Future Talent Meets The Industry

With consumers getting more demanding and their behaviour becoming highly complex, (for example: consumers have various channels to interact, to voice out their opinion), traditional ways of market research like collecting database results of purchase patterns do not really provide great consumer insight. The companies have to try to interact with the customers in a way which was not possible previously. So market research is moving into a new phase where qualitative ways of data collection and creative ways of consumer behaviour analysis is called for. Also, in India, with the kind of growth that is happening especially in the Retail and Hospitality sectors it is definitely a very huge growth oppurtunity for market research companies, but only for those which are ready to break the way of regular questionnaires and database analyses for understanding the market. But going forward for qualitative research to be successful it might require for inspiring the imagination of self and also of that of the consumers with whom one will interact.

I believe that the knowledge I have developed while working on a market research assignment during an internship with an Indian Pharmaceutical company in support of the company’s international expansion plans has definitely kindled my interest in market research. My keen attention to detail but at the same time trying to attain a creative outlook to the data in hand might prove me a good asset to this highly demanding industry and I wish to put these skills to use in learning and thus engaging in innovative ways of Market research in order to fulfill strategic objectives of clients. I believe that my highly engaging and approachable nature will definitely be useful as qualitative market research starts taking center stage.

With the market becoming more dynamic and as the need for quality data for solid decision making increases, the skills needed for market research is also evolving. Though high levels of analytical skills and attention to detail are still the corner stone, the importance of creativity is ever increasing as the customers are becoming more complex and hence need to be approached differently. So this demands good people’s skills, excellent communication skills and a team oriented spirit as with the advent of social networks, inspiring and managing brand and research communities might start gaining importance.

Currently specialising in the fields of Marketing, I plan to pursue a career in Consumer behavioral research either within an Organization or with Market Research Company. I aspire to work for companies involved with Consumer products as I strongly believe that these companies are the nearest to a consumer who is most demanding and in this highly competitive sector innovative ways of judging consumption behaviour would be highly appreciated. I would like to be part of a company where the approach towards consumer and market analysis not only promises results but is also mentally inspiring for the market researcher and where individuals are driven not only towards providing quantitative results but towards developing new methods for approaching a problem. I believe I will be a great contributor and also greatly gain from such a company. Five years down the line I see myself working for a market research company in the emerging markets being part of a Consumer insights team.