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A career in Market Research – What you need to know

Hey, it’s been a while. I hope that everyone is doing okay and safe. Apologies, I was too lazy and (busy too) these past few months.

It’s June 2021. Pandemic, recession and unemployment. It is awful. But know that no evil lasts forever nor good that never ends. Before it gets too dark, I would like to share some tips/tricks you can use to apply for a career in Market Research. It is a solid career to have if you are brave enough to suck at something new. And if you are not interested, you may scroll down and download the editable ppt CV/resume at the end of this post. 

If you are interested and want to get a sneak peek from an insider who has spent ten years in the industry (not from HR head-hunters who know nothing about the industry trying to make everything sound more complicated than it should), this is the post for you.

What is Market Research?

The first thing you need to understand is what market research is. Thousands of websites and blogs talk about this, so let’s not go there.

Market research wants to know what people would buy or how they act, behave, and decide. That’s it. Clients usually commission market research studies to collect and analyse the data, and the market researcher gives recommendations based on the findings.

Occasionally, they conduct the study without the client commissioning anything, and they sell the data to whoever is interested (usually called a syndicated study).

Types of work in market research

In market research, there are different fields of expertise:

• Market Research (aka Market Intelligence / Client Servicing / Consumer Insight) – divided into quantitative and qualitative
• Project Management
• Operations – Recruitment team, quality control etc. 
• Specialised – Business development, creative, marketing etc.
• Business support – Admin, finance, IT, etc.

Let’s focus on market research expertise. There are two types of market research approaches;

• Qualitative  – it’s about quality over quantity. For example, you want to understand why people buy something or behave a certain way. It is the study to understand a particular phenomenon. 
• Quantitative  – it’s about quantity over quality. For example, how many Chrome tabs can you open with 1 TB RAM? It requires statistics, numbers and facts—anything you need to measure or validate.   

Here is a pic for a case study. Quantitative would be able to measure how many visitors took a pic with the statue, and you would probably see that most visitors are attracted to the nipples and the nose. But we have no idea why until we ask the people. Are they horny? Is it a local tradition? Primal instinct? For luck? Hence, qualitative research is needed to answer this nipple conundrum. 

Which is superior, Qualitative or Quantitative? Which one is more accurate? They are both equally important and precise. There’s no one right way of viewing the world or one right way to gain knowledge or the truth. Market research is very much at the intersection of qualitative and quantitative. Most people have confidence when numerical units or facts back it up. However, qualitative is needed to describe the meaning behind its numbers. If you need to crunch data but not interpret what it means, then a computer would be able to do it. 

Qualification/characteristic for MR Job

The requirements for MR jobs are basically 80% similar to succeeding in any job, with 20% market research-specific skills. I hired a few executives before despite their technical skills as it is something that they can learn on the job, but attitude is more important.

Some typical traits and necessary skills (and keywords that you should highlight during the interview):

• Attention to detail and good organisational skills (if you are looking for entry-level)
• Childlike curiosity
• Ability to interpret the data
• Communication skills – language proficiency, etc.
• Good interpersonal skills – Essential for qualitative
• Storytelling and presentation (for mid-high level) – this skill would set you apart and often overlooked. If you can tell a clear and consistent story full of insights, then you are already a beast

Despite what other recruiters might say, you don’t need a specific degree to excel in both. But you would have a higher chance of landing the job if you have statistics, marketing (for quant) or psychology (for qual) related academic background. 

Quantitative is what most research jobs look for. Qualitative has lower demands but actually pays more because they are more like mythical creatures. 

A quick search on Glassdoor shows the monthly salary for a junior level. PS: The salary is identical to when I started my career 15 years ago, so take it with a grain of salt and do your due diligence.

Know your strengths and weaknesses. If you still use a calculator to solve 9 + 7 because you have trust issues, then quantitative is not for you. If you can’t stand talking to strangers and hate people in general, then maybe qualitative is not for you.

