AMA DocSIG Webinar Series

Curious about our webinar series?
Reach out to our chair Julia van de Sandt and the organizing team for Special Projects & Partnerships, Xiaoying Feng and Amir Alisha Syed.
If you missed a webinar, or want to rewatch one – check out the YouTube links below.

🧰 AMA DocSIG Webinar: Job Market Toolkit & Resources: What to Trust, What to Skip, and How to Use Them Wisely with our “fresh off the boat” candidates: Brandon Christensen, Sushma Kambagowni and Philip Kim

Navigating the academic job market? Don’t waste precious time on unreliable resources! 🧭
Join us for an essential session where we unveil the Job Market Toolkit & Resources: What to Trust, What to Skip, and How to Use Them Wisely for marketing PhD candidates on the North American academic job market.
Our experienced panel will share:

The hidden pros and cons of popular job market platforms you need to know
A curated list of trusted information sources that won’t lead you astray
Real experiences that reveal which resources actually deliver results
Time management strategies to balance applications, teaching, and research without burning out

In this challenging journey, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Connect with peers and build your support community during one of the most high-stakes phases of your academic career.

🔹 Date: Tuesday, May 27, 2025
🔹 Time: 13:00 -14:00 PM, EDT
🔹 Location: Zoom
🔹 RSVP: https://forms.gle/3oA6g9WHSAtMssES7

About the Speakers:
Brandon Christensen is a PhD Candidate at University of Colorado Boulder specializing in consumer behavior and status signaling. He will be joining the University of Arkansas as faculty in fall 2025. His research examines how audience economic status influences luxury consumption behaviors.

Sushma Kambagowni is a recent PhD graduate from the University of Pittsburgh studying new age digital technologies. She will be joining University of Nebraska-Lincoln as faculty next month. Her research applies advanced analytics to explore the nuances of platform dynamics and advertising engagement with immersive technologies like Augmented and Virtual Reality.

Philip Kim is a PhD candidate at Indiana University using econometrics and machine learning for digital marketing. He will be joining Texas Christian University as faculty in 2025. His dissertation examines the effectiveness of influencer marketing in political and commercial contexts

🌟 Hosted by AMA DocSIG, supporting PhD students in their research journeys.

MarketingPhD #AcademicJobMarket #AMAWebinar #DocSIG #Jobsearching #PhDLife

🚀 AMA DocSIG Webinar Recap: “ Lights, Camera, Job – Acing Your Online Interviewing”

Thank you to everyone who joined our recent webinar featuring Dr. Denish Shah (Georgia State University), who shared invaluable insights on navigating online academic job interviews, drawing from his experience as the author of the online interview chapter for the AMA Transition Guide.

Key takeaways from the session:

🎯 What First-Round Interviews Are Really About
Evaluating your communication skills and teaching ability
Getting a sense of your personality and departmental fit
Deciding whether to invite you for an on-campus visit

🧠 Content Strategy
Thoroughly research the school’s mission and faculty—your preparation shows right away
Keep your presentation simple, focused, and on time
Emphasize why your work matters; detailed methods can follow later

🎥 Tech and Setup Essentials
Consider an external webcam (1080p/4K) and a separate microphone
Double-check your video platform and internet connection early—have a backup ready!
Set up in a quiet, uncluttered, well-lit space, with lighting from the front and the camera at eye level

✅ Pro Tips
Practice full mock interviews on ZOOM (aim for at least 5!)
Prepare thoughtful answers for classic questions like “Why us?” and “What motivates your research?”
Always follow up with personalized thank-you emails—it leaves a lasting impression

🚫 Mistakes to Avoid
Technical issues (especially poor audio quality)
Trying to cram too much into your slides or rushing
Ask inappropriate questions like housing or teure requirements (Too early!)

Extra resources: AMA Transitions Guide: Navigating the Progression from Doctoral Student to Marketing Professor (https://www.ama.org/ama-transitions-guide-navigating-the-progression-from-doctoral-student-to-marketing-professor/)

Again, thank our amazing speaker and everyone who attended and asked such thoughtful questions. You can check the recording from DocSIG AMA on YouTube (https://youtu.be/SvA4qOSTX5Q?si=4-4KN-254oAhIHl0) or revisit Dr. Shah’s slides here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CMuncQ81XN6i9YY2C_SFAQ4xr4KnKSuw/view?usp=sharing).

📢 Coming up in May: “Tools and Resources for the Academic Job Market” – learn about the essential websites and platforms for your job search.

