Im coming up to the completion of my PhD - well, I've another 6 months to finish analysis/write-up. Anyhoo, Id really like to go for a lectureship upon completion (or apply just before, as i expect to complete late summer). however, i don't know whether I'm being too ambitious by applying for a lectureship straightaway - some people have suggested that this is not the norm, and instead i should set my sights a bit lower for the first couple of years, and apply for RA posts...but i really don't know! What are other people's experiences? Is it unheard of to apply for lectureships straightaway? i do have a couple of publications to my name and quite a lot of teaching/lecturing experience (at FE and HE level). Does this make a difference?

Of course you can apply for lectureships straight away, but chances are you will get a temporary rather than permanent position, and it probably won't be at the Uni of your dreams either. You might only get part-time too.
I know people who have got lectureships before submission, as soon as their 3 year registration was up. It was at a pretty good uni, and they didn't have publications either

It is possible - and teaching experience, especially FE, could help. Sometimes you can getter a post at a better institution by going the slower route though.

Zelda, almost all of the adverts I have seen for lecturing posts say that the applicant should have or be near completion of a PhD, so they obviously consider people who are in your situation. I would have thought that having publications and prior teaching experience will definately increase your chances.

Smilodon - why do you think that FE teaching experience will be especially useful? Surely HE experience is better if you are going for a post in an HE institution?

Actually I misread that - I thought they meant high school for some reason.

I'm half way through my third year, starting a lectureship next month and moving to PT registration to complete. That's an open-ended contract at a research led institution. Not as good, arguably as where I'm doing my Ph.D but still top quarter for my subject. I don't see you should have difficulties unless you're going for an appointment at the most prestigious of institutions.

Its important to bear in mind the field that you are in will have a HUGE effect on how easy it is to get a lecturers job. In some fields (economics, law) most of the graduates are keen to get into industry and its much easier to get an academic post.

Other fields such as the humanities are notorious for having far more PhD graduates than ever could get academic posts and for them its a lot tougher.

I have to agree with BadHair--the field has a major bearing on this. As an Arts & Humanities student, I'm stuffed basically. It's notoriously difficult to get a lectureship in the A&H, which begs the question--Am I mad or what? (seeing as academia is really the only career path for A&H PhDers)

Hmmm, thats good advice regarding the field - i guess it would have some bearing on all this (Im in psychology). To 'ifoughtthelawandthelawwon', you've done really well - what field are you in, may i ask?

Oh...Im guessing it is law!

Indeed I'm a law person. I agree there is a variation by subject but can assure the previous poster, there are no openings in the professions for Ph.D qualified lawyers, the question is "why did you bother with a Ph.D, you'll be 30+ by the time we've fully trained you" Practice is so different from academic law you've basically disqualified yourself.

I applied for two jobs, at the first one there were two posts and 90 applicants down to ten interviewees. I didn't get that one, the second again two posts 8 interviewees from similar number of applicants, pretty tough field, a lot of people travelling a very long way, already turned down for numerous posts, etc.