More thoughts…
I never explained my own background. I’m in education, a somewhat related field on the applied side of the coin. I am on the tenure track at a top-tier flagship public research university, so much of what I say will emanate from that experience. YMMV, etc. when it comes to jobs in academia. Where you want to go really matters. The other thing is that disciplines, specialities, and even subspecialties vary greatly. Much of what folks in even related fields will have no relevance. As others have said, this young woman needs to seek out mentorship and advice from current PhD candidates and recently minted PhDs in her specialty and subspecialty for the best advice.
Another resource is the Pearls of Wisdom blog. The blog is run by a former professor who writes for the Chronicle of Higher Education, consults with departments, and generally gives spot on, if not blunt, advice about academic life, including the job search.
The job search for PhDs in academia starts with selecting the right school, or right strata of schools. Schools signal a number of things - proxies for rigor, intelligence, competency, and so forth. They are not infallible signals - so all is not lost if this woman goes to a school that is not as well known, but it makes the task easier. It so happens that my doctoral program was top ranked, but it is less well known in my specific area of focus. So I definitely had access to great resources and networks, but in my particular niche, my school was less of a name. But it wasn’t a detriment; on the contrary, I sort of stood out because of my schooling and specialty.
During graduate study, getting noticed as a promising star is another way to advance. I worked on a prominent research project, which took us to a lot of conferences, campuses, and pretty good media exposure. So my name was circulating in some circles. On campus, earning honors and fellowships both keep your fridge stocked and establish you as a leader among your peer group. In my experience, faculty often approached me about research and teaching opportunities because they heard I was “pretty good,” i.e. a competent research and public speaker who wasn’t an asshole or prima donna.
Which leads to the culmination of the degree. Selecting the right dissertation committee will provide great letters of recommendation and makes you a part of an academic bloodline, if you will, that you can rely heavily on after graduation. For example, my graduate school mentor is a legend in sociology and that is an enormous asset to me - I mention his name to sociologists, and that gives me some credibility which usually doesn’t go to scholars in education from folks in sociology. And through his academic genealogy, I am connected to a number of scholars in both mid- and late-career stages. Very helpful to be part of this “family.”
Last, networking at conferences and other means is essential. My experience in my job search reflects this: I was invited to apply to two positions, which means that a member of the search committee has tagged you as a strong candidate. It doesn’t secure you the job - as mhendo and Manda JO have stated, there are a number of safeguards that ensure that jobs aren’t passed along to friends and the like - but it does give you a spotlight. In my case, there was novelty in me wanting to return to my hometown/region, and the reputation I had built as a grad student through research connected me to faculty at the two institutions.
mhendo’s point about the reliance on adjunct and clinical faculty over tenure track faculty at many public (and private) institutions is spot on. We have lost in my six years five full professors. Not one has been replaced with a tenure track scholar - the courses they teach are taught by capable adjunct faculty, but they do not have the ability to chair dissertations, for example, and their expertise typically resides in practical pursuits rather than research design and analysis. These faculty also don’t have “homes” in our department, and therefore are less connected to the goings-on and politics in the department and college.
I know a number of folks who are working at universities as adjunct faculty. For most, it’s much less desirable than a tenure track position, but others who are in specialities that have lucrative professional opportunities, it’s a nice way to supplement their income, have some of the freedom and enjoyment that comes with teaching, but also be at arm’s length from the politics of academic life. They are certainly in the minority, though. My colleagues who have been on the visiting assistant professor or adjunct track have discussed the “second class” nature of their status in the department, low pay, and lack of long-term security. But it works for some.