🌟 Hosted by Julia van de Sandt and Xiaoying Feng , supporting PhD students in their research journeys. DocSIG is led by Julia van de Sandt (Chair) and Ishita Nagpal (Chair-Elect). American Marketing Association Marilyn Stone Matt Weingarden.

🚀 AMA DocSIG Webinar Recap: “Stand Out on the Job Market – CV & Cover Letter Optimization Workshop”

We had an incredible turnout at our latest webinar, with about 100 doctoral students joining us from worldwide! 🙌
A huge thank you to Dr. Andreas U. Lanz, marketing professor at the University of Basel, for generously sharing his time, expertise, and practical insights on crafting standout job market materials. From CV formatting strategies and signaling research potential to writing cover letters that highlight fit and “get-ability,” Dr. Lanz walked us through what to do—and what to avoid.

Key takeaways included:
📝 CV Optimization
Use a clear, standard CV layout—don’t try to “stand out” with design
Be precise about paper status: “first-round review,” “invited for second-round,” etc.
Best advice: Check the CVs of recent job market candidates who landed at R1 schools

✉️ Cover Letter Optimization
Use your letter to emphasize strengths with a personal touch and explain what a CV can’t
In your cover letter, highlight key strengths like research fit, papers under review, co-author network, firm collaborations, teaching breadth, and industry experience.
Signal how gettable you are—personal motivation matters more than you think

🔁 Use job talk mock sessions to activate your network—ask for feedback and let people know you’re on the market! Practice your Zoom job talk 50 times!
📚 Extra Resources: EMAC Job Market Simulation(https://www.emac-online.org/events/emac-job-market-workshop), The PhD Journey Slides by Anatolic Colicev(https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XKbZ6OzTVrxsfw58a9sv_FOwaU1UuJLF/view)

💬 Thank you again to our amazing speaker and to everyone who attended and asked such thoughtful questions. If you missed this one, be sure to follow AMA DocSIG for updates—next up: First-Round Interviews!

🎥 AMA DocSIG Webinar: Lights, Camera, Job – Acing Your Online Interviewing with Dr. Denish Shah

The first-round interview is your big moment to shine. Are you ready to make a lasting impression on screen that gets you to the fly-out stage?
Join us for an essential session to help marketing PhD candidates confidently navigate the online interview phase of the academic job market.
Dr. Denish Shah—who authored the online interview chapter for the AMA Transitions Guide—will share practical tips on presenting yourself professionally, managing your tech setup, and communicating your ideas with clarity and confidence.
From framing your camera to framing your research pitch, this interactive webinar will cover the three key pillars of virtual interview success: content, technology, and ambiance.

🔹 Date: Monday, April 28, 2025
🔹 Time: 12-1 PM EDT
🔹 Location: Zoom
🔹 RSVP: https://forms.gle/ZvgQJe3UXDQN1bJz5
About the Speaker:
Dr. Denish Shah is the Barbara and Elmer Sunday Professor and Associate Professor of Marketing at Georgia State University. He is also the Founding Director of the Social Media Intelligence Lab and Executive Director of the Marketing RoundTable, with a secondary appointment at the Institute for Insight.
Dr. Shah’s research explores the link between marketing strategies and financial performance, the role of digital technologies in marketing, and marketing’s broader societal impact. His work has appeared in Journal of Marketing Research, Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing, Harvard Business Review, Sloan Management Review, and more.
A recipient of eight best paper awards, three dissertation awards, and seven teaching excellence honors, Dr. Shah was named a 2015 MSI Young Scholar and received the prestigious Varadarajan Award in 2018. He also serves on the Executive Advisory Board of AMA Atlanta and the Board of Trustees for SMILE, a nonprofit supporting underprivileged women and children.

🌟 Hosted by AMA DocSIG, Julia van de Sandt and Xiaoying Feng, supporting PhD students in their research journeys. This webinar is part 3/6 of our Spring Jobmarket Series. DocSIG is led by Julia van de Sandt (Chair) and Ishita Nagpal (Chair-Elect). American Marketing Association Marilyn Stone Matt Weingarden

🚀𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐀𝐏 𝐀𝐌𝐀 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐒𝐈𝐆 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐉𝐎𝐁 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐓 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫

In February, we had an incredible session with Dr. Abhijit Guha on the Relevance of Journal Rankings in the Job Market 📚🎓. From demystifying UTD, FT50, ABDC and AJG lists to providing career-focused insights on journal targeting, Dr. Guha shared invaluable and sincere perspectives on how emerging scholars should navigate the lists to maximize their career prospects.

