Thanks to everyone for your advice.

I actually have a new idea now: see my latest post in a new thread.

A vague idea I have is that, instead of being an academic or doing a post-doc (there are no jobs anyhow), I should become a consultant, earn money from writing reports or doing consultancy (whatever that means in practice), and generally have a good life and avoid all the negativity associated with academia (the need to publish constantly, bureaucracy, etc). My point is that once you have done some work and know enough people that you should find subsequent projects easier to obtain.

I take the view that consultancy work is associated with expertise - you have to be an 'expert' in order to get employed and paid, which, of course we are because we have a PhD in a defined topic. I would take the view that expertise is a socially constructed idea - there is no empirical definition. If other people think that you are an expert then you are one.

This is a nebulous post but I'm in the early stages of thinking this idea through.

Any comments? Criticism? Support?

Is any one else a consultant? Or have done some kind of consultancy work?

Moreover, looking at the forum, there are several people who have been searching for jobs for years! The British economy is simply not equipped to use our PhDs. And the academic environment with its lack of positions and dearth of interest in recent PhDs does not help.

I cannot continue to live as I am living. I would appreciate any suggestions no matter how 'blue skies' they may appear. I'm sure there are ideas that I simply haven't considered! Many thanks!

I have, however, zero teaching experience. I never really thought about teaching when I was studying except on one occasion when I was told that nothing was available. Some students did 'demonstrating' but this was mostly statistics which I have no clue about. Most job applications seem to demand teaching experience.

I am not someone who has made a lot of contacts over the PhD years, However, I did make a few. I've written to a number of these academics asking for advice. Do they know of any suitable positions? Are there any people they think I should get in touch with? Are there any institutions I may have overlooked? So far only two people have replied but I know that replies can often take several weeks.

Generally, however, I am worried about my future. I need to generate some kind of income soon. I can't keep living off my parents who now support me with a monthly stipend! But I'm under-qualified for jobs yet post-docs seem non-existent. More broadly, I'm getting increasingly disillusioned with academic life. It has struck me that there is minimal support for students who have completed their PhD. I believe that most academics who have full-time positions (especially as Professors or Readers) are by and large unconcerned about the welfare of PhDs and those who have graduated.

Of course, I could look for jobs outside academic (which I have only done to a small extent). Yet, it is hard to explain what I have been doing for the last four plus years to people who have no idea what a PhD is. And, as mentioned, it's not like I have the direct skills to go into a profession. My skills are 'cultural' rather than 'empirical'. I'm not saying that my situation is automatically negative just that I lack 'real world' skills.

Dear All,

This is the first time I have posted to the forum. I have read it on and off (mostly off) over the years but – when I have looked at it – it has always been a good source of information. Moreover, there is a lot of compassion shown to members who have not achieved what they want in academia.

Here is my situation:

I'm 34. I possess a PhD (awarded in August) from a relatively prestigious London University. I'm in the Department of Geography – that's Human Geography not Physical. The PhD is broadly 'cultural' and the original material derived from interviewed I conducted. I'm not suggesting that a mathematical or pure science PhD would put me in a better position. However, I do think that it would be easier for such graduates to articulate their specific skills. (This is an assumption – I could be totally wrong).

Anyhow, my point is that I am to all intents and purposes unemployed. I recently went to my former University to do some colour printing for free and was stopped in the hallways by one of the staff. “Oh, you must be doing a post-doc” he said somehow labouring under the misapprehension that thousands of post-doctoral positions are crying out for people like me to apply. I, frankly, do not see many post-doctoral positions that are suitable. In fact, I've not seen any.

I have two papers submitted. One was returned and asked for major corrections within two months. I think this is do-able. The other was only submitted last week. My point is that I should, hopefully, have two papers accepted by early 2014. It's not as if I've been doing nothing for the past couple of months.

See next post...