This month’s MarketResearchCareers’ Newsletter focuses upon the ongoing education of market research professionals.

With evolving techniques driven primarily by online methods and the need for professional certification, the development of new skills has never been more important to the market research professional.

In fact, the ability of a candidate to differentiate themselves through specialized MR knowledge can help secure a new, higher paying job -- winning the job over other candidates with broader or more on-the-job experience.

However, with a slowing economy and compressing corporate training budgets, market research professionals need to be proactive in securing, and perhaps even paying for, their own education. This is an investment you must consider. Recall, those with the best skills are always first to find the best jobs.

Below are several sources from which the Market Research professional can further develop their craft.

Industry Associations
As a component of their charter, most market research associations and organizations provide educational seminars. Typically, such offerings focus upon "meat and potatoes" as well as emerging industry topics. Courses range from one hour to several days in duration. As the topics are generally developed by industry experts (rather than professional trainers), the discussions are usually presented from a practioner’s rather than a pure academic perspective.

Seminars from industry organizations frequently provide the greatest value given their often modest price. In fact, some Webcasts are available at no charge, last an hour, and are often available on-demand. All you need to do is to sign-up and listen.

Example institutions and offerings include:

Market Research Association (MRA): Items specifically for the market researcher.

• Foundational Market Research Education
• Professional Researcher Certification Program

American Marketing Association (AMA): An array of marketing and market research topics available in-person and online.

• General Seminars
• Webcasts

American Management Association: A wide array of marketing and business courses.

• Market Research Seminars

 

Conferences and Seminars
In addition to the annual or semi-annual conferences provided by industry associations, many companies offer market research training and education. As professional training organizations, they maintain a complete catalogue of MR-related courses -- from project management to advanced research techniques to personnel management.

Typically, such courses are one to five days in duration, and range from just under $1,000 to several thousands of dollars (excluding travel, lodging, and meals). Importantly, many courses involve "hands-on" activities -- particularly when teaching analytical techniques. While more expensive, such seminars often offer unparalleled networking opportunities and provide a certificate which may be listed on a resume.

Popular examples include:

• Burke Institute
• Institute for International Research
• SPSS

Online Education
Increasingly, professionals are considering self-paced, online educational programs given busy schedules, the time and expense of commuting, and the accreditation that underlies many programs today. An example of an online market research program is provided by the University of Georgia. While few institutions currently offer in-depth market research programs, many universities now offer a wide variety of courses online.

It may be extremely beneficial for the MR professional to learn more about their clients' functional area or industry. In fact, many strong marketing and business management courses are now available online -- helping the MR to conveniently accrue skills that will make them more effective and valuable on the job.

While the University of Phoenix is well known, we encourage you to visit the website of your undergraduate university to see what online courses may be available to you.

Master's Degree in Market Research
For those seeking to advance their career within the Market Research industry, the Master's in Market Research (MMR) is becoming an increasingly common option. The Master's in Market Research can catapult your career, but it takes an investment.

Typically one to two years in duration, a Master's in Market Research combines classroom work with real-world research opportunities and special projects. MMR courses stress a practical application to marketing research problems rather than a theoretical approach.

The MMR gives specific instruction on research methodology, variable coding, and database construction and management. Classroom topics typically include database management, focus group development, statistics, and consumer behavior.

The following universities (not an exhaustive list) in the United States have programs for the Master's of Marketing Research (or similar programs).

• Baruch College, City University of New York
• Clemson University
• DePaul University
• George Washington University
• Hofstra University
• Santa Clara University
• Southern Illinois University
• University of Connecticut
• University of Georgia
• University of Nebraska - Lincoln
• University of Texas at Arlington
• University of Wisconsin-Madison

We encourage you to continue your market research education and professional skills development. Your future depends on it!

 

Mike Carroll
800-872-5401
mcarroll@marketresearchcareers.com
www.marketresearchcareers.com