Key takeaways from the session:

✅Journal lists are not one-size-fits-all: each institution values rankings differently.

✅Factors to consider: (1) What your school wants; (2) Your goals (Mobility, Tenure, Personal Goals…) ; (3) Your ability (Training, Resources, Network..) Be Honest!

✅Strategies evolve: keep revisiting the above three factors and adapt your strategy.

✅ Choose journal: (1) Strategy comes first! (2) What idea/data is available?

A huge thank you to Dr. Guha for sharing his insights and to everyone who joined us. You can check out our YouTube Channel if you missed it or would like to review some key takeaways: https://youtu.be/S4-IrbGy2Rw?si=Z8SVALjnDGen_8YQ. Stay tuned for more AMA DocSIG jobmarket webinars to help PhD students thrive in finding a tenure-track position.

🎤Drop your thoughts in the comments on any topic selection for future webinars! 💡

🌟 Hosted by AMA DocSIG, supporting PhD students in their research journeys. Xiaoying Feng and Amir Alisha Syed manage our webinars. DocSIG is led by Julia van de Sandt (Chair) and Ishita Nagpal (Chair-Elect). American Marketing Association Marilyn Stone Matt Weingarden

Is your research at the intersection of Marketing and AI? Consider submitting your proposal to win a $10,000 grant:

The Mays Business School at Texas A&M University is excited to announce the inaugural “Building a Better Future Through Business and AI” Dissertation Proposal Competition, with support from Deloitte and the Deloitte Foundation. This groundbreaking competition will recognize outstanding methodological or empirical dissertation proposals that either leverage AI techniques/methods or explore AI’s impacts across various business fields.
The competition includes six awards, including a dedicated Best Dissertation Proposal in AI and Marketing award for marketing students. The recipient of this award will receive a $10,000 prize and will have the opportunity to present their research at Mays Business School during the week of September 15, 2025.

All submissions must be submitted through here. https://createdatmays.tamu.edu/blogs/2025/01/ai-proposal-competition/ The submission deadline is May 31, 2025.

Eligibility Criteria
• Applicants must have defended their dissertation proposal by May 31, 2025, and maintain enrollment in a doctoral program at an accredited business school within the United States through the Fall 2025 semester

Submission Requirements
• 3,000-word maximum dissertation proposal summary (12 pt. font, 1” margins) without any identifying student information
• A separate dissertation abstract (150 words)
• Student CV
• Nomination letter from dissertation chair confirming the dissertation proposal has been successfully defended and providing a dissertation completion timeline and anticipated graduation date

Evaluation
Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of expert faculty judges based on:
• Theoretical and methodological rigor
• Potential contribution to the field
• Innovativeness of the research

Awards
• $10,000 prize for each award
• Commemorative award plaque
• Travel funding to present their dissertation at Mays Business School during the week of September 15, 2025
• Opportunity to network with Mays faculty and Ph.D. students as well as other award recipients
For full details and to start a submission, visit createdatmays.tamu.edu/ai.

We thank Dr. Yan “Lucy” Liu, Marketing PhD Coordinator at Texas A&M for sharing this generous opportunity with DocSIG.

👊 𝐀𝐌𝐀 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐒𝐈𝐆 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫: 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭

Schools have differing perspectives when judging research productivity, often following distinct journal lists such as UTD, FT50, ABDC, and others. But how should emerging scholars decide which list to target? Join us for an insightful discussion on Relevance of Journal Rankings in the Job Market, featuring Dr. Abhijit Guha from Florida Atlantic University!
Dr. Guha will share insights on how emerging scholars should align their research efforts with these lists and how target journal lists may evolve throughout a career. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable guidance on navigating journal rankings and positioning your research for academic success!

🔹 Date: Friday, Feb 28, 2025
🔹 Time: 2:00 – 3:00 PM EST
🔹 Location: Zoom
🔹 RSVP: https://lnkd.in/ezBstBdu

About the Speaker:
Dr. Abhijit Guha, Professor of Marketing at Florida Atlantic University – College of Business, currently works on research topics related to AI and retailing. He has published over 30 papers in leading academic journals like the Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, Management Science, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Retailing, Harvard Business Review, etc. Further, he is an Associate Editor at Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Retailing, and Journal of Business Research.
Dr. Guha has been awarded the 2025 Service Award by AMA RAPSIG and was the runner-up for the Sheth Foundation Award (from the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science) and the Davidson Award (from the Journal of Retailing). In 2023, he was a finalist for the Society for Marketing Advances Distinguished Teacher Award. Prior to academia, Abhijit worked for about 10 years in management consulting (McKinsey & Company) and sales (HSBC and Barclays Bank).

