OK, OK, I know I don't have a PhD yet, but I have resubmitted and it is likely that I may have the PhD soon.

I have been applying for jobs in the last year, with no luck, and all of a sudden, I have nailed an interview at a local fast food restaurant and they offer me a job. Not just any job... but a full time job making sandwiches!

Of course I have never told them what I have been studying, etc. I applied with a CV which did not include my postgraduate degrees, otherwise they might not hire me as I could be considered overqualified.

Whereas making sandwiches is not something I would put on my CV, I need the money. But a couple of close friends and my family tell me not to be stupid and not to accept the job. They say that it is kind of embarrassing doing a job that only requires a highschool diploma, and that I should better leave this job to someone who is more appropriate for the role.

The whole situation has made me think: if I do accept this job, of course I would not openly tell people (especially people in my field of study) what I am doing for a living. I feel embarrassed, to start with.

What would you do? Take the job, not tell anyone, keep applying, and leave when something better turns up?

Having had a couple of periods of unemployment and applied for anything and everything at those times, I would always take a job offer rather than the alternative. It is much better for confidence, motivation etc to go from one job to another than to try to get back into working after being unemployed.

As somebody who has been looking for jobs (academic and non-academic) for a couple of months now with no success... I'd say take the job and keep applying for other ones. You can always quit if you find a better opportunity. But it's easier to find work while you're in work.

I am currently in a similar situation - about to (hopefully!) finish my phd, but no jobs on the horizon. My criteria for evaluating job offers are now down to the following:

1) You get money
2) It is not prostitution

So I say go for it! Nobody has to know...

If I remember correctly, Einstein was in similar situations for some years.
He was probably providing private tuition service...

Thank you all for your advice. I have decided that I will get this job, and meanwhile carry on applying. This is the same advice I received from the career services of my university. In fact, they told me not to hide this job from my academic CV (as I was originally planning on doing). It shows that I can multitask, work as part of a team, work with the public, and that I am hard-working. They in fact said to me to emphasise this 'sandwich artist' work on any cover letters: say, for instance, that I have been making sandwiches since I submitted my PhD, which has taught me A and B, but I am looking for something that is more appropriate for my academic background.

In fact, I was told that having that type of job could make someone offer me a better job. For instance, if I spread the word that I am doing this job, people may offer me a better job because they may think that 'she deserves something better, and I will give her a chance'.

Take the job.... Good for you! You will get something (more than money) out of it hopefully and in the meantime look for the dream job.

It's much better to look for work while employed, than climbing the walls at home.

Dear all, thanks! I started work yesterday and I signed a contract with them. I promised myself that I will keep applying for my dream jobs, and that the sandwich making job will not interfere with my academic work. I still do research, but research (publishing, etc.) will be my number 1 priority. Unfortunately, my research involves attending and presenting at academic conferences in the following months - no idea how I am going to do both. Of course I won't put making sandwiches over presenting at academic conferences. When it is time to go, I will go. Meanwhile, I will make us much money I can.