Job market survival guide presented at the 2015 American Marketing Association Summer Educators Conference.

1. César Zamudio
(Kent State University)
Robin Soster
( (University of Arkansas)
AMA Summer Conference 2015,
Chicago
Yet another
MARKETING
JOB MARKET
SURVIVAL
GUIDE*
*complete with images that vary in
appropriateness

2. Past findings: what matters before the interview
(i.e., “securing AMA talks”)
Proceedings
Attractive
Variety R.
Experience
FunnyYoung
+Language
Religion
Fill Teach Gap
Teach MBA
LowMant
Network
Pedigree
Presented
Fill Rsh. Gap
Proceedings
Hot topic
Likes grads
W. Papers
Likes UG
Chatty
Diverse
Teach Flex.
Rsh. Focus
CHAIR Motivated
Pub potential
Energetic
English
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.00
1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00 9.00 10.00
HowmuchDISAGREEMENTthereisbetweenthem
How IMPORTANT each characteristic is to hiring committees
Group 1 (Avg<5) Group 2 (Avg<7) Group 3 (Avg<8) Group 4 (Best)
1.78
5.99
N=12
Thanks to Angeline Close and Julie Guidry for granting us access to this data.

3. What matters before you’re even interviewed?
We thank Angeline Close and Julie Guidry for granting us access to this data.

4. But then what????

5. How to
STOP WORRYING
and love survive
AMA interviews and flyouts

6. We conducted a
survey to
determine
potential
employer
preferences
How can
candidates
stand out
from the
crowd?

7. Hint:
Not like this.

8. Our sample
Scholars with experience… (N=97)
• Survey of 97 faculty.
• 60 have chaired a doctoral student (4.35 on average).
• 71 have been part of a doctoral committee (8 on average).
• All have served in an AMA search committee.
…primarily from research, public, US schools… (N=74)
• 54 (72.9%) from research schools, 18 (24.32%) from balanced
• 53 (71.62%) from public schools
…of various ranks… (N=74)
• 26 (35.14%) assistant professors
• 25 (33.78%) associate professors
• 18 (24.32%) full professors
…middle-aged, men and women
• Mean age is 42 (N=65)
• 43 (58.11%) men (N=43)
• 27 (36.49%) women (N=43)

9. What matters MOST at the AMA interview stage?
Pub potential
Explain talk
Motivation
Questions
Talk soundness
English
Friendly
Energy
Geography
FUN
Pedigree
FillRsh
Chatty
TeachFlex
TeachXP
Diverse
Chair
ProbOffers
Network
HotTopic
Attractive
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
HowmuchDISAGREEMENTthereisbetweenthem
How IMPORTANT each characteristic is to hiring committees
Group 4 (Best) Group 3 Group 2 Group 1
3.59
0.94
N=77

10. What matters MOST at the AMA interview stage?
We’ll come
back to
these later…

11. … but it depends on your target (MKTG 101?)

12. Not every department is created equal…
Differences between Ph.D. (N=45) and non-Ph.D. (N=16) granting departments
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
Teaching
flexibility
Teaching
experience
Can fill
teaching need
Diversity
Importanceofcharacteristic
Ph.D.
Non Ph.D.

13. Nor every scholar!
Differences between men (N=43) and women (N=27) in hiring committees
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
Attractive Social network Can fill teaching
need
Teaching
flexibility
Teaching
experience
Pedigree of
alma mater
Importanceofcharacteristic
Men
Women

15. Even with these “individual” differences, the
most important things were fairly stable….
Remember
these?

16. BE
PREPARED!
The primary theme that emerged was….

17. “How can a candidate
‘knock it out of the park’?”

18. • But be the “best” you
• Authentic
• Present who you really are (it is a disservice not to)
BE YOU (23 of 65 responses mentioned)
• Smile
• Connect with the interviewers
• Share something (positive) about yourself—beyond just work
• Show enthusiasm and excitement for your research
• Be INTERESTING
SHOW PERSONALITY

19. • Reveals your (true) interest in the school
• Know something about the faculty (especially those interviewing!),
department, college, and school
• Ask open ended, non-generic (i.e., good) questions
• Be ready to provide a thoughtful, honest answer to “So why are you
interested in X University?”
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

