The career path of an insights professional

Embarking on a career in insights can be both exhilarating and daunting.

Whether you find yourself in the early days of your career crunching numbers as a Market Research Assistant, or seeking to advance your existing career and steer the ship as Chief Insights Officer, understanding the typical trajectory can provide valuable insights and guidance.

In this article, we’ll share what the typical career path for an insights professional looks like as well as what’s usually involved in each stage of the journey.

The career path of an insights or market research professional can vary depending on industry, company size, individual aspirations, and opportunities. However, here's a general outline of a typical career path in this field.

Entry-level positions (0 to 2 years)

A typical career path for a market research or insights professional often begins with entry-level positions like Market Research Associate or Research Assistant, where you’ll gain foundational knowledge of research methodologies and tools. 

Common responsibilities for these roles include assisting with data collection, conducting basic analysis, and providing support for research projects. This is also the time where you’ll gain exposure to various research methodologies, tools, and techniques.

Mid-level positions (2 to 5 years)

As you progress into mid-level roles like Market Research Analyst or Insights Strategist, you’ll likely take on more responsibilities in data analysis, report preparation, and interpreting findings from your research.

This is also when you’ll start to develop expertise in specific areas such as quantitative or qualitative research, consumer insights, or market segmentation.

Senior-level positions (5 to 10 years)

With 5-10 years of experience, you’ll start to advance to senior-level positions such as an Insights Lead or Senior Market Research Analyst, where you’ll manage multiple projects and provide strategic guidance to integrate insights into organizational decision-making. 

This is also the stage where you’ll start to take on more of a leadership role, leading research teams and supervising junior staff, as well as engaging more directly with senior management and other departments. 

Executive-level positions (10+ years)

After accumulating over a decade of experience, you could reach executive-level positions like Head of Insights or Chief Market Research Officer (CMRO). This is where you’ll be responsible for overseeing the entire research function, shaping organizational strategies, and driving business growth through research-driven initiatives. 

You’ll also be representing the organization's research interests at the highest levels here, collaborating with senior executives and stakeholders to drive business growth and innovation.

Once you’re at this stage, you can certainly consider yourself an insights legend — someone who plays a key role in shaping the organization's long-term success through research and consumer insights.

It's important to note that a career path in insights is not necessarily linear, so you may find yourself transitioning between different roles, industries, or specialties throughout your career. 

The same goes for the role of insights in general as AI and other technologies continue to advance — so this path may not hold true in the future. But that’s why it’s so critical to make sure you’re staying on top of how the industry continues to evolve, the skills you’ll need to succeed, and how insights teams will need to be structured in the future. 

For now, we hope this article provides you with some guidance on what you can expect for a typical career path in insights today. Stay tuned for more articles on growing a career in insights!