Thank you all for your replies; I was probably not very clear in my original post. I'm looking for temporary work to fill nine months. If I were looking for a permanent post, I would have no hesitation about being totally honest in my cv; as it is, I'm not getting any interviews for the kind of jobs I can get for the nine months. I can't really go for a graduate position for that short a time, and the temping agencies I've signed up to haven't got very much on the books. I was looking for advice from anyone who's overcome similar difficulties, really.
Thanks.

Hi All,
Never posted a thread on here before, but I've read loads of your posts with interest (and relief that I wasn't alone!), so I'd like some advice:

I'm post-viva, and applying for post-docs for Sept 2010, in the meantime I need a job. I'd sent out 40 applications and cvs to jobs for which I had experience and skills, mainly admin/office jobs. Not a sniff.
So, being slightly pedantic about it, I removed my PhD from my cv (I haven't yet graduated, so 'officially' am not qualified, I taught all the way through my doctorate, so just put Graduate Teaching Assistant to account for the time), and have now had 2 interviews out of 10 applications. Same kinds of jobs, same salary, same basic cv.

However, in the interview I had today (which made me realise why I DON'T want to work outside in the cold scary real world!!), they asked me point blank 'are you doing a PhD then?' I said no, since technically, I'm no longer 'doing', but I got a strong impression they thought/knew otherwise. I've just googled myself, and although it's not totally apparent from all the results, someone with half a brain could put it together and figure it out.

I'm fairly sure that they won't offer me the job, should I try and pre-empt that by coming clean and explaining that having full disclosure has led to no job offers? I'm aware that I haven't actually done anything illegal (ah the power of Google), but I would like to find a way around this dilemma for the future! I have nine months to fill up (assuming I even get a postdoc), and I do need to work!

Does anyone have suggestions/experience of this?
Cheers,
xx

Hi Scaredgirl,
I do hope the viva went well for you today; I felt exactly as you did beforehand (although I didn't have a dreadful supervisor like you have, you poor thing!), but all the fears I had came to nothing! I really hope that was the same for you, and I'm sure it's been ace - you know your work best!
xx