20. To be
interesting,
be
interested!
Dale Carnegie

21. Some suggested NOT looking for “too many AMAs.”
You will be able to tailor your talks and be better prepared for them if
you have a handful of talks versus 30. If you pursue this strategy, it
will also “force” you to choose wisely.
BE SELECTIVE (one approach)
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE

22. Over prepare. At the end of the day, you have full control of what you present.
Giving tons of practice job talks allows you to gauge diverse responses your
work might provoke.
It is WORTH DOING.
Give practice talks to people in different fields, if you can!
Give practice talks to people that are barely paying attention!
Give practice talks to your parents!
Give practice talks to yourself in the mirror!
I am a strong believe that more practice only benefits the candidate.
PRACTICE (“the hell out of”) YOUR TALK

23. … but …
PRACTICE (“the hell out of”) YOUR TALK
• First (last?) opportunity for you to meet so many people
(not to mention being able to tell them all about your work)
• Remember, they wouldn’t be interviewing you if they
weren’t interested
•Your “debutante ball”
HAVE FUN!!

24. “How can a candidate avoid
‘dropping the ball’?”

25. • Stay well-rested, drink water, EAT so you can keep your energy UP!!
• KISS: “Have one or two suits that you’re comfortable in and wear
those. Keep make up and shoes classy but simple. Cut down on the
probability that one little detail will trip you up, especially for flyouts.
Pack to make things convenient, easy, and comfortable”
DON’T RUN OUT OF STEAM!
• “Be loose and enjoy yourself throughout the process. The
excitement and enjoyment will come through and be contagious”
• They have already evaluated your paper(s). They like your research!
DON’T FREAK OUT!

26. When you find
yourself going
through
HELL,
keep going.
Sir Winston Churchill
Remember …..

27. • LISTEN!! Make sure you are answering what they asked!!
• Don’t give canned / standardized answers… okay to say IDK…
“unprepared, spontaneous responses [often] seal the deal”
• Interviewers want to see how you think
• Don’t be defensive! This is a chance to improve your research…
DON’T NOT ANSWER QUESTIONS!
• Don’t ask “no” questions (e.g., “Do you have a research pool?”)…
may think that will keep you from their school
• Know the school: “lots of interviews back to back… often candidates
refer to the wrong school or the wrong set of faculty”
DON’T ASK BAD QUESTIONS

28. • Be able to do talk with or without slides
• Be aware different schools want different levels of depth (start with
a 1 – 3 min overview and ask them how much detail they would like)
DON’T BE RIGID / CANNED!
• Even (especially?) those you don’t think have power in the decision
• Don’t accept AMAs / flyouts when you are not interested
• Don’t be TOO friendly / chatty … It is a PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW
• Don’t be late / look bored / check your watch / leave phone on
DON’T BE “THAT GUY” (arrogant, cocky, jerk)

29. • …you are always being judged, even during informal/social occasions
during the interview process.
• When you get called for an AMA interview, sound excited!
• I still remember when a person dropped the f-bomb (Don’t swear)
• Don’t slouch / lounge / act like you are better than everyone else
• Don't tell 5 schools that they are your top choice. People talk.
• People move around. Don’t burn bridges. Even if you’re not
interested now, you may be someday. More friends = better.
DON’T FORGET… YOU ARE BEING WATCHED

30. • DO NOT drink at the AMA hotel bar in the evening.
• DO NOT be the one closing the bar down in the conference hotel
(for the entire hiring season… ACR counts too).
• DO NOT go to AMA interviews with one drink under your belt
(“you can smell that”).
• DO NOT have more than one alcoholic drink at dinner (AMA
dinner interviews / flyouts)
….and speaking of being watched

31. GOOD LUCK!
Additional
questions /
concerns?
Robin: rsoster@walton.uark.edu
César: czamudi1@kent.edu

32. “…a lot of noise in the hiring process
… as the candidate, you aren’t
always aware of how you performed
or what factors beyond your control
may affect the final decision.
“…feedback loops are imprecise and
often non-existent. The decisions
are intensely ‘personal’ in that we
are evaluating you and your ideas.
“But… committees are not making
judgments about you as a ‘person.’
[e.g., intelligence, personality, moral
character].
“Most are trying to figure out if you
are the most likely to succeed in
their environment and whether you
are the best addition to their
department given their limited
information and future uncertainty.”

33. Stay tuned!
• How to be “appropriately confident”?
• How to interview when everyone’s the same/different?
• How to go about asking “those difficult questions”: salary,
teaching load, tenure requirements…