The Market Research Job Seeking and Interviewing Process

The process of seeking and securing a market research job can range from hurried to deliberate. However you may experience it, the duration of the search process is typically impacted by the level of the opportunity within the organization—with higher levels taking longer. Within the market research industry, the following process is typical.

1. A telephone interview with Human Resources to evaluate career goals, general market research skills and experience, and fit within the company



2. An in-person interview with the hiring manager to assess detailed market research experience and skills, industry knowledge and leadership abilities



3. Several in-person interviews with individuals reporting to the hiring manager to evaluate in-depth technical skills (particularly for a market research analyst or market research director) and the potential for teamwork



4. An in-person interview with the hiring manager’s superior to assess the fit within the department



5. A decision to extend an offer for a particular marketing research job



6. Initial discussions of compensation and key work factors



7. Verbal and written offer for the market research position

Overall, the interview process typically ranges from four to 12 weeks, with an average of eight weeks from the time your market research resume is first reviewed.