Hi, I think most people have this dilemma. It's risk and reward - take the low risk / low immediate reward indutry or high risk / high [low?] reward postdoc. It's a personal decision. I went with the latter. I wasn't out of work, but I was forced to take jobs I didn't like or be in places I didn't want to be. I'm in an academic job at the moment, but the future isn't certain still. On the other hand, it's double the salary of one of my other research jobs post-PhD so I can't complain!

I wouldn't worry about the idea thing - these come later. You generate ideas from getting lots of experience and learning new techniques, collaborations etc.

If you go for the PGDip, would you get an MSc later?

If you want to work in research, you might need a MSc not just a PGDip. PGDip sounds like you're basically a field assistant, which is great experience, but it's not an equivalent of a Masters.

I think it depends on your end goal.

Jobs.ac.uk is the most useful UK resource I have found for this: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/cv-templates/1309/academic-cv-template

This is nothing to do with work, just wanted to get a few opinions.

If you go to visit someone you know, and you knock on their door, they open it, you say hi, they said hi, maybe you then greet their dog/cat/small child who also came to the door, what happens if there is another person in the room who also lives in the house? Should they say hello first, or should you?

Yep, it's better to find someone who will write you a good reference, rather than risk a bad one. Also remember that it's your right to see your references, so request to do this beforehand if you want. If there's concerns about a submitted reference, then contact the people you are applying to and ask to see it. Bear in mind, sometimes the people will then contact the referee and ask if it's ok to share the reference, but often this permission is sought at the time of submitting the reference.

You're not going to find a procedure. It's a myth that people can't give "bad" references. What you can't do is lie. If I have a bad student, I will write honestly but unenthusiastically about them e.g. "this person is capable of doing this job with a lot of close supervision" "They averaged 62% overall, which is on par with 50% of their cohort". If I want to comment on timeliness I might say, "this person submitted 60% of their work on time; the average of their cohort was 90%." At the end of the reference, I wouldn't specifically recommend them for a position.

It's quite clear that students aren't great when references are written like this. I don't have to explicitly say, "the student needed a lot of attention and was unable to show initiative, they got average grades and they were frequently late" for this meaning to come across anyway.

I would say that's ok then, I don't see what else you could do.

Have you tried asking the finance team in your School or Faculty? I would suggest they are the best people to answer this question rather than a random person on the internet.

I knew all my references inside out anyway, so I was always sure they were the correct ones. Plus, I used to highlight the key points in them, so it was obvious why I was citing them if I did want to check.

I doubt you will find a service for this. You know your thesis and topic area better than anyone else. You should check them if you are worried.

Do you need an introduction if it's going to be the same? I would say no, but I wrote a traditional thesis with three very different data chapters so I don't know for sure. I definitely don't think you should copy it. I think you should paraphrase at the very least. Imagine if you did publish it Presumably you wouldn't have three introductions saying the same thing?

Take a break Zen. Sounds like you need it. If you can afford it, then I recommend doing nothing for a while. Eat well, sleep well, exercise and spend time in the sunshine. Travel. Maybe then you will have an improved perspective.

I'm assuming you're not in the UK. Here we have a 4 year deadline and you can't easily submit after that without an extension agreed.

You need to tell your supervisors that you want to submit asap. From what you've said it doesn't sound like you have got this across to them clearly.

Failing that, I think you need to speak to the administrator in your department, or head of postgrad, or pastoral care person and ask their advice.

Of a Masters or PhD?

"Hi, I'm really interested in THIS aspect of research, instead of what I'm doing now... I think THIS method might work, I don't think anyone else is working on this idea as far as I can see from the literature, what do you think?"

Thanks