Editor’s note: Daniel Wilberschied is the executive recruiter at Smith Hanley Associates. This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared under the title “How to Attract and Keep Talent in the Market Research Space.”
Today, the pool of talent in the market research space is limited and candidate standards are high. Which is a good thing! Candidate expectations have been a major driving force in change across both agency and client-side organizations. There are numerous things that entry level and early career researchers are looking for in their careers. From the obvious ones like salary and growth to the more unique like recognition and social impact. Here are a few of the most common qualities candidates are looking for when considering companies and their next career move.
The expectation of flexibility is twofold from prospective employees, not only in the traditional sense of work-life balance but also in career growth. Rightfully so, the younger professionals are looking for better work-life balance in comparison to previous generations and are looking to work somewhere that allows them to work remotely regularly. This should not come as a surprise to anyone as it has been a trend across all industries.
The flexibility of remote work and the draw it is for candidates cannot be understated. Nearly 75% of Americans surveyed by GoodHire say that they would need continued remote work offerings to stay with their current employer. Adding fuel to that fire is that only 15% of candidates will apply to roles that are back to full time office work. Some sort of remote or hybrid set up is the bare minimum for many candidates early in their careers. The talent in the market research space is focused on having better work-life balance.
While traditional work-life balance is important, many are also focused on understanding a roles growth and trajectory from day one. Having a clear o...