The MRS/AQR Graduate Roadshow
04 March 2016

Three years ago, Trish Stuart and Ken Parker, the founders of Discovery Research, thought it was high time to improve the image of market research among graduates.

The aim is to allow our younger researchers to be envied by their peers, rather than for them to feel embarrassed by their choice of career. And, who knows, maybe we could improve the calibre of applicants entering our profession?

While the programme of university visits started gingerly, this year it has been attacked with gusto. So far 13 universities have received ‘lectures’ from members of our team, and over 800 students have attended.

One of our newest team recruits, Alex Wilman from Northstar, submitted this on his company blog. We think it sums things up brilliantly:

Recently I joined the MRS/AQR Grad Roadshow. We took the train to the coast and spoke to students at the University of Kent in Canterbury. The Grad Roadshow is all about inspiring the next generation of researchers. The format is simple: two (fairly) recent graduates – one qual and one quant, assist two seasoned campaigners, by talking about how we became researchers and more generally about our experiences of working within the market research industry.

Although the format is simple, the task in hand – persuading students to consider a career in market research – is more complicated. In the overview below, I discuss the refined approach the Grad Roadshow takes in communicating with students and how it looks to overcome several barriers which prevent graduates from pursuing a career in research.

The fact is, very few people know what market research is. Although the students we talked to were taking a market research module, I am confident that they knew barely anything about the industry. When I graduated, research was not a career I initially considered, as it was not something I understood.

You will often find researchers “falling into research” and while this is a topic the Grad Roadshow looks to avoid, it is a testament to the general lack of awareness of the industry. I would argue that “falling into research” actually means: learning about an industry that you previously knew nothing about. Events like the Grad Roadshow are a great way to raise awareness of the industry and I am confident that with increased awareness, we will witness more graduates planning a career in market research, and less “falling in”.

Resulting from this lack of awareness comes a series of common misconceptions which the market research industry is forced to carry. With many people’s perceptions shaped only by the “market research” featured in The Apprentice, it is not surprising that the industry struggles to shake off the “clipboard” reputation. One of the main goals of the Grad Roadshow is to debunk these misconceptions.

Compared to sister industries advertising and marketing, market research gets a bad rep – especially when it comes to image. Advertising benefits from being glamorised and “Mad-Men-ified”, resulting in many graduates looking for a career as the next Don Draper. Unfortunately, this is something which cannot be said of market research.

By offering insight into the realities of working within a vibrant and creative research agency and demonstrating how fun and exciting research can actually be, the Grad Roadshow looks to level the playing field. It is important to leverage the industry’s strongest suits – how progressive, innovative and impactful a sector research can be. Therefore, the presentations at the Grad Roadshow focus on the cool brands we have worked with, the impact our projects have had, the wonderful places we have travelled, the fun we have had along the way and the exciting new directions the industry is travelling – whether it be neuroscience, virtual reality or data visualisation. These are the areas which we enjoy most and therefore are the types of picture we should be painting for the next generation of researchers.

All talk of questionnaires, surveys and data is deliberately avoided at the Grad Roadshow, and rightly so. No matter how you package it up, a module on research methodologies will rarely inspire students. As the lecturer herself confessed, there is quite a disparity between what is taught within universities and the actualities of day-to-day work in a research agency. This is something the Grad Show successfully looks to address.

The Grad Roadshow provides a platform for young researchers to talk to students about the positive experiences they have had working as a researcher. In doing so, the hope is that the next generation of researchers will be inspired. The Grad Roadshow is an excellent example of how to leverage the industries more colourful and exciting areas and raise awareness of what is a largely misunderstood industry.

So, thanks to Alex for that endorsement of the project. The key question remains: is it working?

Attendees are asked to indicate what they think of market research before the lecture, then immediately after. And whether they would consider a career in MR.

The results: Before 11% thought MR was very interesting; after this rose to 38%. Before 10% would very likely consider a career in MR; after this rose to 28%.

We think this is a great achievement – what other shifts do you see that is so pronounced after just one hour of chat?

The programme continues. If you’ve been in research for under 5 years, are a brilliant presenter, and have a passion for market research, please join our team by getting in touch with Trish or Ken.