Kory Gill is interested in becoming a market research analyst after graduating college. This career would allow Kory to strengthen skills like critical thinking, communication, and research that would be helpful for eventually owning a business. Market research analysts collect and analyze data to help companies understand customer behavior and improve marketing strategies. Kory has skills like analytical thinking and communication that would be assets, but needs to improve research abilities. Obtaining a master's degree and internship experience would increase job prospects in this growing field.

1. Kory Gill
COMM 499
Career Exploration paper
I want to be a market research analysts after I graduate college. The reason why I am
interested in this career is because I want to, eventually, own a business and it would be helpful
if I have the skills to research customers’ spending behavior in the particular market I run
business in. This career will allow me to strengthen my critical thinking, communication, and
research skills.
Moving forward, the top industries that employed the most market research analysts, in
2012 were finance, insurance, and a number of consulting companies. Market research analysts
either work for a big company or they are employed by consulting firms. Most marketing
research analysts collect data on a computer alone. However, some collect data by asking people
questions (Occupational outlook handbook).
Market analysis job responsibilities are as follows:
 Observe and predict marketing and sales trends
 Check effectiveness of marketing programs
 plan and evaluate ways to collect data
 Gather data about market conditions, consumer, and competitors
 Convert complex data into understandable tables, graphs, and written reports
 Present results to clients and management
Market research analyst helps companies market their services by conducting research. They
collect data using a number of methods including interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups.
Market researchers helps their clients figure out their position in the market by researching all of
their competitors (occupational outlook handbook).

2. The skills I have that will help me in this career are analytical skills from my business
statistics class and my communication research class. I have strong communication skills from
all of my communication classes. Furthermore, I am able to interpret data and communicate to
other people what the data means. I have developed my critical thinking skills in my
communication theories class. I pay close attention to detail as well.
The skills I need to develop more to get the job is my research skills. I have not done too
much research. I have to work on making complex things simple to understand for the average
person. I need to continue to improve my public speaking skills as well. Work experiences that
would benefit me when applying for this job are business, marketing, sales, and work that
requires analyzing data and writing reports. Classes that would benefit me are math, statistics,
and marketing (occupational outlook handbook).
Market research analysts typically have a bachelor’s degree in either math, business, or
communications. A master degree is required for leadership positions and is sometimes required
to become a marketing researcher. A marketing researcher gets paid $33,280 per year to
$119,000 per year on a national level (occupational outlook quarterly).
Employment for market research analysts are expected to grow 32% from 2012 to 2022.
The increase growth is because more companies are going to start using marketing research
analysts to understand customers’ needs and wants and to ensure their marketing strategy is
effective. Jobs opportunities are there for people who have master’s degree in market research.
However, competition is high for people who only have a bachelor’s degree. (Occupational
outlook handbook). For this reason, I am considering getting a Master’s degree in marketing
research. Also, I am looking for some internships in doing research.

3. Additionally, people who work as market researchers in the state of Michigan makes
from $31,900 to $99,400 per year. It is unclear how much market research will increase in
Michigan (Career One Stop). What this means to me is, I should consider moving out of
Michigan because there are no guarantees that there will be any growth in marketing research
analyst jobs in the state.
Looking at all the requirements there are to become a market researcher, I am going to
evaluate how I could improve my chances to landing a job as a research analysts. According to
Jason Voss, director of behavior finance and former marketing research analyst, “People who
want to become a market research analyst have to be able to make intangible skills tangible in
some way.” For example, I could increase my chances in becoming a marketing research analyst
by working hard on my LinkedIn account and showing my best work. Also, I would benefit from
doing more student research assignments. The best thing I could do while I am still in school to
increase my chances is to ensure I am producing quality work by practicing my speeches and
proof reading my writing.
Furthermore, having a mentor in market research will increase my chances in starting a
career in this field. These are individuals who are kind enough to put time aside in order to
develop other people careers (Jason Voss). People are willing to be somebody’s mentor if they
see potential in that particular individual from my experience. I have a mentor, however, he is
not a marketing research analyst. This means I will need to get another mentor who worked in
the Marketing field for a minimum of five years. Market research analyst article outlines how
experience in business or having an internship in marketing or related fields, are good ways to
get my foot in the door to become a market research analyst. I have consumer service and sales
experience which enhances my chances to getting into the field.

