Maybe We Chose the Right Profession After All!
Did you ever stop and ask yourself, “Am I in the right profession? Did I choose the right industry?” Well according to a recent survey by Money Magazine and salary.com, maybe we did. Market Research Analyst is the 6th best job! Yes I said the 6th best job! Wow.
How did they pick the best jobs? According to the article on CNNMoney.com:
| “To find the best jobs in America, MONEY Magazine and Salary.com, a leading provider of employee compensation data and software, began by assembling a list of positions that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects will grow at an above-average rate over 10 years and that require at least a bachelor’s degree.Using Salary.com compensation data, we eliminated jobs with average pay below $50,000; total employment of less than 15,000; dangerous work environments; or fewer than 800 annual job openings, including both new and replacement positions.
Next we rated positions by stress levels, flexibility in hours and working environment, creativity, and how easy it is to enter and advance in the field. We then ranked the jobs, giving double weight to compensation and percentage growth. Data for the top 50 appear here. Any job that fell in the bottom third of two job-satisfaction categories, or in the pay or growth category, was removed from consideration for the top 10.” |
Top 10 best jobs
| 1. | Software Engineer | 6. | Market Research Analyst |
| 2. | College Professor | 7. | Computer IT Analyst |
| 3. | Financial Advisor | 8. | Real Estate Appraiser |
| 4. | Human Resources Manager | 9. | Pharmacist |
| 5. | Physician Assistant | 10. | Psychologist |
Here is what the survey said about the Market Research Analyst position:
| Why it’s great. If you want to know what the next big thing is, this is your field. Before launching a product or service, companies turn to market research analysts who collect and evaluate data about consumer wants, needs and buying habits. You get to work on a huge variety of projects: In a single day you might run a taste test on a new vodka flavor, evaluate a re-branding campaign for a hot dog and analyze political polling data.
What’s cool. Testing products before they hit the market. You talk to lots of people and get to ask them personal questions you wouldn’t dare pose at a party. What’s not. Being mistaken for a telemarketer, deadlines, number crunching. Top-paying job. A senior exec or partner in a consulting firm can earn more than $200,000. Education. B.A.; M.A. in statistics helps.
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I am sure I speak for everyone when I say I not only hope we stay on the list – but why aren’t we number one?
Do you agree?
February 12th, 2007 at 1:16 pm
I have been in the industry since 1984 & haven’t left! While I don’t agree with the “C” Rating of Stress - at least not from my side - the Field Service/Facility - I do love what I do!
February 19th, 2007 at 1:31 pm
WE’VE BEEN DISCOVERED!!! Now, how do we get respected?
February 21st, 2007 at 11:21 am
Re Bill’s comment, my sense is that we’re moving in the right direction. Researchers now have a seat at the table at most corporates and very rarely will a C-Suite guy make a decision without first seeking input from research.