Pros and cons of the Market Research Profession

“People actually pay you, so you can learn about things” Suzanne Huang, one of my ex-directors in Kantar

• A fly on the wall  – You would learn so many things. This is what I love the most. You could meet many interesting people: consumers, professionals, VIPs etc. Some projects are highly confidential; some would give you a sneak peek of innovation, cut the story short, and a lot of cool stuff.
• Satisfaction of solving a problem  – if you love finding ways/insights to make a better business decision, you can’t go wrong with market research. That’s what I love about research – these eureka moments. When things finally come together. One then forgets all the years of tedious work that preceded. It’s like you are playing Uncharted 4 in real life.
• You’ll be an intelligent consumer . You would have the privilege of seeing and understanding how marketing works, what the brand is all about, the proper way to use it, their target market, etc.
• Beacon of light/Point of Reference  – people would want to know what you know, and it would help you to be a reference point – no one can argue when you have a deep understanding of the consumers’ market and when you back it up with numbers. 
• Help sharpen your business acumen  – you’ll know the market, understand what makes consumers tick, learn how to advertise, and send the right signals. It will help you sell any products/ideas later in your life.
• You need to be morally flexible  – some of the clients that you gonna work with are; for the lack of a better word – utter and complete shit. Sometimes, the research objective can be downright immoral, like how to persuade kids to drink a beverage full of sugar and market it as something healthy. I don’t use and buy some of my client’s products because they are pure evil (Nestle is fucking evil). But once you reach a certain level, you can tell your superior that you don’t want to serve a particular client. But until then, I’ll give the most useless currency ever; here, some thoughts and prayers for you. 
• Sometimes, the job can be so boring , particularly when the client is trying to solve a problem where there is none. Or when they are trying so hard to get that sweet ESG Blackrock money and trying to ask consumers if they are doing enough for the environment and diversity. Sorry, I just had a mini vomit.
• Weird encounters  – You would encounter many exciting but sometimes disgusting people. I once met a woman who lived in a house full of rubbish and maggots or a racist person who would insult your ethnicity; genuine stupidity, hate and all negative expressions humankind can offer.
• Poor  work-life  balance/integration. We’ll discuss this further in the next section.
• Might need to  travel intensively .

Where can you get a job in market research? 

There are several places where you can get a market research job:

• PROS : Good training program, huge exposure as you work with a huge array of clients, good support and mentorship, good salary, higher chance to work in other markets/expertise, more straightforward analysis.
• CONS : Higher chance of long working hours, leading to faster burn-out.
• PROS : High involvement; do everything from beginning to the end – you’ll learn faster, close-knit environment; more “family” relationship, good support, better bonus and paycheck, simpler analysis.
• CONS : You’ll get burned out way too fast, have a sense of feeling lost, and have crazy working hours; the boss would sometimes milk the “we are family” excuse dry.
• PROS : Better salary than research agencies (usually), better work-life balance, agency people would treat you like God, more straightforward analysis.
• CONS : Slower learning progress; you won’t be able to learn a lot from other industries or methodologies, etc., not much empowering; more like an intermediary between agencies and decision-makers in your company
• PROS : High salary, bragging licence, access to better mentorship/facilities/research tools, wide exposure, more complex analysis..
• CONS : Crazy working hours, can be siloed.

Career-wise, if you are interested in market research, I suggest you start with a big agency that works across industries. It will give you more experience within various industries and project types. The more you are exposed early in your career to various projects, methodologies and involvement in every step of the process, from setup to client presentation – the better off you will be.

The client side is also good, don’t get me wrong. But too early in your career, you won’t learn as much since you’ll mostly hire freelancers/agencies to do your research and pass the insights on rather than doing it yourself. However, you would be able to see the project from problem recognition to strategy implementation and performance monitoring all the way until the end.

Market research and work-life balance?

Not sure if you can generalise the job itself, and mostly it depends on the company/business or team you’re on.  Most companies still allow market researchers to work remotely and occasionally to go to the office. However, a market researcher’s work-life balance can be terrible; some maybe more than others. However, it can be pretty seasonal.

In Malaysia, there is this insane glorification of overtime work, like the system of praising the employees who do crazy overtime or work late as “team players”, and shaming people into doing it for free is just so horrible. It is terrible for long-term productivity; you’ll get burnt out faster, feel lost, disenchanted, disengaged, have no life outside work, and cannot prioritise; simply put, you’ll become the human version of period cramps. 

Let’s safeguard ourselves. Plan your leaves. You should be as disciplined about rest as you are about work if you want to live long and prosper. 

Here’s a graph to help you understand/plan your holiday if you are already in the MR industry:

Many big companies would track their performance quarterly, from Quarter 1 to Quarter 4. This is just a general overview; some days, you may be busier than usual, working till 3 am to get clients’ deliverables on time, and some days, you (very rarely) won’t have anything to do at all.

