But does that mean I should give up now and not even try? Of course not. This is about trying to maximize my chances, not assuming that it will work.
(Trying in this case means waiting in the hope that a particular department in a particular school has a job opening that fits you at the time you need it, and you are the best candidate for that position. It's more like buying a lottery ticket than an application of effort.)
As I said, we'll both be going on the job market at large at the same time. We're not stupid enough to put all our eggs in this one basket.
What I did mean is that you should productively spend your time making yourself as attractive a candidate as possible for non-academic jobs. Get as much applied work experience as you can, for the types of employers who would be likely to hire you. A freshly minted Ph.D. with no experience in industry can be a hard sell for employers. Have that experience under your belt when it comes time to hit the job market.
If academia doesn't work out, I'll likely be starting my own company (possibly non-profit). Part of the allure of professorship for me is being your own boss, after all. I'm doing what I can to get a project or two underway that would translate well to this scenario, without letting it take focus from my dissertation, of course. I even took a business class my first year here to learn how to write a business plan. No guarantee that will work out in the long run, of course, but it should be interesting to give it a try!