4. Indeed, I have taken some of the speakers, from my sports COMM class, advice about
getting the job that I want. The main thing that all of them preached is build up my network by
reaching out to my teachers and professionals who could possibly help me grow my career
opportunities. Professionals can and some should come from other professions because they may
know somebody in my career field. Also, the more people I have as references the better my
chances are in getting a career in market research.
Expanding on advice the speakers gave, Ira Childress preached the best way to get the job
you desire is to separate yourself from the crowd. I am planning to separate myself from other
people by conducting market research and giving employers the research I have done. This will
show employers that I am capable of doing the job. In order to set myself apart even more, I will
write a paper explaining to the hiring manager the things that I could improve for the company
within my job.
To tell the truth, the best option I have that would set me a part from everybody else is
showcasing my ability to sell myself. The technique that I could use to sell myself is the word of
mouth technique. I am the product that I want to sell. So, how I am going to get across that I
produce good work is by other people calling the company that I applied to before my interview
to put in a good word for me. I realize this a lone may not be that significant. So, I will send
them videos of my speeches as well.
Moreover, I will do the basic things to get the job as well. This includes creating a cover
letter, follow up letter, and a list of the reasons why I am a good candidate for the job. I realize
without the fundamental things done well I might not get a chance to “wow” the employer.
In addition to looking up facts about marketing research analyst jobs, I interviewed
Donna Green, Marketing research teacher at Ferris State University and former president of the

5. American Marketing Association Detroit Chapter. I interviewed her in order to know if the
information online is accurate. Also, this provided me a way to get more in depth information
about market researchers. Furthermore here is the interview and my interpretations:
Me: What Trends are currently going on in the field of Market research?
Donna: “Analyzing big data, strong analyzing skills, and capitalize on social media”
Interpretation: I might have to take another statistics class because it seems like Donna is
telling me one of the most important skills for the job is analyzing. This actually makes sense
considering market research analysts does research over and over again. Donna is talking about
more than analyzing numbers. She is talking about analyzing questions as well like, why might a
product sell well in a poor neighborhood but not in a wealthier one? Also, Donna reminds me
social media is a good tool to use for research. The best way I can think to use social media for
marketing research is to ask customers questions about their satisfaction with a product they have
recently bought by sending them an email. Marketing research analysis evaluate customers’
satisfaction surveys that is normally filled out online as well. So, I can see what Donna Green
means by market researchers capitalize on social media.
Me: How easy is it to get promoted as a market research analyst?
Donna: “Well that will depend on the company. However, you need to have the skills to get a
higher position and continually learn new things about market research.”
Interpretation: Market researchers’ jobs are always changing due to new technology coming
out. Also, to move up in the field one must have a good work ethic and willing to learn the added
on responsibilities that comes with a promotion.
Me: What is happening in market research right now?
Donna: “Companies are investing in market research to increase sales”

6. Interpretation: This matches to what the Occupational outlook handbook said about why there
will be a huge increase in marketing jobs.
Me: How difficult is it to become a market research analyst?
Donna: “The difficult part is showing employers that you are able to do the work. However, it is
not too hard to get a job in the field with a bachelor’s degree.”
Interpretation: This information contradicts what occupational outlook handbook said about
people with bachelor’s degrees trying to become a market research analyst. However, the
website said there will be a lot of jobs for market research analyst. This might be the reason why
it would be easy for a person who have a bachelor’s degree in statistics, business, or
communication to get a job in the field. In contrast, people who hold master’s degrees, typically,
have more skills in research than people with bachelor’s degrees. So, employers might use the
degree level somebody have as a way of knowing a person can do the job.
Me: How long research analyst typically work on a project?
Donna: “Projects can range from three weeks to a couple of years”
Interpretation: I should expect to work on different projects and have different time frames to
complete the project. Also, projects can be really complex in nature.
In conclusion- Market research work fits me well because I enjoy asking questions and
analyzing the answers to those questions. Additionally, I have strong skills in communication,
creating data, and explaining data in a simply way for people to understand. I know I need a
master degree to move up in the market research field as well. As a result of my findings on
market researchers’ job duties, I have gained a greater understanding on how important market
research jobs are to other company’s’ success.

7. References
Career one Stop (2015). Retrieved from the internet Feb. 7
Green, Donna personal interview. Feb. 9 2015
Market research analyst (2015). U.S. News retrieved from interment Feb. 8
Occupational outlook handbook (2014). Bureau of labor statistics retrieved from the internet
Feb. 6
Occupational outlook quarterly (2014). Bureau of labor statistics 13-1161 retrieved from the
Internet Feb.6
Voss, Jason (2013). Advice on how to become research analyst. Enterprising investor retrieved
from internet Feb. 7