Market research interviewer

A market research interviewer

Description

Market research interviewers strive to collect information on the perceptions, opinions, and preferences of customers in relation to commercial products or services. They use interview techniques to draw as much information as possible by contacting people via telephone calls, by approaching them face-to-face or by by virtual means. They pass this information to experts for drawing analysis.

The duties of a market research interviewer include, but are not limied to:

  • Interviewing participants about their opinions on a variety of topics
  • Recording responses using a computer or paper survey tools such as a clicker or response pad
  • Collecting demographic information (such as age, gender, race, etc.) to help determine appropriate focus groups or surveys that will reach the right target audience
  • Conducting focus groups or one-on-one interviews on topics related to products or services that may be in development
  • Preparing interview questions in advance to ensure they are relevant and unbiased
  • Recording audio or video of interviews for later transcription or review by others
  • Conducting research studies that involve observation or participation in activities by study participants
  • Analyzing data and compiling results into reports for clients or management
  • Coordinating with other departments to ensure that research goals are met

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to market research interviewer:

research interviewer
market research analyst
market research interviewers
survey interviewer
public opinion researcher
market research representative
marketing recruiter
mystery shopper
phone interviewer

Working conditions

Market research interviewers work in a variety of settings, including private homes, offices, hospitals, and clinics. They may work for government agencies, polling firms, marketing research companies, or survey research organizations. They usually work a regular 40-hour week, although they may work evenings or weekends to reach people who are not available during the day. Some market research interviewers travel to different locations to conduct interviews.

Minimum qualifications

Most market research interviewers have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Some employers prefer candidates who have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a field such as psychology, sociology or communications. Courses in research methods, statistics and research design can help prepare you for this role.

Market research interviewers typically receive on-the-job training. This training may include learning the company’s research methods, the software they use and the interview questions they ask. Training may also include learning how to use the computer and audio recording equipment they use during interviews.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Market research interviewer is a Skill level 2 occupation.

Market research interviewer career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to market research interviewer.

survey enumerator
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customer contact centre information clerk
call centre agent
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Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of market research interviewer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of market research interviewer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

field survey manager
statistical assistant
grants administrator
passport officer
call centre quality auditor

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of market research interviewer.

  • Communication: Exchanging and conveying information, ideas, concepts, thoughts, and feelings through the use of a shared system of words, signs, and semiotic rules via a medium.
  • Interview techniques: The techniques for getting information out of people by asking the right questions in the right way and to make them feel comfortable.
  • Survey techniques: Techniques on how to identify a target audience, choose the right survey method and analyse the data.
  • Information confidentiality: The mechanisms and regulations which allow for selective access control and guarantee that only authorised parties (people, processes, systems and devices) have access to data, the way to comply with confidential information and the risks of non-compliance.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of market research interviewer.

