Market research PROFESSIONALS

For professionally qualified business management graduates, there's high demand for careers in market research which is becoming increasingly sophisticated

The numbers-crunching back-room boys of high-flying marketing strategists of industry — especially of the glamorous FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) industry — are low-profile market researchers who provide the vital demographic, qualitative research and other data, based on which marketing whiz kids and advertising agencies conceptualise and design multi-crore multimedia advertising and sales promotion campaigns.

Market researchers collect information about markets and customers in a scientifically organised manner. for every business organisation, information and data gathered through market research is the prerequisite of planning business development and marketing strategies. Continuous field research data inflow enables business managers and executives to keep abreast of changing trends in the marketplace, diverse geographical locations and to gauge consumer preferences and effectiveness of marketing, sales and public relations campaigns on an on-going basis.

A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement for most market research jobs. A strong background in English and working knowledge of marketing, economics, statistics, psychology, sociology and political science is useful, as are good communication skills. Most freshers in market research start as trainee coders or tabulators, then become interviewers or research assistants, before moving up the firm’s hierarchy.