At the beginning of the quarter, there was a lot of planning involved, then execution; towards the end of the quarter, the top management would have realised that they were lagging and would play catch up. This is when you wonder if your boss’s family tree is a ladder. They would want you to chase all the potential projects in the pipeline and close the current jobs so they can record it in the right quarter.

It’s been a year since I left the corporate world (market research agency), and I still get PTSD flashbacks and a vague sense of impending doom about having to send urgent deliverables to the client. Heh!If you plan your holiday, take it 1-2 months before, and if they ask you to cancel, tell them politely to peddle their stupidity elsewhere. Or pick the correct slot (Jan, April or July), or if you decide to live life on the edge, March, June, Sept or Nov. Most people pick December because of the festivities, but the office is empty anyway, so I prefer to work in December because it’s relaxing.

Career path for market researchers?

Most of the time, this is our career path:

• 25: I’m doing it because I love it
• 30: I’m committed to it
• 35: I have too much invested in it to quit
• 40: I’ve got nowhere to go ayyyyy

But don’t be afraid, my dear comrades; market research is a beautiful industry. Jokes aside, there are usually two typical paths for a market researcher:

• They would usually go into management/regional/global role
• Join client side
• Join consultancy side
• Management / regional / global role
• Join client-side (rarely)
• Become a freelancer / own business (like me)

Most client-side jobs would require a certain level of quantitative knowledge. Try to get involved, familiarise yourself with quantitative, and be more well-rounded if you aspire to work in client-side.

You need selling skills if you love and prefer to remain on the agency side. If you can bring in sales, even with crappy analytical skills, you’ll become a star. It is sad, but that’s how it is. Being commercially savvy would catapult you to instant promotion / open you to a wide range of possibilities. If you are really into analytics, being able to tell a story that would cut through all the BS would separate you from those who are back-office drones. 

Another growing field is the Customer or User Experience (UI UX) job – which usually encompasses the entire consumer journey. It is gaining traction with solid growth potential.

Don’t get comfortable. Jump around so you can get a better salary, bonus and promotion. Unless you are running your own business passionately, you are basically a replaceable part of any company. The only person you need to please is yourself and maybe your partner. So do whatever the fuck makes you happy (and is legal). 

After a while, I left the corporate job and decided to freelance with all the skills I acquired from my ten years in the industry. I have much more time for myself and am still going strong. However, this is not the right path for everyone, but there might be better options for people out there looking for a job / miserable with their current job.

Final Word and Free Editable CV/Resume Template

Cv/resume template 1.

CV/Resume Template 2

Here you go. I tried to make it as infographic as possible; change it based on your preference. I tried to sell this on Etsy, but on second thought, it is basic and easy to design. Haha, so I am just giving it away for free. 

If you are going for an interview, I wish you the best of luck. Nothing wrong with being nervous. If the interviewer is skilful enough, they’ll know how to put you at ease to get a good interview. Plan your way there so you are on time.

May adrenaline carry you through. You got this. Good luck!

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Fazrul is a qualitative moderator/researcher based in Malaysia. He advocates simplicity and publishes qualitative tutorials. When he is not sleeping, he is usually awake.

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Thinking of a Career in Market Research? Here’s What You Need to Know!

Last Updated on 08 th January 2024

Q&A with Rajashekar Lokam – Principal Analyst, Blackridge Research & Consulting

We bring you an insightful Q&A with  Rajashekar Lokam—Principal Analyst at Blackridge Research & Consulting.    

Rajashekar (Raj) Lokam is a seasoned market research professional with extensive primary and secondary research capabilities. Raj has managed a variety of commissioned due diligence projects across industry sectors and provided timely, strategic market intelligence to clients worldwide.

Apart from exceptional problem-solving and people skills, his expertise includes   (listed in alphabetical order) :

• Client management (local and international)
• Competitive analysis
• Market entry and development
• Market positioning
• Market research report writing (in addition to data sheets, white papers, and various research publications)
• Market sizing and forecasting
• Marketing strategy
• Monitoring and analyzing global energy industry dynamics
• Opportunity assessment
• Primary and secondary research methods

Raj is an avid supporter of social causes and a sports aficionado.

  Green Hydrogen FAQs

Read on to find the answers to frequently asked green hydrogen questions:

How would you describe yourself in three words?

