This is a uniquely difficult environment for young professionals entering the world of market research. Here are three must-know tips for anyone looking for ways to stand out during the job hunt, develop their niche, and connect with other researchers.
Living through history can be a challenge. The light we’re hopeful to see at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel is looking more like the cusp of a global recession. ESOMAR’s data suggests that researchers expect a 20% contraction of the industry worldwide. Data from recruitment agency ENI – on the UK’s insight industry – show that almost a quarter of researchers have seen a pay cut, 10% have already been made redundant, and almost a quarter have been furloughed. For many young and graduate researchers, this is an incredibly stressful time; looking to start in an industry that may not be hiring, and/or trying to keep hold of a job when budgets are being cut.
Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve been running several ‘Community Circle’ calls here at ESOMAR, open to members, friends, and anyone connected to the data, research, analytics and insights community – a forum where we stay connected and discuss what’s relevant around the globe during these crazy times.
A few circles ago, we gathered together seasoned leaders, their younger counterparts, and people hoping to get into the industry, to discuss the challenges they’re facing right now. Here are some of our key learnings.
Build a killer CV
According to Liz Norman, CEO at ENI, the remainder of the year looks tough in terms of recruiting, with hiring and promotion freezes in place for many agencies until the beginning of 2021 and maybe longer. This doesn’t mean there won’t be opportunities out there for candidates, but competition is sure to be stiff. Liz’s advice is to make sure the grass doesn’t grow too long beneath your feet, meaning, don’t wait too long doing nothing. This doesn’t have to mean free internships. (As we heard from ESOMAR President Joaquim Bretcha at the Circle meeting, having to work for free is considered an insult in Spain). A positive example could be looking at Jake Pryszlak, aka the ‘Research Geek’, who set up a blog—now one of the most widely read in the industry—to make his CV stand out from the crowd after he graduated.
Don’t be afraid to reach out
Face-to-face networking is a non-starter for many young researchers and graduates at the moment (#hellosocialdistancing), but that doesn’t mean you can’t expand your network. Many of our Circle participants highlighted the value of LinkedIn for gaining new contacts and building their professional profile. Nijat Mammadbayli, Insight Specialist at Booking.com and ESOMAR Council member, advocated finding people related to what you want to do with your career and reaching out.
Patricia Dominguez, an Associate Consultant at Incite and ESOMAR representative for the UK, echoed this sentiment, adding that while there’s often fear associated with randomly reaching out, young professionals have nothing to lose and everything to gain by looking to grow their network directly and personally. We work in a friendly and close-knit community, and as Giulia Gasperi, Strategy Director at TRIPTK said, people love talking about themselves – find someone with experiences you’re interested in and ask to talk to them about it, in most cases, people are very receptive to that. A request to speak for five minutes can also often lead to much longer when keeping the attention on them.
Stay relevant
For those researchers with a little more experience, this can also be a challenging and unpredictable time. However, according to many of our contributors, having a few years’ experience under your belt is the perfect time to find your niche and develop your personal brand. This is a point that Nijat particularly agrees with. Discover what you’re passionate about and start to build on that. The insight industry is a mosaic of specialisms, so find one that motivates you, one that shines through in your work. Thinking about these long-term possibilities will help give you direction, as well as help you feel more in control of what you want to achieve.
However, it‘s also important to try and align your passions with trends, or at least understand where your passions fit in with current markets, sectors, and methodologies. Once you understand what you love and where you want to go, you can build a roadmap to achieve it. If your company has a promotion or hiring freeze in place, listen to what Alex Wheatley, Director of Digital and Data Innovation at Kantar, had to say – as they can’t hire new people, they’re training the ones they already have. This could be a great opportunity to make your case for developing your skills in-house.
This can be a scary time for young researchers and/or graduates embarking on their careers. Thankfully, we have the benefit of working in a sector that thrives on being a community, and with the tacit understanding that young talent should be supported, as they’re the future of the industry. As such, there are many opportunities to connect, write, and to build your profile as a young researcher. Industry bodies like ESOMAR or any of national and international associations have opportunities available for graduates and young researchers to develop their skills and make a name for themselves. Take advantage! Build that super-powered CV, DON’T be too scared to reach out to relevant contacts (strangers included!), and absolutely continue improving your superstar skills!
If you want to find out how the Young ESOMAR Society can support young researchers, visit yes.esomar.org.
This post was first published here.
