Continuing professional development

Market research statisticians need to continue their professional and personal development.

No first or postgraduate degree covers all the areas of statistics that can be applied to market research data. Therefore much of the professional development is in learning new techniques and their applications in particular sectors. This learning may be "on the job", either self taught or under the guidance of a more senior statistician, or it may take place by attending an appropriate training course.

On a more personal level, you may well have the opportunity to take one of two (or more) routes within your company. A statistics department within a company will require a senior statistician to manage it. This can offer an opportunity to move into a more managerial role whilst still maintaining a "hands on" statistics role. Alternatively, there may be the opportunity to remain in a purely technical position where you are seen as a technical resource by the other statisticians within the company as well as by the researchers. This role would probably also mean being heavily involved in development of new methodologies or applications.

The quantity and type of statistical work involved is likely to make it appropriate for you to seek the professional qualification of Chartered Statistician (CStat), which would give you professional affiliation with the Royal Statistical Society.