Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

What the job really is

Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.

At a glance

• Sector: Business & Financial
• O*NET-SOC code: 13-1161
• O*NET job zone: 4 — considerable preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Prepare reports of findings, illustrating data graphically and translating complex findings into written text.
• Collect and analyze data on customer demographics, preferences, needs, and buying habits to identify potential markets and factors affecting product demand.
• Conduct research on consumer opinions and marketing strategies, collaborating with marketing professionals, statisticians, pollsters, and other professionals.
• Measure and assess customer and employee satisfaction.
• Devise and evaluate methods and procedures for collecting data, such as surveys, opinion polls, or questionnaires, or arrange to obtain existing data.
• Measure the effectiveness of marketing, advertising, and communications programs and strategies.
• Seek and provide information to help companies determine their position in the marketplace.
• Forecast and track marketing and sales trends, analyzing collected data.
• Gather data on competitors and analyze their prices, sales, and method of marketing and distribution.
• Monitor industry statistics and follow trends in trade literature.
• Attend staff conferences to provide management with information and proposals concerning the promotion, distribution, design, and pricing of company products or services.
• Direct trained survey interviewers.

Tools and technology

Adobe Acrobat, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Creative Cloud software, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Amazon Redshift, Apache Hadoop, Apache Hive, Apple macOS, Asana, Canva

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Product Marketing Managers
• Advertising and Promotions Managers
• Search Marketing Strategists
• Business Intelligence Analysts
• Management Analysts
• Sales Managers
• Data Scientists
• Public Relations Managers

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 4 (considerable preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.