The market research sector is worth about £2 billion in the UK annually. It is a field primarily dominated by the largest agencies in the business, the top ten of which account for more than half of the sector’s annual revenue. Prospects for employment are especially strong in the UK, as more money is spent here per person for market research than in any other nation on the planet.
Employers typically look for candidates possessing strong communication skills and experience working with statistics. IT proficiency is becoming increasingly important in the sector as more and more of the work moves online. Most candidates are also expected to possess a university degree or NVQ, though the specific area of study is not particularly important. Recruitment agencies commonly list opportunities for positions in data analysis, telephone interview, and polling. But positions are available at all levels of the sector, for those with a wide variety of backgrounds and industry experience.