  • Explain interview purposes: Explain the main purpose and objective of the interview in a manner that the recipient understands and responds to the questions accordingly.
  • Use different communication channels: Make use of various types of communication channels such as verbal, handwritten, digital and telephonic communication with the purpose of constructing and sharing ideas or information.
  • Use communication techniques: Apply techniques of communication which allow interlocutors to better understand each other and communicate accurately in the transmission of messages.
  • Respond to enquiries: Respond to enquiries and requests for information from other organisations and members of the public.
  • Conduct research interview: Use professional researching and interviewing methods and techniques to gather relevant data, facts or information, to gain new insights and to fully comprehend the message of the interviewee.
  • Evaluate interview reports: Assess the quality and plausibility of the interview results on the basis of the documentation while taking various factors into account such as the weighting scale.
  • Capture people’s attention: Approach people and draw their attention to a subject presented to them or to get information from them.
  • Tabulate survey results: Collate and organise the answers gathered in interviews or polls in order to be analysed and draw conclusions from them.
  • Document interviews: Record, write, and capture answers and information collected during interviews for processing and analysis using shorthand or technical equipment.
  • Adhere to questionnaires: Follow and ask the questions laid out in questionnaires when interviewing somebody.
  • Prepare survey report: Gather the analysed data from the survey and write a detailed report on the outcome of the survey.
  • Prepare market research reports: Report on the outcomes of the market research, main observations and outcomes, and notes helpful for analysing the information.
  • Perform market research: Gather, assess and represent data about target market and customers in order to facilitate strategic development and feasibility studies. Identify market trends.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of market research interviewer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Customer insight: The marketing concept referring to the deep understanding of the customer’s motivations, behaviours, beliefs, preferences, and values that help understand the reasons why the way they do. This information is then useful for commercial purposes.
  • Visual presentation techniques: The visual representation and interaction techniques, such as histograms, scatter plots, surface plots, tree maps and parallel coordinate plots, that can be used to present abstract numerical and non-numerical data, in order to reinforce the human understanding of this information.
  • Politics: The method, process and study of influencing people, gaining control over a community or society, and the distribution of power within a community and between societies.
  • Statistics: The study of statistical theory, methods and practices such as collection, organisation, analysis, interpretation and presentation of data. It deals with all aspects of data including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments in order to forecast and plan work-related activities.
  • Market research: The processes, techniques, and purposes comprised in the first step for developing marketing strategies such as the collection of information about customers and the definition of segments and targets.
  • Psychology: The human behaviour and performance with individual differences in ability, personality, interests, learning, and motivation.
  • Data quality assessment: The process of revealing data issues using ​quality indicators, measures and metrics in order to plan data cleansing and data enrichment strategies according to data quality criteria.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of market research interviewer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Adapt communication style according to recipient: Adapt communication style to that of the recipient of the message in order to create a rapport.
  • Perform data analysis: Collect data and statistics to test and evaluate in order to generate assertions and pattern predictions, with the aim of discovering useful information in a decision-making process.
  • Speak different languages: Master foreign languages to be able to communicate in one or more foreign languages.
  • Analyse call performance trends: Analyse call quality and performance trends; provide recommendations for future improvement.
  • Study topics: Carry out effective research on relevant topics to be able to produce summary information appropriate to different audiences. The research may involve looking at books, journals, the internet, and/or verbal discussions with knowledgeable persons.
  • Interview focus groups: Interview a group of people about their perceptions, opinions, principles, beliefs, and attitudes towards a concept, system, product or idea in an interactive group setting where the participants can talk freely amongst themselves.
  • Use shorthand: Apply shorthand as a method to capture spoken words into written form. Use shorthands in written texts to reflect acronyms and relevant information required to be expressed in such fashion.
  • Contact customers: Contact customers by telephone in order to respond to inquiries or to notify them of claim investigation results or any planned adjustments.
  • Conduct quantitative research: Execute a systematic empirical investigation of observable phenomena via statistical, mathematical or computational techniques.
  • Apply grammar and spelling rules: Apply the rules of spelling and grammar and ensure consistency throughout texts.
  • Revise questionnaires: Read, analyse, and provide feedback on the accuracy and adequacy of questionnaires and their assessment fashion taking into account its purpose.
  • Present reports: Display results, statistics and conclusions to an audience in a transparent and straightforward way.
  • Analyse data about clients: Study data about clients, visitors, customers or guests. Gather, process and analyse data about their characteristics, needs and buying behaviours.
  • Communicate by telephone: Liaise via telephone by making and answering calls in a timely, professional and polite manner.
  • Perform mystery shopping: Visit shops and commercial establishments as a mystery shopper in order to pose questions, observe procedures, test sales persons and gathered information about their performance for assessing the quality of the service and the abidance of protocols, especially in high-end services.
  • Design questionnaires: Study the objectives of the research and imprint those aims into the design and development of questionnaires.
  • Conduct qualitative research: Gather relevant information by applying systematic methods, such as interviews, focus groups, text analysis, observations and case studies.

ISCO group and title

4227 – Survey and market research interviewers


References
  1. Market research interviewer – ESCO
  2. Research Interviewer Job Description: Salary, Duties, & More – Climb the Ladder
  3. Featured image: Photo by Alex Green
Last updated on November 30, 2022

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