I am about 2 weeks away from submitting my PhD. I have started looking for research/postdoc posts in late November. There are very few ads in my area of study. There were only 4 applications I sent and got an interview for one.

After the interview, they seemed very interested and told me that they are about to check my references. I gave them my principal supervisor as a reference. They called him up and literally after that conversation I found out I didn't get the job.

I spoke to my supervisor and he basically said that he wasn't comfortable with that job for me. He questioned the guy on supervisory arrangements and found out that the guy will be away for 6 months in 2014. My supervisor then told him that I need supervision and questioned him further on who would supervise when he is away. He basically presented me as someone that is not able to work independently. I am not surprised that I didn't get the job.

The problem is that my supervisor micromanaged me and gave me a lot of supervision I didn't need. It anything, I much prefer to work more independently.

I am feeling really depressed since there are no new ads to apply to. I feel like my supervisor just screwed up my one chance at getting a postdoc.

I am also worried that if another job appears that he will do the same thing. And let's face it, I can't afford to let another opportunity go. I am thinking of removing my supervisor from the referee list. Will this looks really bad? Should I ask my supervisor not to say anything like that in the future?

Any comments on this would be appreciated. I don't even know if what my supervisor did is realistically bad (he framed it as "looking out for me")...it just feels wrong.

Hi,

is this possible that he is actually "looking out for you?" Academia is a small world, and it doesn't take long to build a bad reputation. In my field there are specific people who are considered "unpredictable" or " they have a chip over their shoulder" and no one ever invites them for vivas.... and some other academics often advertise positions for RA, but friends who have worked with them say they are "bullies", and these are positions I won't even apply for. No thanks, I don't need the boss from hell.

Or maybe, your supervisor doesn't want you to leave because he has a research project lined up?

That is awful to hear. It does sound like he is the reason you didn't get the job.

I think you should be honest with your supervisor, explain to him about the micromanaging and tell him that it's not fair of him to prevent you from getting a job in this way... try to appeal to his better nature (if he has one) and ask him to give you a good reference because you deserve one.

I don't think that he has a research project lined up or he would mention something. I have a casual teaching gig for the next semester (which helps my supervisor because I teach and mark instead of him).

As for him possibly looking out for me, at this point I would happily embrace a boss from hell to being unemployed. I don't think he has a right to interfere in any case.

That's terrible, I am so sorry for you. However, it is more common than you think.
It is difficult to bypass your supervisor until you don't get your first job. They would question why you don't have references from the person you worked with for the past few years. So, I back up what TreeofLife said about trying to have an open conversation with him.

However, you might need more than one referee for academic posts and there are also other people you can ask for references. Your external examiner is very important, as he/she is the real expert in your field. Your Internal examiner is suitable too, and if you had a different supervisor for your Masters that would be useful too. If I were you I would also look for unpaid internships and voluntary work in your area, as that can be a source for references too.

Do you guys think he sabotaged this on purpose? It's pretty awful to think that he did this so that I can do his teaching/marking for another semester. Or is he just misguided? I guess it doesn't matter. The only good thing is that he was honest in how the conversation went (he could have easily lied to me)...so I sort of know where the problem is.

It might have nothing to do with you personally and that he was asked for references by another student or by someone for whom he was external examiner and he didn't find a better way to deal with that. Some academics lack people skills, it doesn't matter how high up they are.

The best way to deal with it in my opinion, is to talk to him before you apply for a job, and check whether he is going to support your application or not. We tend to think that because they are our supervisors their support is granted, but this is not always the case.

hi onegirlfaraway,
So sorry to hear that you did not get the postdoc position. I really don't think your supervisor sabotaged your opportunity on purpose. Besides his comments, the people selecting postdocs often have many, many outstanding applicants (and you are one of them) and it so happened that unfortunately the position was not given to you.

It's at least good that your supervisor was honest with you about it -- and perhaps you could tell him that getting a postdoc position means a lot to you, and that even if you needed extra supervision, you would find a way yourself to get the support you need.

love satchi

Hi OneGirlFarAway,

Academia is replete with self-serving bastards with their own agenda. Your principal supervisor sounds like one of them. It's not up to him which jobs you apply for. You have options:-

1. Use your other supervisor and other contacts as references.
2. Ask you supervisor if, seeing as he is being selective on your behalf as to which jobs you go for, he will work with you to help you get jobs he thinks you ARE suited to. That includes him being proactive in tipping you off about any suitable positions he hears about.
3. I'm in the UK, and my understanding is that by giving a negative reference, a referee is treading on very thin legal ice. That's why these days, written references are generally only about confirming the story on your application. Of course the content of over-the-phone references are difficult to prove. Nonetheless threaten to sue him if he torpedoes any more job applications/offers.

You've spent years studying for PhD and deserve a fair crack of the whip regarding finding work, WITH your supervisor's support (or at the very least, his lack of negative input)..