Celebrating 40 Years Of Market Research Recruitment

It was 40 years ago today that I started working in market research group recruitment……

On November 4th 1984 I went to a training day for people who were new to market research group recruitment, run by a company called QRS. I’d been told (well, nagged actually) by my friend, Bev Wener in London, who was already doing the job, that I’d be a perfect fit for it. So I applied and in one of those twists of fate QRS had advertised in the local paper for new recruits and were running a training day in Nottingham. So, very naughtily, I threw a sickie and went off to learn about focus groups and this mysterious role.

While I was there, a woman approached me and said she’d heard that I lived in Wollaton; so did she and could she have a lift home as she didn’t drive. I said yes and that was the beginning of a wonderful partnership with Marilyn that lasted for 34 years until she decided to retire (and a friendship that’s still going strong). We both said that we think that was the main reason that we survived this arcane industry; having each other. We used to do everything between us, and as we used to say a shitty quota is only half a shitty quota when there’s two of you!

Our first projects were housewives who bought teabags (oh for projects like that today!)  and people who bought Basildon Bond writing paper – definitely wouldn’t want to try that one nowadays!

We had a lovely woman, Pat McKeever, who was our supervisor; she used to come down and go street walking with us (as it were). Looking back it seems impossible that that’s what we were supposed to do, lurk on street corners and accost people, or knock on doors. Try doing that now! Plus you’d never get today’s quotas fulfilled.

Some of the best days were when we worked for ad agencies with their own planning departments; namely AMV and BMP. They used to have Christmas and summer parties for us; pay our hotel and travel expenses and give us presents. It was an amazing time and great to see lots of other recruiters. There was one particularly memorable do where one of the recruiters went off to the fax cupboard with one of the planners for some afternoon delight. Much to everyone’s amusement I commented “that gives a new meaning to fax me”!

However things change: faxes were replaced by emails and card indexes by spreadsheets and databases. And quotas got far more niche, especially when algorithms are involved.

But, to quote my hero Stephen Sondheim, “I’m Still Here”! And not only here but have had the privilege of being made a Certified Member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and a Company Partner in recognition of my work on the Recruiter Accreditation Scheme. And for the last few years I have been honoured to have been a committee member of the Insight Consultants Group (ICG)

I would say here’s to the next 40 years but perhaps not! However, I am still working full time, so feel free to get in touch with any new projects.

And here’s how I looked 40 years ago!