Curious, adaptable, and analytical.

What motivated you to pursue a career in market research?

One of my greatest passions is gathering, monitoring, and analyzing data for meaningful and actionable insights. Knowing that these insights help our clients make well-informed decisions that will have a positive and long-term impact on their businesses and thus help change the world for the better always excites me.

Where does your leadership style get inspiration from?

I am inspired primarily by my father, Mr. Srinivas Rao Lokam, and my former manager, Mr. Bharadwaj Reddy.

What are your interests outside of work?

I like playing chess and squash, learning photography, and watching sci-fi movies.

What are your thoughts on current trends in market research?

One of the main trends we observed is the need to accelerate time-to-insight generation. In addition, AI and automation are increasingly being used in the research industry to improve efficiency, save time, and cut costs, as well as enhance a company’s pricing and value proposition. Companies that capitalize on such trends will gain a competitive advantage to grow their businesses and provide more value to their clients.

Can you describe a unique research project in your market research career?

Recently, we worked on a local project for an Indian client to evaluate the viability of setting up a new school in Hyderabad—the capital of the Indian state of Telangana. We organized several field visits, conducted in-person interviews, and administered surveys to gather necessary data. We also developed a proprietary model for this project. Finally, our client benefited from the research findings and followed our recommendations.

Can you share a successful market research example?

One of our clients from the generator manufacturing sector in India wanted to assess the threat from the transition of using generators as backup power to battery storage and fuel cells. In addition, the client was interested to know the companies moving toward battery storage and away from generators. The client wanted to identify the backup power equipment manufacturers/suppliers catering to telecommunications applications. Our client also required us to provide advice/recommendations on adapting to these market conditions. We leveraged the existing market data and forecasts from the syndicated market research reports for this project. Subsequently, we performed a Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) for generators, batteries, and other alternatives for a telecom Base Transceiver Station (BTS). We had detailed discussions with tier-1 and tier-2 generator manufacturers and battery suppliers along with telecom operators. We surveyed to understand the major reasons for shifting from generators to other alternatives. Later, we prepared a comprehensive list of existing and potential companies in the battery and fuel cell manufacturing and distribution industry. Furthermore, we compiled a list of telecom companies transitioning toward battery storage and other alternatives. Considering the adoption rate and other parameters, we simulated different scenarios—thereby estimating their respective impact on the demand for generators. Our client used the study results and recommendations to make critical decisions on their product offerings and business growth strategy.

How do you set goals for your team?

I establish team goals that align with the company’s objectives and goals. I follow the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) goal-setting framework. Before setting specific targets, I make sure to engage with team members to suggest their own targets and work along with them to arrive at a mutually agreeable and achievable target.

What is your advice for market research career aspirants?

Here are some tips for market research career aspirants:

• Stay curious and learn to identify trends and patterns.
• Understand fundamental statistical concepts such as correlation and causation.
• Learn market research basics.
• Sharpen your reading comprehension and problem-solving skills.
• Keep up with industry news and significant developments.

What excites you the most about the future opportunities for Blackridge Research & Consulting?

With the continuous transformation of the energy industry and the growing construction industry, Blackridge Research & Consulting is uniquely positioned to capitalize on its offerings and provide forward-thinking and trusted insights to our clients.

Wrapping Up

As more and more companies depend on in-depth knowledge of the rapidly evolving market environment, qualified market research professionals are in high demand. Market research helps businesses avoid costly mistakes, make data-driven decisions, identify new markets and opportunities, reduce the risk of bad positioning and much more.

Dynamic professional organizations, startups, and other businesses rely on market intelligence to eliminate uncertainty and empower them with strategic insights for decision-making.

It is not surprising that market research experts of varying levels of experience are indispensable to organizational success in a data-driven world.

Equipping yourself with the right degree and right skill set will prepare you for a successful career in market research.

Moreover, gaining professional experience by working for a trusted market research company will make you stand out from the crowd and boost your chances of getting hired for future positions  

When you get an opportunity to gather data and gain the power to transform people’s lives or turn analytics into a much-needed asset, you know that you are making a REAL difference.

A career in market research is bright and beautiful. Go for it!

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How to Use Reddit for Fast (and Accurate) Market Research

Reddit allows you to observe what people really think about your products so you create better marketing campaigns and content.

With 50,000 niche communities and 250 million unique monthly visitors , Reddit is packed with potential customers talking about brands and products.

