I'm applying right now because my grant is about to run out - but it's a tough old world out there without a PhD!!!

Like you i came from a 'quant' Psychology background, and my PhD is in social constuctionist psychology and is very interdisciplinary, although all within social sciences. Definitely go for it - i would have been bored to tears with a 'mainstream' psych research project - what lots of depts want is someone who can offer both quant and qual stuff - thats quite hard to find in psychology, so if anything, you'll be making yourself more employable you are if you can teach, say, stats as well as qualitative research methods.

Thanks Hairui - that's what I'm a bit worried about. It does feel a bit like a cop-out, but i dont know if im expecting too much...I have asked if it's 'good enough', and my supervisors say stuff like 'i think so', and 'its getting there', but Im not sure how to make it 'there'...

Ive just started writing up (in third year, social sciences) and when i get the feedback of each draft of each chapter back from my supervisors (up to fifth chapter now out of 7), there's hardly anything there to go on and improve with. There's a few typos highlighted, and things like 'you could do with another ref here' but other than that, its really hard to know what else to do to improve...how much should i expect? I kinda want lots of red pen all over it, for some reason!

I've been told constantly for the past two years that i need to 'unpack' what I'm saying.

It needs to go on a form to be approved by Registry about 4 months before submission, after which it cannot be changed. i thought this was common procedure across universtities, but perhaps not? Otherwise, you're right, Id wait until the very end. i think thats what's making it so hard.

Is anyone else struggling with what title to give their thesis? I have to make my decision reasonably soon, as im due to submit in 4-5 months, and I'm still messing around with possible phrases, words etc but nothing seems right. Any pearls of wisdom out there?

So weird...I've been thinking the same thing myself - yesterday i brushed my teeth, then did it again 10 minutes later cos i forgot I'd already just done it.

I wonder if this is discipline-specific? I wouldn't dream of putting any of my supervisors on any of my papers unless they had physically written some of it....

I had a job interview like that once - e.g. kept me waiting around, no refreshments, pretty rude etc. They offered me the job but i turned it down cos i figured if thats how they treat interviewees, god only knows how they'd treat you as an employee.

Well a friend of mine secured an ESRC post-doc last year, and her area wasn't a 'priority' area, which i guess proves that its possible!

Oh...Im guessing it is law!

Hmmm, thats good advice regarding the field - i guess it would have some bearing on all this (Im in psychology). To 'ifoughtthelawandthelawwon', you've done really well - what field are you in, may i ask?

I chose my own external & my supervisors agreed - nothing to do with an 'easy ride', but because shes really well-known & respected in my field, which should probably be the best reason for choosing someone.
Pozzo, i think you should definitely have input into this decision, and if you're not happy with it, then you should definitely say so. its outrageous that your supervisor is choosing someone unpublished on account of them being her friend.

Im coming up to the completion of my PhD - well, I've another 6 months to finish analysis/write-up. Anyhoo, Id really like to go for a lectureship upon completion (or apply just before, as i expect to complete late summer). however, i don't know whether I'm being too ambitious by applying for a lectureship straightaway - some people have suggested that this is not the norm, and instead i should set my sights a bit lower for the first couple of years, and apply for RA posts...but i really don't know! What are other people's experiences? Is it unheard of to apply for lectureships straightaway? i do have a couple of publications to my name and quite a lot of teaching/lecturing experience (at FE and HE level). Does this make a difference?