Looking for a career in market research?

Here are Jen Monaghan’s 5 insights to help you in your first role in a market research agency

I am still a relative newcomer to the world of market research, having joined the Mustard team just six months ago. To celebrate the milestone, I’ve rounded up a list of five things I’ve learnt from my short time in the industry.

Thinking on your feet

Given that market research is a fairly broad church, there’s no telling what could land on your desk in the morning. You might be working on a project for a well-known pet store one day, or researching bed linen the next.

I’ve learnt to expect that you’ll be working on lots of different things at once so it’s good to be able to multi-task. You’ll also end up picking up niche knowledge in lots of different areas, all of which gives you something of a varied education!

No one size fits all

My experiences so far have shown me that there’s really no such thing as a “model” market researcher. On the contrary, having different interests and experiences is actually a good thing as it can help you to approach problems from different angles or see things in another light.

Thinking outside the box

Whether it’s coming up with creative marketing campaigns or finding pre-emptive solutions to possible problems, I’ve been surprised at how creative market research actually is. On the research side it’s also about seeing patterns in the data to help build up a bigger picture, or “story,” about what is going on. This also takes a degree of interpretation and creative thinking.

Communication is key

From writing surveys to conducting interviews and delivering reports – market research is an exercise in communication. Gathering information is a key part of the job, but it’s no less important than presenting the findings in an effective and meaningful way to the client. And of course – everybody in the team talking with each other, keeping everyone in-the-know.

Tea to suit all moods

If my experience is anything to go by, the modern-day market researcher is not a milk-and-two-sugars type of person. As a committed “builder’s tea” drinker, I’ve been surprised at the range of drinks available in the office kitchen, including (but not limited to) “Bollywood chai latte” “Fudge melts” and “Cherry Bakewell” green tea!

Mustard is still recruiting – so please send us a CV, and of course we will try to have your favourite tea available should you pop in and meet us!