Bonus: Download a free guide that reveals how to increase social media engagement with better audience research, sharper customer targeting, and Hootsuite’s easy-to-use social media software.

Reddit 101 ( skip this section if you already use Reddit)

Like Snapchat, Reddit is confusing to people who don’t use it. Here’s a quick intro to Reddit.

Most people use Reddit to waste time. By subscribing to popular communities (called subreddits), you’ll get an endless firehose of viral content. These communities are divided by themes such as science topics, news, hobbies, and Reddit inventions such as the “Ask Reddit” format, where the community answers questions.

Casual Reddit users will often join a specific subreddit related to their passion or profession. For example, a music lover might subscribe to a subreddit about learning guitar. Here, the content is less frequent and not viral. It’s simply people talking to each other and sharing things. Vendors who try to post here will often be mocked or kicked out.

Dedicated Reddit users will join communities that appear confusing to an outsider. These users are more interested in conversations rather than content. For example, someone might post a funny link but the main attraction will be the funny and witty dialogue between different users. These conversations will often be self-referential to moments in Reddit’s history or obscure memes. This makes it hard to follow and understand why certain things are popular on Reddit until you regularly read these threads.

Subreddits = niche communities often related to specific interests. Some subreddits attract millions of monthly views; others attract a tiny group of dedicated people.

Reddit gold = Users will “gift” each other a premium subscription to Reddit if they think a comment is particularly funny or valuable to the community.

Karma = This is a Reddit point system that rewards users who contribute to the community. If you submit a link that other users appreciate, you’ll gain points.

Downvote/upvote = This is the golden economy that keeps Reddit valuable. In most social media sites, a lot of garbage content floats to the top of the feed. In Reddit, users quickly downvote or upvote content. For example, let’s say Reddit users are having a discussion about Pepsi. If a brand manager comes in and posts a link to a new Pepsi contest, users will likely downvote that post, pushing it to the bottom. If a user says something smart or funny, it will gain upvotes.

This system ensures that interesting content stays at the top and spam sinks to the bottom. Your post score is balanced by downvotes and upvotes. For example, if 10 people downvote my post and 11 people upvote my post, I’d have a score of 1. This ensures that every post has a fair chance of rising or falling based on the community’s votes.

Throwaway account = This is a popular phrase you’ll hear on Reddit. Reddit users are talented internet sleuths. If you post something and it attracts attention, Reddit users will look at your comment history and expose your personal information. That’s why most Reddit users will create a temporary ‘throwaway’ account they’ll use to post a comment and then never use again.

Using Reddit to conduct market research: A step-by-step guide

Step #1: find where your customers are hiding, find the right subreddit.

To start, find a subreddit filled with your target customers. There’s no magic solution here. It can take a bit of work to find the right communities. Begin by searching for subreddits . You can also use the following search operators to get started: title:keyword (example, title:Honda), subreddit:keyword (example, subreddit:Honda); and URL:keyword (example, URL:Hondafans.com).

Install the free Reddit Enhancement suite

This free tool adds advanced searching and filtering options to Reddit. With this tool, you can filter irrelevant subreddits, keywords, and old posts. This done by using custom filters. It’s a helpful tool.

Do some sleuthing

Now, spend an hour or so doing some keyword searches. Make a list of the popular subreddits for your topic and common questions that people ask. For example, let’s say I’m a brand manager at Honda. With a little searching, I’ll bump into these subreddits: r/PreludeOwners , r/Honda_XR_and_XL , and r/Honda . These have valuable conversations about Honda’s brand and products, offering an authentic glimpse into the lives of Honda customers.

Step #2: Ask these questions

During your research, focus on answering the four questions below.

How do people feel about your product category? It’s easy to forget that the public has much different experiences than we do inside the walls of a marketing department. Reddit is amazing for revealing unfiltered opinions about brands, products, industries, and categories.

How do people feel about advertising in your category? On the top of Reddit, you’ll see eight tabs. Use the ‘‘promoted” tab to see advertising campaigns run by your competitors. Did any of your competitors promote their products to this community? Look at the comments to see how consumers responded—and what they feel about advertising campaigns in your category. Do competitors brag too much? Are certain features considered table stakes now?

How sophisticated are consumers of your products? Consumers get good at buying products—what differentiates you today is expected tomorrow. For example, at Hootsuite we’ve been helping companies track and prove the ROI of social media for many years. But each year, the topic morphs as our industry becomes more sophisticated.

