Market Research Panel to Jumpstart April in Hankamer

This month’s First Wednesday presented by the Marketing Department features a panel of speakers knowledgeable about the market research field. The event, sponsored by CASRO, the leading market research professional association, will be held on Wednesday, April 3, 2013 in Cashion 510. This panel presentation is the final First Wednesday event for 2012-2013.

The panel will address the question “Why Market Research” and explain the role of marketing research in the business world. The discussion will continue by giving a general overview of the industry and how to get started in the industry by identifying best practices when targeting certain companies and positions. Finally, the panelists will address the future of market research and possible career opportunities before the Q&A session.

“In many ways, marketing research is to marketing what diagnostics is to the medical profession,” remarks Dr. Morris George of the Marketing Department. “It provides valuable information about markets and customers that enable marketers to make the right business decisions.” A number of market research executives will offer their insights including: Melanie Courtright (VP Research Services – Research Now), Hayley Dawson-Owens (VP Client Service – Decision Analyst), Amy Kruckemeyer (VP Human Resources – Decision Analyst), Chris Olsen (Recruiting Manager – Research Now) and Kartik Pashupati (Research Manager – Research Now).

“Insights gained from marketing research are more important than ever. Technology is dramatically changing the world of marketing. One of the most significant changes is that marketers are able to easily collect enormous amounts of data regarding customers, consumers in general, competitors, and a long list of other types of information,” shares Dr. Chris Pullig, chair of the Marketing Department. “In this new information-rich economy, how well marketers use this information is going to determine who is successful. Students who are capable of using research and leveraging analytical skills to gain insights from marketing research data are going to be in high demand.”

Students will benefit not only from hearing about what work in the market research industry is like, but HR executives will provide tips applicable to all industries as students look to gain employment with graduation rapidly approaching.

“Many companies are looking for people who can analyze and interpret data, or even figure out what kind of data needs to be collected in the first place,” adds Dr. George.

About the Professional Development Program
The Professional Development Program (PDP) prepares students for a successful college-to-career transition. Developed for Marketing and Professional Selling students within the Hankamer School of Business, the PDP is a student-run program with a series of events designed to facilitate learning opportunities for students outside of the classroom. Students enhance their understanding of different fields and build a solid understanding of different career opportunities. For more information on the PDP, visit https://sites.baylor.edu/prosales/pdp/