In the Air Force:
Contracting; Contracting Apprentice; Contracting Craftsman; Contracting Helper; Contracting Journeyman; Contracting Superintendent
In the Army:
Army Reserve Career Counselor (Army Reserve); Marketing Officer; Psychological Operations Specialist; Recruiter; Recruiting and Retention NCO (Army National Guard of the United States)
In the Marine Corps:
Operational Contract Support Specialist; Recruiting Station Marketing and Communication Marine
In the Navy:
Statistical Data Analyst; User Experience Director
What do Super Bowl commercials, food packaging, and book jackets all have in common? None of them would be possible without market research analysts and specialists. Through the careful design of surveys, opinion polls, and questionnaires, market research analysts and specialists help determine potential sales of a product or service, or create a marketing campaign to appeal to consumers. Clients range from superstores, to nonprofits, to television networks. Market research analysts gather data on competitors, customer demographics, consumer habits and preferences, and analyze the factors that affect product or service demand. These marketing professionals monitor and forecast sales trends, measure the effectiveness of marketing programs, and report on the results. They use photo imaging and statistical software to help convert complex data into understandable tables, graphs, and written reports. Most have a Bachelor’s Degree in market research. People in this field are often results-oriented and enjoy working independently. Market specialists and analysts assess and ultimately determine the success of our favorite TV shows, packaged food, and other products as they continue to adapt with our feedback.
What they do:
Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.
On the job, you would:
Prepare reports of findings, illustrating data graphically and translating complex findings into written text.
Collect and analyze data on customer demographics, preferences, needs, and buying habits to identify potential markets and factors affecting product demand.
Conduct research on consumer opinions and marketing strategies, collaborating with marketing professionals, statisticians, pollsters, and other professionals.
Arts and Humanities
English language
Business
customer service
sales and marketing
Math and Science
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
sociology and anthropology
Communications
multimedia
Basic Skills
reading work related information
thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Verbal
communicate by speaking
communicate by writing
Ideas and Logic
make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
come up with lots of ideas
Math
choose the right type of math to solve a problem
add, subtract, multiply, or divide
People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
Analytical Thinking
Attention to Detail
Dependability
Integrity
Initiative
Adaptability/Flexibility
You might use software like this on the job:
Analytical or scientific software
IBM SPSS Statistics
The MathWorks MATLAB
Data base user interface and query software
Airtable
Amazon Redshift
Information retrieval or search software
LexisNexis
Verispan Patient Parameters
bachelor's degree or master's degree usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are very likely in the future.
In the military:
see titles from the Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, or Navy.
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