November Webinar Recap: Conducting Field Data Collections: Partnering with Industry for Research with Riley T. Krotz

We had an engaging November webinar featuring Dr. Riley T. Krotz, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Florida State University. It was an insightful session filled with actionable advice, inspiring stories, and practical strategies for doctoral students and early-career researchers in the field of marketing and beyond.

Key Takeaways:

1) Building Industry Partnerships: Start with small, local, and nonprofit organizations. They are more likely to collaborate and offer access to valuable data while providing real-world insights for impactful research.

2) Research Relevance Matters: Aligning research objectives with practical, real-world questions that matter to managers and policymakers increases the chances of forging partnerships and driving meaningful impact.

3) Confidence is Key: As researchers, we bring unique expertise to the table. Communicating confidently with potential collaborators is crucial.

4) Field Data Strategies: Working with real companies and behavioral data is challenging but rewarding, often lowering the expected threshold for perfection compared to controlled experiments.

5) Handling Null Effects: Turn unexpected outcomes into opportunities for follow-up studies and insights that keep collaborators invested in the research journey.

6) Leveraging Networking: Local events, alumni connections, and platforms like LinkedIn can open doors to valuable collaborations and data.

Riley also shared his journey from being a first-generation college student to becoming a leading researcher, highlighting the importance of persistence, networking, and leveraging available opportunities. His story was a powerful reminder of the impact we can make when we connect research with real-world problems.

Thank you, Dr. Riley, for your generosity and for sharing your knowledge and experiences. Your practical insights and willingness to support the next generation of researchers inspire us all. For everyone who missed it, go to our youtube: https://youtu.be/ffG41vdBmec
Stay tuned for our January webinar in our ongoing Doctoral Student Webinar Series. Sign up for our newsletter to stay in the loop! https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/NWSRRkY/docsig

PhDJourney #WebinarRecap #DoctoralStudents #AMADocSIG #PhDLife #AcademicCommunity #MarketingResearch #Networking #FieldData

📢 AMA DocSIG November Webinar: Conducting Field Data Collections

Are you a PhD student struggling to forge industry partnerships for field data collection? Join us for a must-attend webinar on Conducting Field Data Collections: Partnering with Industry for Research, featuring Dr. Riley T. Krotz from Florida State University!

Dr. Krotz will share invaluable insights on building industry connections for research, navigating NDAs, handling proprietary data, and more. As someone with extensive experience securing industry and nonprofit partnerships, Dr. Krotz brings a wealth of hands-on experience to help students who want to enrich their dissertations and research with real-world data.

🔹 Date: Friday, November 29, 2024

🔹 Time: 1:00 – 2:00 PM EST

🔹 Location: Zoom

🔹 RSVP: https://forms.gle/xsqapCLU19SLykmZ9

About the Speaker: Dr. Riley T. Krotz, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Florida State University, is known for his impactful research on blood donations, the organizational frontlines, and public policy. His work has appeared in top journals, and he has been awarded over $200,000 in grant funding from major organizations like the American Marketing Association, the Academy of Marketing Science, the Association for Consumer Research, and the American Antitrust Institute. Dr. Krotz has earned numerous accolades, including a Congressional commendation from the U.S. Senate, the City of Lubbock Top 20 Under 40 Award, and the AMA OFR Young Scholar Award. He’s been recognized as a dedicated mentor and educator for his outstanding contributions to research, mentorship, and community impact. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from his experience and expertise!

🌟 Hosted by AMA DocSIG, supporting PhD students in their research journeys.

October Webinar Recap: Write on Track with Dr. Margaret Echelbarger

We had an inspiring session at the AMA DocSIG October webinar, Write on Track! Dr. Margaret Echelbarger shared her go-to strategies for academic writing success, covering over 40 pre-submitted questions covering everything from writing habits and productivity tools to overcoming fear, composing manuscripts, journal submissions, and handling rejection.

Key Takeaways:
1) Start Small: Don’t wait for the “perfect” time! Use “stealthy writing” to fit in quick moments throughout the day.
2) Writing Hacks: Try the “kitchen sink” approach (jot everything down!), and stop mid-thought—it makes starting up again so much easier.
3) Productivity Tips: Time-blocking, the Pomodoro technique, and community accountability are game-changers. Play defense by creating and protecting dedicated writing time.
4) Stay Motivated: Tap into intrinsic motivation (joy of discovery, connecting with literature) and extrinsic rewards (getting your voice heard).
5) Handling Rejection: Embrace rejections as badges of resilience—they’re all part of the journey!

