Market research data analyst
Analyse the responses to surveys to find out what people think and feel about issues or products. Report the results to businesses and organisations.
Also known as: statistician, research analyst, market intelligence analyst, data insight professional, data analyst
About the job
Salary
Source: National Careers Service
Weekly
£423
Entry level
£1,154
Experienced
Monthly
£1,833
Entry level
£5,000
Experienced
Yearly
£22,000
Entry level
£60,000
Experienced
16,900
people are currently employed
High growth
900 more jobs in 5 years
These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics
What it's like
You would analyse the responses to surveys to find out what people think and feel about issues or products.
You’d report the results to businesses and organisations and explain what the information means for their sales and services.
It would be important to be able to work confidently with statistics and written information. You would analyse data from market research surveys for clients from industry, business or government.
You’d use your creativity to make the numbers interesting and understandable for people who are not experts.
You would:
Speak to clients to understand what they want to know
Write proposals describing how you will do the research
Advise researchers about survey methods and design
Lead teams and projects
Check the quality of the data collected
Analyse the data using statistical software programs and techniques, spreadsheets and computer models
Present the research results through talks, written reports, graphs and tables
Explain findings to market research executives, who may not have specialist mathematical or statistical knowledge
Help research executives present the information and ideas in a way that clients can understand and use
You’d need to work well with your clients. You might work on several projects with different clients at the same time.
Hours
Environment
Travel
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:
- understanding
- analysing
- sorting
- filtering
- attention to detail
- researching
- observation
- working with numbers
- problem solving
- working with technology
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.
You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.
Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Administration and Information Technology
Computing Science
Mathematics
Statistics
Applications of Mathematics
Most market research data analysts have degrees (SCFQ level 9/10) in statistics or related subjects like maths, business or economics.
If you want to specialise in an area like medical or economic research, you may find it particularly useful to have a master’s degree (MSc) or PhD in statistics or applied statistics.
For some data analyst roles in other areas of work, your degree may not need to be in statistics but you’ll still need to use computerised statistical packages.
You could start as a junior statistician or analyst perhaps on a structured graduate training scheme offered by some of the larger companies. Alternatively you could start as a research assistant, and move into statistical work after gaining more experience.
To enter a degree (SCQF level 9/10) usually requires National 5 qualifications and a minimum of three Highers or a relevant HNC/HND.
Knowledge of social media analytics could be useful in some roles.
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