Researching the markets - Becoming a Market Researcher

How do new products are developed? What made you choose that fantastic new shampoo? Why on earth did the government decide on that ridiculous new policy?

The answer normally involves market research. And it's not just about making sure that consumers like the latest biscuit advertistement Market research covers economic, social and political decision-making and is a booming industry in the UK, worth over £1 billion a year!

First things first!
The majority of people in market research have a degree although the actual subject isn't important. Most market researchers are drawn from degree disciplines that require strong communication or analytical skills, such as languages, English literature, maths, psychology, geography, history, politics, science and IT. However, graduates with degrees as contrasting as zoology and theatre studies also work in this area.

Then you'll need the right personal qualities and skills if you're really going to enjoy this job and shine.

• strong interpersonal skills - market research is a people-focused industry, you need to be able to communicate well with others
• commercial awareness
• interest in people and their behaviour
• analytical ability
• numeracy
• good organisational skills and the ability to meet deadlines
• problem solving skills
• ability to work as part of a team

So what are the options?

Agency vs. Client-side
Agencies
There are hundreds of market research agencies in the UK, from large international companies to smaller consultancies. The largest market research agencies now commonly take on graduates every year, some have year-round recruitment procedures, but places are much sought-after so you have to make sure you are right for the job. Get some work experience in a firm before you apply - as always it will make you look really keen!

As a researcher in an agency, you will oversee a number of client accounts, working on a variety of projects in, quite possibly, a range of different industries. Most people in the agency will be pursuing the same career path as you and you may have the opportunity to move between different research sectors, giving you a broad experience of research techniques.

Client-side
Virtually every company in the UK uses market research. As a result, many of these companies, particularly the larger ones, will employ their own researchers, usually one or two. In this role, you will be expected to keep the company in touch with its customers and informed of its investment and marketing decisions. You will commission researchers in external agencies to work on behalf of your company, as well as organising internal research among staff and customers. You will gain a close knowledge of your company's overall way of working and play a key role in shaping its future development.

Quantitative vs Qualitative

Quantitative
Think of the times you have picked up a newspaper and read "54% of Brits to vote Labour at the next election" or "37% of Londoners prefer to travel by bus than tube." These are the results of quantitative research, where a poll has been taken amongst a certain group of people and the results are given as statistics. Quantitative research is very useful for providing clients with quick results on how they are doing - for example, how many customers would be interested in buying a new product.

If you are interested in knowing the percentage of people who do/like/use something, then this is the choice for you. You will need particularly strong numeracy skills and to enjoy analysing figures and using statistical packages to produce spreadsheets.

Quantitative projects tend to be fast-paced with most clients expecting speedy delivery of the results. Certain specialist areas of quantitative research, such as political opinion polls, deliver statistics almost as soon as the research is conducted and you could see the results you've contributed to on the news or newspaper.

Qualitative Research
Are you the type of person who likes to analyse people? The type of person who is fascinated by the choices others make, or who wonders what opinions people hold on specific issues? If so, then qualitative research is probably more your thing.

Qual researchers (as they are known) explain the whys and wherefores behind the figures. For example, statistics may tell us that 42% of people prefer to visit Paris than London for a weekend break. Qualitative researchers will explain the reasons for this, revealing what makes Paris more attractive and advising on what London could do to raise its appeal.

There are many techniques qual researchers use to understand their respondents (the people being interviewed) but they all involve the same skills - an ability to communicate well with people, get your message across clearly, and listen carefully to what the respondents tell you in order to make a clear assessment of the situation. Qualitative research has a far greater level of subjectivity that quantitative and it is important for qual researchers to be able to keep the respondents focused and identify the relevant information.

Qualitative projects can be lengthy, some even covering periods of years to assess trends. They may also deal with highly-sensitive topics, such as criminal behaviour or health issues, and it is necessary for researchers to apply particular tact in these situations. If you know that you get on well with people and are able to make them communicate of their own free will, then you may be suited to this side of the business.

Getting on with it

Day-to-day role

You'll start off as a Research Executive, overseeing the day-to-day smooth running of specific projects, from the commissioning stages right through to the final presentation to the Client. Your role is likely to include designing the best way to fulfil a client's need; managing the budget; advising on questionnaire design; briefing interviewers (the people who do hold the clipboards); monitoring the conduct of the research process; checking and analysing the data; and writing a results and recommendation paper for your client, which you may also have to present to them. The type of research you are involved in will determine the specific tasks you undertake, but your days will definitely be full and varied.

Market research is far from a desk-bound career. As you progress, you'll be expected to have increasing levels of client contact. Depending on your clients, this could involve a fair amount of national and international travel. You'll also have to make presentations to clients, meet interviewers and respondents, and visit appropriate research venues.

Career Path

Career progression in market research can be very rapid! As a general rule, you can expect to be a Research Executive for 18 months, after which time you will become a Senior Research Executive. From then on, most companies base promotion on merit, so you can progress as fast as the quality of your work and opportunities permit. It wouldn't be unusual for you to be holding responsibility for accounts and managing a team by the time you are 30.

Once you've gained a range of experience, you could find yourself making the brave move of going it alone and setting up their own agencies. This is a popular route in this industry and will allow you to pick and choose the projects you work on and the hours you put in. Something to bear in mind during the long months of summer!

Where to go from here

With all that's on offer, finding the right agency/company for you is no easy task, but there are ways in which you can narrow the search. Every year, The MRS publishes the Research Buyer's Guide, which lists the majority of market research agencies in the UK and outlines the size of each agency, together with its areas of specialisation. The Guide also details other organisations which can offer advice on getting started in market research, both in the UK and internationally. You can check out the on-line version of the Guide for free at www.rbg.org.uk. Alternatively, if you fancy getting your own copy of the Research Buyers' Guide, or finding out some of the finer points of working in market research, you need to take a look at The MRS website at www.mrs.org.uk.

by The Market Research Society