Dr. Echelbarger also recommended amazing resources, including #100DaysOfWriting and A Field Guide to Grad School. And remember, writing doesn’t have to be perfect—a bad draft is always better than no draft! Stay tuned for our November webinar in our ongoing Doctoral Student Webinar Series.

The recording of the session is available on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/ZV9G7fHDX44?si=yihOvg1q2oKX-HfM

Thank you once again for being such a generous and valued part of the faculty community and for your incredible support of the doctoral student community! Our webinars are organized by Xiaoying Feng and Amir Alisha Syed. Proudly hosted by AMA DocSIG as part of our commitment to supporting the global marketing PhD community.

September Webinar Recap: Navigating Your PhD Journey

In response to high demand, we reintroduced the AMA DocSig Webinar Series in September! As part of our first webinar, we featured an amazing session on “How to Navigate Your PhD Journey” with Dr. Shrihari (Hari) Sridhar, attended by around 50 PhD students from across the globe.

The session was highly interactive, with participants engaging in insightful discussions and receiving valuable advice from Dr. Sridhar from Texas A&M University on overcoming challenges during their PhD journey.

Here are six key tips shared by Dr. Sridhar during the session:

1. One moment can change your life forever: Success often hinges on just a few pivotal moments. Be kind and open, as you only need a couple of good days to make a significant difference.

2. It’s about who you don’t know during the job talk: Stay customer-centric and practice what you pitch. Share your work widely, simplify your message, and always be approachable.

3. Maintain both breadth and depth: Learning doesn’t stop after earning your PhD. Strive for a balance between deep expertise in your field and broad knowledge across other areas.

4. Keep an open mind: Pay attention and listen actively. Your SIG is just one part of your journey—don’t limit yourself.

5. Focus on what is urgent and important: Not all ideas will succeed. Respect your body, mind, and your family’s needs, and prioritize what truly matters before addressing the urgent.

6. Go where you are loved: Opportunities are plentiful. Instead of constantly focusing on where you want to go, focus on environments that value and support you. The right role or title will come naturally.

A huge thank you to Dr. Sridhar for sharing his expertise and to everyone who attended and made it such a dynamic session. We hope you found it as inspiring as we did! Stay tuned for our next webinar in October as part of our ongoing Doctoral Student Webinar Series.

Sparring with your Research Question Before You Go Into the Ring: A Key Milestone in the Journey from Research to Publication

Click here to read about this session by Prof. Linda Price, in association with AMA DocSIG at the AMA Academic Winter Meetings, Las Vegas, 2022, where she talks about the importance of building research questions and how we can position them to publish in top marketing journals.

Networking in Academia

Dr. Ryan Hamilton, Associate Professor of Marketing at Emory Goizueta Business School helped PhD students understand the importance of networking in academia. · Networking in academia. Why is it important? · Networking as a Ph.D. student. When and how? · Collaborating with other academics · Collaborating with industry · How to approach collaborations. What you should not do! https://youtu.be/UZ4s4z13V4w

Secured your first Academic Job! Whats Next!

Dr. Prokriti Mukherji, Lecturer in Marketing at Kings Business School share her insights on what’s next for you within the Academic job you have just secured. This webinar is directed toward helping doctoral students understand the journey and set expectations after securing a full-time academic position. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bZRdEtQwm7o

Balancing Act of the Academic Career with Dr. Nita Umashankar

Dr. Nita Umashankar, Associate Professor of Marketing at Fowler College of Business, San Diego State University, presented on preparing for a career in academia after securing an academic job. Watch the webinar on our YouTube channel through the link below to learn more about the skills required and the decisions that need to be made to grow and thrive in their academic career after securing an academic position. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9Ph3BF-668

Job Market with Dr. Shankha Basu

Dr. Shankha Basu, Lecturer in Marketing at Leeds University Business School, shares his insights, tips and tricks for doctoral students who are unfamiliar with the American or British Academic Job markets. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-GmGGsqjDI

Brand Yourself with Dr. Aulona Ulqinaku

Dr. Aulona Ulqinaku, Assistant Professor of Marketing at Leeds University Business School shares her perspective on how to brand yourself and position your job market papers and studies when applying for jobs within the USA and UK academic markets. The virtual synchronous session was conducted at 2pm CST (8pm UK time) on 10th February 2021. Specifically, the webinar session was designed to coach you through the best ways to present yourself and highlight your work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie7weTn2WYA