Main Content

Career Paths in Market Research

Market, Opinion, Economic, and Social Research; Research and Education 

  • Possible Tasks

    - You take part in the planning and execution of market studies and empirical social research projects.
    - You collect and organize information, data, and basic figures about market conditions, target groups, and businesses.
    - You evaluate data and prepare reports and presentations.
    - You present results from market and social research projects.
    - You create offers for external clients (e.g. businesses or municipalities).
    - You create lists of target groups, e.g. for a survey.
    - You conceptualize questionnaires and interview guides (in person, in writing, by telephone, online).
    - You recruit interviewers.
    - You steer project management phases and coordinate meetings.
    - You summarize interview results.
    - You conduct quality control and plausibility analyses.
    - You prepare data, code it, and evaluate results.
    - You archive data and maintain databases.
    - You measure values, collect data, and evaluate results. Other key tasks include managing data or preparing data for different uses.
    - You choose survey methods and conduct surveys.
    - You develop statistical and mathematical models.
    - You filter information from databanks and IT systems and evaluate it. For later use, the data is imported into a centralized location.
    - You manage data with special programs and databases.
    - You develop analyses, models, simulations, and prognoses (e.g. regarding economic or demographic developments) for businesses, banks, political parties, and others.
    - You prepare data for different uses (e.g. for consulting, information, or forecasting services; for internal company departments or the management).
    Research and education
    - You are a PhD candidate, research associate at a higher education institution, or professor.
    - In addition to the required teaching engagements, you conduct research on your areas of focus.
    - Through your teaching activities, you train students regarding your field, practical skills, and scientific methods.
    - You publish academic articles, maintain open office hours, and review publications relevant to your field.
    - You develop seminars, conduct them, and evaluate students’ work.
    - You prepare project funding proposals, thereby securing external funding for your research and publications.
    - You attend academic conferences and are actively involved in research groups both at your university and across universities.
    - You are actively involved in university life through your commitment to university politics.
    - You work in higher education administration and support research and education through strategic and conceptual development efforts. 

  • Industries and Occupations

    - Marketing and opinion research institutes
    - Marketing agencies
    - Institutions for empirical social and economic research
    - Public sector, e.g. in government statistics offices
    - Higher education institutions
    - Political parties and associations
    - Research institutes

  • Job Boards and Professional Associations

At a glance