phiwheat

I am in my second year at a Sociology program and wanted some input about the possibility of changing programs. I am wondering how common this is, what recommendations people might have for doing it in the best & most respectful way possible, and if there might be people out there who have done this and strongly recommend it or strongly advise against it. A little background on my situation: I applied to ten programs in 2012 and got accepted into one. Admittedly, my process then was ill-informed, as I applied to top-name schools without consideration of the research areas each program excelled at. When I got into only one school, my choice became go to this specific graduate school or continue down my dead-end career path. While I am extremely appreciative of the opportunity I received to attend the institution I am currently at, my substantive areas of interest leave me feeling isolated at times. I am torn as to whether remaining for the full six years will be advantageous for me come job market time. Ultimately I am wondering what option will provide me the best chances of being a competitive faculty applicant: (1) Staying put and supplementing my foundational training with external networking, fellowships and joint research projects-- more the "what you know" approach? (2) Applying to other programs that are well-known for having faculty with expertise in my substantive areas--more the "who you know" (and have worked with) approach? I would appreciate any feedback from individuals with experience on this topic...especially if you are a faculty member and have undergone the job talk process. As of right now, I am wary of hitting the market and fielding a question in which I am asked why I am marketing myself as a "X" scholar and what faculty I have worked with in that area. Is it simply a matter of "spin" and could I be as competitive with option 1 in comparison with an applicant who has the more traditional option 2 under their belt?