I would also suggest contacting someone with regards to your abstract word count and check how critical it is that you stay under it, particularly if you feel you have good reason to include more detail than the 200 words allows?

Silly question: if I'm writing "the work presented in this thesis" or something similar (i.e. referring to it in the text), is it Thesis (capital T) or thesis? Capital T has been suggested but I think it looks wierd...

Any suggestions (cue 50% answers each way...!)

Hi - my first post!
I've been reading a lot of these threads over the past couple of months and they've been really helpful (and scary on occasion, but mostly helpful).
I have a couple of questions about post-PhD job applications, and would be interested to hear other people's thoughts and opinions on them.

In the last stages of my PhD I've spent a month applying for post-doc positions and got nowhere, and one good thing about it is I'm realising where I'm failing to meet the job or person specifications. There are lots of Research Assistant positions advertised that I feel I'd be suitable for, and would be a chance to develop some of the lab skills that I don't have. Of course looking for a job at the moment is a really tough business and whilst I know I can't be picky, I do want to be taken seriously for the application and for future employment - is it going to look strange me applying for Assistant positions (with the degree requirement being a Masters or equivalent) rather than a PhD-level position? Would it look strange on my CV if I applied for a PhD-level position in the future?

While writing this I know that the important thing is to get experience and get publications - I guess any way of doing this is a bonus - I think I'd just like to hear some opinions, especially from anyone else who might be or may have been in a similar situation.

Thanks!