I've just re-designed my CV! Haha. I've almost completed my first proper application. My cover letter is one page and CV is around 5 pages. Does that sound about right?

Ooh, I'll keep my fingeres crossed for you! My CV is only 2 pages long, I've been told to not go over that. Although I'm not sure if there's more leeway for academic CVs... I also don't think I ever sent off an actual CV so basically, don't listen to me haha. The cover letter sounds about right from my experience, does the job advert not specify a length? From what I remember they usually did and this was generally 1-2 pages.

Z

Zutterfly 279 posts
8 years ago

Quote From tuutikki:

Quote From Hugh:
I've just re-designed my CV! Haha. I've almost completed my first proper application. My cover letter is one page and CV is around 5 pages. Does that sound about right?

Ooh, I'll keep my fingeres crossed for you! My CV is only 2 pages long, I've been told to not go over that. Although I'm not sure if there's more leeway for academic CVs... I also don't think I ever sent off an actual CV so basically, don't listen to me haha. The cover letter sounds about right from my experience, does the job advert not specify a length? From what I remember they usually did and this was generally 1-2 pages.

Hugh, yes academic CVs are longer- typically 5-7 pages. Mine is 5 pages if this reassures you! Also cover letters are preferred to be one page or not much over (page and half tops). The funny thing is, I have worked in careers advice and for councils helping long term unemployed back into work and education. I have successfully secured jobs for many other people, but I can't seem to land one for myself haha :)

Z

Zutterfly 279 posts
8 years ago

Quote From tuutikki:
[quote]

Yep, in fact I'm submitting my thesis only today haha. Just ran out of money basically. And as others have said, filling in applications does get easier with time, it becomes more of a copy paste exercise as most essential and desirable qualities are fundamentally the same. The main thing I found frustrating was how every job has a different system where you have to fill in everything on your CV into boxes and it takes aaaaages to do. What happened to sending off your super professional CV that you worked on for ages? haha

The requirement to input your CV into boxes is the most frustrating part! I tend to tackle that first before coming back a day or two later to write the covering letter so I can calm down!

T

TreeofLife 2853 posts
8 years ago

My CV is also 5 pages long and my cover letter is 1 page long for academic positions. For non-academic positions, I have not yet been asked for a CV, just have to keep filling in those boxes... and then address how I meet the selection criteria, which generally takes up 4 pages.

H

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Zutterfly:

I have successfully secured jobs for many other people, but I can't seem to land one for myself haha :)

You will get one, I'm got my fingers crossed for you!

H

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Quote From TreeofLife:
My CV is also 5 pages long and my cover letter is 1 page long for academic positions. For non-academic positions, I have not yet been asked for a CV, just have to keep filling in those boxes... and then address how I meet the selection criteria, which generally takes up 4 pages.

Thanks, mine is the same, that is reassuring!

S

SarahSarahSarah 20 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Hugh:
I've just re-designed my CV! Haha. I've almost completed my first proper application. My cover letter is one page and CV is around 5 pages. Does that sound about right?

Sounds good to me!

I have got my first international publication as first author. Suddenly a ray of sunlight in my PhD-life

H

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Quote From SarahSarahSarah:

Quote From Hugh:
I've just re-designed my CV! Haha. I've almost completed my first proper application. My cover letter is one page and CV is around 5 pages. Does that sound about right?

Sounds good to me!

I have got my first international publication as first author. Suddenly a ray of sunlight in my PhD-life

Very pleased to hear that, well done!! Time to treat yourself now :)

Z

Zutterfly 279 posts
8 years ago

Quote From TreeofLife:
My CV is also 5 pages long and my cover letter is 1 page long for academic positions. For non-academic positions, I have not yet been asked for a CV, just have to keep filling in those boxes... and then address how I meet the selection criteria, which generally takes up 4 pages.

I may have been doing this incorrectly- I always approached the 'address how you meet the selection criteria' a bit like a cover letter, limiting the length to no longer than a page and half tops. This may have been the wrong approach however? Currently applying to a non-academic position within my university which my entire employment history and research is directly related, so I have done about three pages. I will see how it goes :)

D

Dodo 4 posts
8 years ago

Hi all! I'm a bit late in joining this thread, but really in need of some motivation at the moment! This final year of PhD has been the worst year of my life probably, and I never thought I would ever see the end of it. But at last, after several months of carrying out a whole set of experiments for my final chapter during the day, data analysis in the evenings and writing up the thesis during the nights... I'm finally due to submit my thesis this coming Friday!

I have a complete draft of my thesis, but after having spent months and months working so hard I just have no energy or motivation to work on the changes people have suggested. I feel so drained, and I know I've worked so hard and that I'm almost there... but I kind of half feel like just being lazy and submitting it as it is, without making the changes.

I thought maybe talking about it here, maybe someone would give me some motivating advice or something! Or maybe I'm just procrastinating.

How is everyone else's writing up going? Anyone else feeling similar to me?

H

Hugh 1264 posts
8 years ago

Hi Dodo,

First of all well done, you've got through your final very tough year.

You've got 5 days to polish your thesis - make those last 5 days count! You'd rather make changes to it now then let examiners suggest changes, which will inevitably be more. Just keep reminding yourself of how it'll feel after 5 days, and give the 5 days the best you can!

Good luck!

I

IntoTheSpiral 152 posts
8 years ago

Quote From Dodo:
Hi all! I'm a bit late in joining this thread, but really in need of some motivation at the moment! This final year of PhD has been the worst year of my life probably, and I never thought I would ever see the end of it. But at last, after several months of carrying out a whole set of experiments for my final chapter during the day, data analysis in the evenings and writing up the thesis during the nights... I'm finally due to submit my thesis this coming Friday!

I have a complete draft of my thesis, but after having spent months and months working so hard I just have no energy or motivation to work on the changes people have suggested. I feel so drained, and I know I've worked so hard and that I'm almost there... but I kind of half feel like just being lazy and submitting it as it is, without making the changes.

I thought maybe talking about it here, maybe someone would give me some motivating advice or something! Or maybe I'm just procrastinating.

How is everyone else's writing up going? Anyone else feeling similar to me?

Wow, 5 days to go is awesome! I've got 61 days to go and the mountain to climb is still massive (I'm blogging about it here: https://annashodgepodge.com/). Yesterday, I made a day by day plan of what I had to do on each day and I think that's going to be really motivating for me. Have you got a list of what still needs to be done? Just think about how much better you'll feel going into the viva knowing you made all of the suggested corrections before you submitted. Good luck!

D

Dodo 4 posts
8 years ago

Thanks Hugh, you're right. I would definitely rather make the changes now. And thanks IntoTheSpiral, I'll check out your blog :) I have one last final to do list to get through, and I'm just spending the next couple of days working through it.

Hope everyone else's writing is going well!

I

IntoTheSpiral 152 posts
8 years ago

How's everyone doing today?

I finished up another chapter yesterday while working from home (which I rarely do because I like to use the big screen in my office). That's 3 experiments written up and 2 left to do. 59 days and counting!

Meeting my supervisor this aft and I'm armed with pages of questions. Eek.

Final year support thread

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