Chapter 4 - Tips On Getting Jobs

What if I can't attend a focus group that I agreed to attend?

While it's best to avoid such situations as much as possible, sometimes this is nonetheless unavoidable. If there is any doubt regarding attendance, the company will need to know this information during the initial interview (it will not necessarily bar anyone from the group.) Market research companies also appreciate notification of cancellation as soon as possible, and information on a friend or colleague who might be able to fill in.

On the other side of the coin, they might enter into a situation where they cannot maintain an invitation to a focus group. The reasons for this are usually logistical, for example, they are unable to find enough people to join in the focus group, the client decides to cancel the group or move the focus group to a different region of the country, etc. While companies make every effort to avoid these situations, they will contact those invited as soon as possible if there are any changes to a focus group.

How to speed up the registration process for online market research firms.

Download a program like Marketscore (for free) to increase your internet connection speed up to 100%. You'll be able to fill out forms and surveys faster.

Download RoboForm (for free). It automatically fills in web forms and remembers all of your user names and passwords - with no ads and no spying.

What are the companies looking for? How can I get the best surveys?
It is crucial that you know what the research companies are looking for before you begin filling out your applications. These suggestions will give you a great start and help you receive more invitations to participate in research projects.

Be honest. The people who review your applications are trained to spot misleading or dishonest answers. They will reject your application if they sense any dishonesty and you will never know about it.

 

Answer all the questions on the application. Most times there will be screening questions included in the application that categorize you into different demographic groups. These questions may include personal information such as your age, race, political affiliation. You are usually not disqualified for NOT providing this information however if you don't answer a particular question and they need this information for a particular research project you may not qualify for that particular project. The best course of action is to answer all questions.

 

Complete all the demographic sections of the application. Many times there will be sections that ask you to indicate your hobbies and interests or ask you to indicate which products you own or plan to buy. Be sure to complete these sections completely as they will be used to screen your qualifications for different research projects. For example, if you indicate that you own or plan to buy a cell phone you may qualify for a project that asks you to rate various cell phone promotional offers.

 

Most of the demographic sections allow multiple answers. Be sure to indicate all that apply to you. However, don't over do it. You may be tempted to check all the items in each section to improve your chances of being selected. Don't do this. The reviewers are trained to disqualified applicants who are obviously embellishing their application. The best course of action is to be honest and only select the items that apply to you.

 

Double check that your name, mailing address and email address are filled out correctly on the application. If you provide the wrong email address a company will not be able to contact you to participate. The mailing address you provide on your application will be used to mail your payment check.

Now onto the companies!