To TTC or not to TTC, that is one of the many questions...

[YorkshireTeaDrinker]

Ok fellow ditherers, as we have filled up one thread (and still not made too many firm decisions) here's another one for us to continue to procrastinate and worry on.

Here's to more monitoring of relative green and redness, mutual support and occassional chivving, discussion of everything baby or not baby related, and perhaps even our first BFP...?

Hey, dont take my surname in vain! Tis a serious matter.

I am not sure if I want to wear sparklepants in my current condition (ie chubby)

Get them on, young lady.

humph

anyway, how's your application coming along?

Not too bad. Finished the CV, just rounding off the cover letter.

Nearly done then, I presume? Keep it short and snappy, that's my tip (as, obviously, I have applied for loads of scientist jobs in my time...)

Well, thats the thing - its not actually a science job. It is moving away from the bench and academic research and into science administration. So I have had to rework my CV, which is full of technical stuff. Its 50/50 whether I will get an interview, and even less likely I will get the job, and TBH Im not even sure I want it. Reasons for applying are:

1. Permanent contract.
2. Away from direct academic nonsense.
3. Great location to work close to home.
4. Good salary with progression.

Reason not to apply: I love being a bench scientist.

When I got fed up of people asking me what I was going to wear for my wedding I told them I was planning on silver lamé hotpants. Maybe I should dig them out and join in the sparkly knicker parade

So, you do own some sparkly silver hotpants then? Wow.

My arm is still aloft in the salute. I may bring it down, DH is looking at me oddly.

HP - I am completely with you there. I don't want to give up bench science either, but I don't know what future there is in it for me, and as I've said before, babies complicate things...

But good luck! And if (when!) you get an interview, remember it's a two-way conversation. It's as much you finding out whether you want to work there as them finding out if they want you.

Oops, job and hotpant crossed post alert!

HP keep it up!

Sorry to ask, and I can probably guess, but what exactly is bench science?

Ok

Bench science is where you are actually 'at the bench', actively conducting experiments to generate data. It is why we all go into science, until repetitive strain injury or promotion take us away from it.

Im at that end-of-first-postdoc dilemma. Should I stay and join the bun fight for funding, or bow out gracefully (or bitterly) and get on with Career Part II.

Are you thinking of other options, Suerock?

Real experiments in a lab with things rather than just a computer. I can't begin to describe how fun (some of the time) and frustrating (most of the time) it is!

Things sounds far more interesting than doing it on computers. So, are you both doctorate's?

In answer to HP's question, sadly yes. There just aren't the opportunities in my field there were a few years back, and the job market is completely swamped. I don't know whether to join the scrum, or, as HP so elequently puts it, bow out gracefully. Hence getting preggers right now might help me decide on that one.

If I leave it will be with a heavy heart. Ive worked bloody hard to get this far (yup, including my doctorate, in answer to your question, Confused). And there really isn't anything like planning and executing a beautiful, challenging experiment.

But the fun probably has to end at some point, and that time may be coming for me.

As for babies....if Im going to move on, better to do it sooner rather than later, I guess. If Im not going to do the baby thing, I might be more inclined to stay in research, to fully commit to it.

Why does the fun have to end? Is it as the jobs aren't there or for another reason? I know nothing about this field, if you haven't guessed!

Mainly because after one or two (or three, if you are lucky) post-doc positions you have to show your commitment and start getting in funding and moving towards being an independent researcher. This means more and more grant writing and admin, and less bench work. The pressure is immense - generate data, be in the lab, publish quality papers yet write grants and network at conferences.

If you try to stay as a post-doc (which would be my ideal solution) you may become too expensive to employ, as group leaders want to spend as little on salaries as possible. There is very little middle management in research (or at least, medical research).

I could write an essay on this topic and can get exceptionally boring on it

It boils down to people being expensive, as HP says, and to a huge fight to continually be the best

That is such a shame to have to spend more and more time doing grant and admin when you've worked so hard. Re your job application - what do you mean by less academic nonsense?

And finally, have you still got your arm up?

Arm has gone white and tingly.

Academic nonsense = all of the above, and much, much more. I suspect that Suerock and I would write essentially the same essay!

Writing grants brings in the money for the research to happen, and it is very tricky. You have to come up with the ideas, no mean feat when thats what everyone else is trying to do.

Hence the current CV writing.

Well, good luck with it all. Both of you.

Ok, A change of subject to more cheery matters. May I suggest:

1. The bringing of my arm down?
2. Juices?
3. Plans for Easter weekend?
4. Dressing our pets up as babies to see if we feel greener?