Thanks everyone for your replies so far. I read this article today and it pretty much sums up what I am experiencing

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article14564.html

======= Date Modified 26 Jun 2011 22:35:20 =======
======= Date Modified 26 Jun 2011 22:34:36 =======
======= Date Modified 26 Jun 2011 22:33:28 =======

Hi meologies, it would be quicker to tell you the websites I have not registered with. Basically a lot such as total jobs, grb, cv library etc etc

I have to say not one of them has lead to anything not even an interview. And a lot of the time I apply and never hear anything again, which I find really annoying ! And I should say that from these job websites only recruitment agencies have contacted me not companies directly. I have had one interview however when I have applied to a company directly, though again unsuccessful as the position was somewhat unrelated to my degrees.

======= Date Modified 25 Jun 2011 22:43:42 =======
======= Date Modified 25 Jun 2011 22:42:18 =======
Well I am close to submitting my PhD and to be honest it has been a horrible experience that I wish I never went through. Mostly because of my supervisor I might add, who was and still is well just a terrible supervisor. Anyway I have been trying to look for work for the last few months and I have to say that I have found that my PhD is more of a hindrance than a help for the majority of the jobs I have applied for. My PhD is in experimental physics I might add. Anyway every graduate level job I apply for I get a reply that I am over qualified, and every job that I apply for requiring experience gives me a reply that I have not got enough experience. There is no shortage of postdocs looking for jobs, in fact I would say the job market is flooded with postdocs with experience, which makes it a lot harder for new PhD graduates. Things are so bad that I cannot even get a part time or temporary job as no one will touch me because of my qualifications. I have now deleted my PhD from my CV for job applications which require graduate or lower qualifications, since I believe its the only way I have any sort of chance. I have an interview soon for a secondary school teacher training course, as this seems to me the best option, even still the competition from first degree graduates, with more experience in secondary school teaching, means this is going to be hard to get accepted onto this course.
All in all the PhD was a complete waste of time for me, and I have a feeling that I have wasted the last 9 years studying physics and I will end up being a postman or something like that.

Hi I am in the last three month of my PhD and I don't think I have enough to pass my PhD. I most likely will be given a MPhill.I should say I am an experimentalist and my work is heavily dependent on the data I have. Anyway the first 1 and a half years were ok, I had found lots of new stuff passed my transfer event easily. I even managed to write a draft version of a scientific paper I hoped to publish ( which has been sitting on my supervisors desk for a year unread ). For the second half of my PhD I analysed data from a new experimental setup, and I have found nothing of any use at all. The whole experiment seems to have been a disaster! and my supervisor has only really shown any interest in the last two weeks which is too late frankly and confesses he does not have time to help me. I have never really got on with my supervisor, and they never ever seem to have any time to help me and they are, and have been throughout the PhD very unsupportive and arrogant. I have spoken to my head of group who advises me to demand more time and effort from my supervisor and basically be more confrontational with them. I have tried this in the past but my supervisor just goes of in a mood and does not speak to me for a long time. Anyway like I say Im pretty sure I will get a MPhill ( My supervisor even admitted himself there is not enough time to do anything else) so anyone got any advice on the way ahead for me. My dreams of a research career are in tatters so I need to look for a job. What should I say in job interviews about my PhD and why I failed it ?
Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers in advance

Joyce I know there would have been people who really would have loved to get the PhD, but this was the only offer I got at the time, and I obviously didnt think it would turn out like this. I guess hindsight is a wonderfull thing. As for my supervisor been in demand, I kinda thought the point of being a supervisor is to be there to advise and help the student when they need it. Anyway thanks every one for the advice. I think I will try to stick with it for the next few months, but if it doesnt get any better I think I will leave it.
Again thanks for the advice.

Hi I just started a PhD about 6 months ago and I have to say it is nowhere near what I had expected. It started well and things seemed to be moving fast, but for the last 4 month I feel like things have come to a complete halt. My supervisor seems to spend more time travelling the world than supervising, and when they are here they just patronise me and take apart what I have done. They repeatedly gossip about other staff to me and I really can’t take anymore, I hate it! I have totally lost interest in the subject and I struggle to get myself motivated. I only choose the PhD because of funding; I was unable to get an offer for a PhD in the subject that is my passion.
Anyway I am really considering leaving this, I know I have made the wrong decision and I’m just wondering if anyone knows what the possibilities are to apply for other PhD in the subject I like, in the future. Or what it takes to get an Mphil because that seems a really appealing alternative.

Thanks