Market Research Exit Opportunities (Finance and Non-Finance)

Upon earning my master's degree in economics, I've been unemployed for the past several months. In that time, I've applied to several jobs, both inside and outside of finance (because I have wide ranging interests and because I think diversification as a strategy makes sense, even outside of investment management). I'm interviewing with a market research firm and wanted to ask you guys how I could leverage that experience in the future (in case I actually get an offer)? Please mention finance exit ops and non-finance exit ops.

7 Comments
 
Best Response

First try to imagine your success at this interview, as it may be safe to say you are interested in the position, then kick ass if you get the position. Your question about exit opportunities will be heavily dependent upon your mathematical aptitude, your grades, your height, weight, and looks as well as your performance in the firm and the impact your research made. I hope you have a great personality and see things from others perspectives, because if you do ... a HF will scoop you up in 2+ years. If finance isn't your thing consider a think tank, just realize what you may be getting yourself in to.

 

Cool, thanks karypto. SB for you.

If anybody else could chime in on this topic, I would greatly appreciate it. I think market/marketing research would be an interesting and stimulating first job, but I just don't want to get stuck in the industry forever.

 

I think it is a solid starting point. Lots of ways you could spin this. Depending on what type of research you do and how in depth you go will ultimately decide.

 
ANTI think it is a solid starting point. Lots of ways you could spin this. Depending on what type of research you do and how in depth you go will ultimately decide.

It'd be advertising research (seeing whether ads "worked"). However, I'd be doing the analytics and supposedly it's fairly quantitative (lots of statistical analysis, like t-tests, correlations, regressions, etc.) and involves Excel and SPSS (SPSS for statistical analysis and Excel for VBA, pivot tables, graphs, etc.). So, some of the skillset would definitely be transferable to investment management research/analytics, but I'm just afraid that people might not give me a shot because they'll think that advertising research isn't relevant. Is the only way to get over that part via networking?

 

Optio vitae earum suscipit ut atque. Quam id harum accusamus dolores omnis qui qui. Placeat totam eveniet sed omnis debitis. Accusantium ducimus et et veritatis velit voluptatem. Vel culpa error consequatur.

Facere inventore repellat quod sint odit eos tenetur qui. Dolores maiores sit fugiat architecto eveniet.

Accusantium assumenda incidunt quas adipisci sunt praesentium qui occaecati. Reprehenderit incidunt sed inventore sunt atque. Iure qui provident quos quis beatae dolorem quia. Aliquid expedita rerum eius dolor rerum. Enim ratione nihil at.

Aut quidem est ullam voluptatem. Reprehenderit rem voluptatibus harum iure explicabo iste vero autem. Id sed pariatur facere totam ex qui.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (75) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (67) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
9
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”