POC2 Post 💌
January – High Winter ❄️
Hi everyone, I hope you’re doing well and if not I hope you’re taking care of yourself.
As we begin a new year we’re inching ever closer to the end of our PhDs. I specifically was part of the last UK cohort to start my PhD before COVID, and like many others I’ve been dealing with the consequences of that ever since.
Further details on this can be found in my published works here, but as I now begin the process of writing papers and writing my thesis I’ve started the job hunt in earnest that I’ve always planned as a task for 2023.
The TL;DR is my funding is going to run out before I’m done with my PhD, I’ll need income to survive whilst finishing up so I’ve got to find a job.
I thought making this newsletter, a limited series on how the ending of my PhD is going, would be interesting to look back on. Hopefully it’ll be some calm comfort to anyone else in similar positions as well.
As for this months theme of beginning the job application process, the first thing I’d like to mention is how different it feels to job search now. I cannot overstate how good the careers services at my university have been. Between the staff and an endlessly detailed website I’ve got answers and worked examples of every question I could possibly think of.
However what has been really interesting to notice is that I myself have changed in my approach for for jobs. It’s been a really lovely surprise to find that when writing up my applications I no longer feel the anxiety I used to if I do not have 100% of the skills being asked for, nor do I worry if I’m applying for a job that’s “more senior than I should be applying for”. I can say to myself with confidence: apply for what you want, the worst case scenario is they reject you, in which I don’t lose anything, as well as, if they can’t fit my needs right now (e.g. working hours, wage and how intensive the work actually is) I don’t have to accept.
Of course I’m still in the early stages of all of this, and I’ve yet to hear anything back, but I’ll stay updated on the successes and the difficulties as things go on.
In solidarity – Karel (on behalf of the POC2 team)
Discoveries ✨
🖼️ Snowlattes – The stunning prints by digital artist Snowlattes has been on my to-buy list for a while now. Once I can afford it my spaces are going to be absolutely covered in her multiple seasonal mini series.
📺 Hannah Lee Duggan – I stumbled across Hannah after seeing a repost of a viral video of hers. In it she was building a porch in the summer, just minding her own business hammering away at some wood and I was hooked ever since. She literally just lives alone in the woods and post videos of herself renovating her cottages. She has a great personality, she’s living the cottage core dream and I watch whenever she uploads. Here’s one of her newer posts to match the winter we’re in in the northern hemisphere.
The POC2 newsletter, The POC2 Post 💌, is written by Karel Green. Find her published work + guest appearances on BBC radio here or follow her on Twitter @thisismeonline
Header photo by Andrew Dunstan on Unsplash
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