Market research, the process of gathering information to determine a product’s viability, is an exciting field. If it sounds interesting to you, you might be wondering how you can get involved.
Fortunately, market research is a booming industry, and there are a ton of different ways to work within it. Depending on your skill set and experience, you could qualify to work in several different aspects of the process.
In this post, we’ll talk a little bit about how to get started. You’ll learn what you should look for, and what to focus on. From there, you should be ready to take the next step toward your new market research career.
Understand the Process
Before you start applying for jobs, it’s important to understand how market research works. This will help you figure out what aspect of it you’re most interested in.
Overall, market research is a complex process that consists of a bunch of different things. There’s primary research, secondary research, analysis — the list goes on and on.
Once you have a fundamental understanding of what’s involved, you should have a better idea of where you fit in. From there, it’s a matter of looking at your own experience, and establishing how you can use it.
Determine Your Skill Set
Your personal skill set is comprised of many different factors. First, of course, is your work experience. But it doesn’t stop there. Are there particular aspects of your job that you thrive in? Have you taken trainings or gotten certifications? All of these things add to your skill set, and allow you to pursue other opportunities.
Think about your current skill set, and how it might translate into market research. If you like to work with people, you might consider running focus groups. If you’re more on the analytical side, you might pursue a role where you interpret the data that’s gathered.
No matter what your skill set is, it’s more than likely that it’ll apply to an aspect of the market research process.
Pursue Opportunities
Once you know what you’re looking for and what you bring to the table, you’re ready to see what’s out there. Job boards are great, but don’t be afraid to leverage your professional network, too.
By focusing on specific opportunities that align with your skills and interests, you’ll have a much better chance at landing a job. It might take some time to find the perfect fit, but trust me: Market research is a huge field, and there are plenty of opportunities out there.
