Market Research Resume Example

This complete guide to a market research resume will equip you with the tools you need to compete in your applications. You'll find valuable tips on writing a resume that best showcases your unique skills and achievements. There is also extensive guidance on how to structure your resume to match the job description, and to reflect your experience levels to impress HR specialists and employers. Continue reading to find the best market research resume tips from careers experts at Jobseeker.

Main sections of a market researcher resume

A successful market research resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections.

You will have some choice over your resume layout and structure, but be sure to include these sections as the core of your document:

Resume Header

A market research resume header contains your name and contact information. Add your first and last name, your phone number and your email address. Include your address or location, but avoid adding any other personal information. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can add the URL to your header so the hiring manager can get a better understanding of your work history and experience. Make your resume header clear, concise and as brief and compact as possible. Consider different layouts that spread the information horizontally across the page rather than using a different line for each piece of information.

Make sure your email address appears as professional as possible, and doesn't include anything like nicknames, inappropriate language or personal information. If it does, set up a new email account with an address based on your name or initials, and use that for your job applications. Always double-check your contact details are up-to-date before sending your resume.

Resume Summary

The next section is the resume summary. The section might also be called 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. This is a brief introduction to you, your key skills and your career achievements and ambitions. While a resume summary focuses on your career achievements and experience, a resume objective typically focuses on your ambitions for the future. However, make sure you keep your resume summary short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description.

Alternatively, you could use this section to reference your objectives and ambitions, and how this role would fit into your career journey.

A strong resume summary focuses on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for market researcher roles in a clear, quantifiable way. It also gives an insight into your personal qualities, to help the reader understand why you're a suitable candidate. The graphic below showcases some good examples of what to include in your market research resume summary.

On the other hand, an unsuccessful resume summary is one that mentions irrelevant skills, qualities and achievements and fails to differentiate you from other candidates. The graphic above shows some of the pitfalls to avoid when creating your resume summary.

Work Experience

In the next section, list your employment history focusing on the most relevant previous roles and achievements that showcase your market researcher skills. List each relevant role in reverse-chronological order starting with your current or most recent role. Add your job title, the organization name, its location and the dates you worked there.

Under each job entry, add several bullet points highlighting your responsibilities and achievements. Consult the job description for a list of the key requirements for the role and make sure your work experience section showcases how you meet these requirements.

An effective resume work experience section is one that constantly echoes the skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you used your skills to positive effect in each job. Each bullet point should be carefully crafted to showcase a particular skill or achievement relevant to market researcher jobs, with evidence to show the value you added. Take a look at the examples below for some guidance on what works best for your work experience section.

In the graphic above, you'll see some examples of less effective resume work experience sections. Ineffective work experience sections tend to focus too much on everyday responsibilities over skills and achievements. If you use vague descriptions of activities and fail to back up your achievements with evidence, you're likely to fail to make an impact on the reader.

Education

In this section list any educational qualifications or degrees that are relevant to market researcher roles.

If you're applying for market researcher positions you'll typically need to have a degree. A Bachelor of Science in Marketing will usually help your chances of success. You could also list any qualifications that demonstrate your survey design expertise or SPSS.

List every relevant qualification, including the name and level of the course, the name of the school, college or university, its location and your graduation date. You can enhance this section by adding bullet points that show any outstanding grades, awards or achievements and any specialist subjects you studied. These details can make you stand out from other candidates.

If you were a member of any clubs or societies, or volunteered for any causes while studying, you could also mention these in your education section.

Skills

In your skills section, list any skills you've acquired or developed that are relevant to market researcher positions. Consider adding survey design expertise, critical thinking ability or any other necessary skills for the job. Again, include any skills that match those listed in the job description. Focus particularly on technical skills required for market researcher jobs and transferable skills that show your qualities as a market researcher.

Highlighting your hard skills

Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for market researcher jobs. These tend to be technical skills and industry knowledge essential to the position. Furthermore, an extensive list of hard skills helps to make a compelling case for your market researcher job applications, as they show employers your understanding of the market researcher role. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.

The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a market research resume below.

How to list soft skills on your market research resume

Soft skills are the personal skills and qualities that make you a good fit for the job. They include transferable skills and strengths that help you settle into the role, adapt to new challenges and build effective working relationships. Indeed, as the nature of work changes, soft skills are growing in importance, so make sure you include them in your resume. It's best to aim for four or five soft skills that match the job description and reflect your strongest personal qualities.

The strongest resume soft skills sections include a mix of skills that match your best personal strengths, and that reflect the skills listed in the job description. See below for some examples of effective soft skills for a market researcher resume.

Certifications

In this section, include any market researcher certifications, training or licenses you hold that are relevant to the job. These could be professional accreditations and licenses, or certifications that improve your level of suitability for the position. Therefore, add any necessary licenses and certifications in this section, along with valid dates so employers can see you're still qualified for the job.

Read on to see some relevant example certifications for a market researcher resume:

Optional Sections

If you need to provide further evidence of your suitability for the job, optional sections can be useful for a market researcher resume. Choose optional sections from the list below, if they help to showcase your relevant skills and experience.

Personal Hobbies and Interests

Add any hobbies and interests that reinforce your credentials for the position. Your hobbies and interests are useful for a market researcher resume if you want to show a different side to your personality, or to stand out among other candidates. They can also be valuable if you're a junior candidate without much relevant work experience. Just make sure any hobbies and interests you include in your resume add genuine insight into your personality, in ways other sections of the resume can't.

Voluntary Work

If you're lacking relevant market researcher work experience, volunteer work can help to show you still have the relevant skills. Add any voluntary roles, including your position, the name of the organization, the dates of your voluntary work and a brief explanation of your responsibilities and achievements.

References

Although it's rare to include references on a market research resume, some employers may ask for it. Don't add references unless they're specifically mentioned by the employer in the job advert. Be sure to prepare your referees in advance, so they've agreed to provide a reference and are ready to be contacted.

Best action words for your market research resume

Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. Choose from the list of words below to increase the impact of your work experience section.

If you need help creating a resume that impresses HR managers, take a look at Jobseeker's professional resume templates. You can also access beautiful cover letter templates that help your application stand out.

Sample resume for market researcher positions

The market research resume example below includes all the sections above, so you can see how a completed resume looks:

Making an ATS-friendly resume

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is just one of the tools employers and recruiters can use to streamline their hiring practices. This typically includes screening candidates by scanning and ranking their resumes based on their likely suitability for any vacancy. If you follow a few simple tips when writing your market research resume, you'll give yourself a better chance of ranking highly in the ATS screening and progressing to the next stage.

Create an ATS-optimized resume by following these quick tips:

• Opt for an established, traditional resume format such as a reverse-chronological or functional structure. These will ensure your resume includes all the necessary details ATS systems scan for.
• Add keywords that match the job description throughout your resume, as ATS applications scan for these and well-placed, considered use can help your resume rank more highly.
• Use clear headings that break your resume up into readable, scannable sections that match the standard content employers expect from a resume.
• Adopt a clean, unfussy design that gives your content enough white space to breathe. Use professional, readable fonts and subtle use of color and other design elements.
• Make sure your resume is as concise as possible, so ATS applications can easily scan and identify the required details.

Key takeaways for your market research resume

Writing a strong, impactful resume is about using your experience to demonstrate your relevant skills and achievements. You can do this through your work history or other resume sections. Choose the most suitable resume format for your experience levels, and focus on tailoring your resume based on the requirements listed in the job description.

Use Jobseeker's resume templates, other tools and resources to create an application that impresses employers. Sign up today to access a wealth of valuable resume and cover letter resources. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.

Sources:

(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume

(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/