Countdown to AOM

Timeline of activities related to the AOM annual meeting:

October

  • Look for the release of the Call for Reviewers and Submissions in mid-October. This will be posted on the AOM website and distributed by email to AOM members and through listservs including the OB Division. It provides details of the All-Academy Theme and specific instructions for each division. The Annual Meeting section of the AOM website features a variety of resources to help you participate, such as guidelines about formatting, the submission process and session types.
  • Read about the different types of submissions. You might consider preparing a PDW submission (Professional Development Workshops designed to enhance scholarly skills). You will probably be thinking about submitting to a Paper Session or a Symposium. For Paper Sessions, you submit a complete research paper and choose between Traditional format (fully developed papers for presentation to an audience) and Discussion format (papers that would benefit from more constructive feedback in a roundtable setting). For Symposia, you organize a whole session with multiple speakers discussing a common theme. Putting together a symposium takes more time, but can be rewarding in terms of meeting like-minded researchers and creating a strong session with a higher likelihood of acceptance than an individual paper.
  • Sign up as a reviewer. You can review for up to two divisions and will receive a maximum of three papers per division. This is your opportunity to read emerging research in your field and to contribute to a high-quality conference.

November

  • Begin submissions using the online system in mid-November. You have approximately 2 months to complete submissions before the January deadline, but the system can be overwhelmed at the end so ideally try to be ready at least a few days ahead.
  • Contact potential co-authors for a symposium submission. It’s sensible to start this process sooner rather than later, because you need to find people with relevant research at the right stage, and you need to navigate more logistics than a paper submission (e.g. checking that presenters will attend AOM, ensuring they have space in their plans regarding the 3+3 rule).

December

  • Finalize your submissions. Ensure that you are following the style and formatting guidelines available on the AOM website. Your submission is more likely to be accepted if it looks professional and meets all requirements (e.g. references, fonts and margins).

January

  • Make sure to submit your materials before the deadline in early January. You should receive email confirmation and be able to see that the submission was received in the online system.

February

  • Complete your reviews in time for the mid-February deadline. There are resources available on the AOM website to help you write constructive reviews.
  • Check the AOM website for registration and housing information, which usually appears in late February or early March. Although you are still waiting for news about your submission, it makes sense to think about your travel planning already. Conference hotels fill up fast and flights can become more expensive if you wait until the last minute. Where possible, make flexible bookings so that you can adjust your itinerary as the conference approaches. Some of the conference hotels offer student rates, but these are likely to be the first to sell out. Talk to other students about sharing a room or booking accommodation through AirBnb.
  • Search for information about consortia applications and deadlines. The NSDC (New Student Doctoral Consortium) is useful for first time AOM attendees, and most divisions offer a consortium (often for late stage PhD candidates who have a dissertation topic). These are amazing opportunities to hear from accomplished faculty members, to network with your peers, and to receive tips about your research and life in academia. Deadlines tend to be in March and April – the OB Division has one of the earlier deadlines in mid-March. Keep an eye on the OB Division website for announcements regarding the OB Consortium.

March

  • Keep an eye on your emails for acceptance notifications in mid-March. Hopefully you were successful with your submissions and can start confirming your travel plans. Whatever the decision, you should receive valuable feedback from reviewers on your PDW / paper / symposium. If you were unsuccessful, perhaps consider submitting to your regional conference in an effort to develop your ideas.
  • Register and confirm housing if not yet complete. Early registration rates apply through early July.

April

  • Sign up for a free Placement Services account if you will be a job seeker during AOM (usually one year before you expect to finish your PhD). You will use this account to schedule interviews and to view job postings.
  • Look for volunteer opportunities that allow you to get involved at AOM. It’s easier to meet people and to feel part of a community within such a large conference if you have a purpose. See the Involvement section for information about helping out in the OB Division.

May

  • Browse the online program when it comes out in late May or early June. Make sure that your sessions are listed correctly and report any errors. Use the search function and the personal calendar to keep track of interesting sessions and events – you will be busy at AOM, so prepare in advance or you will miss out!
  • Check the online program for PDWs requiring advance registration. Many sessions are limited in capacity and some events (especially off-site visits) involve a registration fee. Popular sessions will fill up and you will not be able to access them just by showing up in August, so secure your spot now!
  • You may also register for the TLC@AOM conference. Registration typically opens in May and requires an additional fee, but opens up access to several interesting teaching-related sessions on Sunday, a day that doesn’t have as many other PDW and paper sessions available for participation.

June

  • Finalize your PDW selections and conference registration. Registration rates increase at the beginning of July.

July

  • Confirm your travel plans.
  • Review your personal calendar and check the online program for any updates / additional registrations.
  • Think about fitting social events into your schedule. The online program lists several evening activities sponsored by AOM and various divisions. You can also find details of school-sponsored events via the @AoMParties Twitter account.
  • Contact people you want to meet with at AOM to schedule a convenient time.

August