Reddit can help you stay ahead of your customer’s demand—whether that be the features that bore them, the promises they’re tired of hearing, or the things they wish brands would get right.

Go to the top of the subreddit you want to analyze and select the tab called “gilded.” This will sort by comments that received Reddit gold. As mentioned, Reddit users will gift each other “gold” (which means they pay for the user’s upgrade to Reddit premium) for comments that are exceptionally valuable, funny, or insightful. These are comments that have resonated with Reddit’s most discerning users. Use these “gilded” comments to better understand the sophistication level of your audience as these comments are the smartest or funniest perspectives in the community.

Who is the HXC customer? Unlike most social networks, Reddit pushes the smartest comments and most discerning consumer opinions to the top. It’s a social network filled with smart and opinionated consumers. This is exactly the consumer you want to aim your marketing strategy at.

Most marketing makes the mistake of talking to the lowest common denominator (“meet Joe, your typical male person, looking for a simple way to file taxes online so that he can get back to what he really loves: watching sports with his buds”). But when you’re searching for a new Honda, you ask your friend, the car lover who knows everything about Hondas. Or when you’re looking for a mutual fund to buy, you ask your investment friend who lives on a yacht. These people have specific opinions and expectations for products—and other consumers idealize them.

This is the concept of the HXC customer developed by Julie Supan . According to Supan, if you aim your products and marketing at the most discerning customer, the masses will follow. Reddit can help you better understand these discerning customers.

The best subreddits for marketers

You’ll find subreddits for most industries and products. A relevant subreddit for this post is www.reddit.com/r/SampleSize/ , a community of market researchers.

Another good one that I follow is www.reddit.com/r/AskMarketing/ , a subreddit where marketing professionals ask for answers to hard questions like Facebook ad optimization techniques, tracking the ROI of event marketing, and asking advice about new business ventures.

Step #3: Analyze and monitor

By now, you should have a good idea of the subreddits and typical questions customers ask on Reddit. In this last section, I’ll show you how to monitor these communities for new conversations.

Combine subreddits together

With Reddit, you can create a multireddit. This allows you to group individual subreddits on a page, making it easy to scan and read new content.

The easiest way to create a multireddit is by logging into Reddit. Then press “create,” located on the left side of the page under multireddits. You can also combine subreddits into a URL like so: www.reddit.com/r/subreddit+subreddit . For example, I created the following multireddit, combining three of the best marketing subreddits into one: www.reddit.com/r/askmarketing+marketing+SampleSize+entreprenuer . Bookmark that URL and you’ll always have new marketing tips from the Reddit community.

Monitor for keywords with this app

I’ve tried a few different ways to automatically pull posts from Reddit including web scraping scripts . These often break, though. One of the tools I love to use is the Reddit Keyword Monitor Pro app for Hootsuite . You can monitor brand terms or keywords for any topic, pulling all these hyper-targeted conversations right into your Hootsuite dashboard.

I’m not only recommending this app because I work at Hootsuite. I actually use the app. I even use it to monitor conversations about music recording gear (a hobby of mine) as it pulls interesting bits from all around Reddit.

Add the Reddit Keyword Monitor Pro app to your Hootsuite dashboard

Install the Reddit Keyword Monitor Pro app . Next, go to your Hootsuite dashboard (if you don’t have one, you can start with a free account ). Click Add a New Stream. In the window, select Apps and then select the Reddit Keyword Monitor Pro app.

Start listening! Go to the Hootsuite stream you just created

Click on the tiny gear icon in the corner of the Reddit Keyword Monitor Pro app. Enter a few keywords you’d like to monitor. For example, I’m interested in what customers think about Hootsuite. So I monitor: “love Hootsuite,” “Hootsuite,” and “buy Hootsuite?” These conversations appear right inside my Hootsuite dashboard, so I don’t have to check Reddit for new posts.

I use these insights for market research but this type of listening is critical for brand managers as well. Reddit can be an early warning system for an impending brand PR crisis and monitoring conversations saves you from having to check for new mentions of your company or products.

Use RSS to bring the conversation to you

You can use RSS feeds to monitor different subreddits as well. RSS doesn’t seem to work on all subreddits. But you can try your luck with Hootsuite’s RSS tool (same process as step 3) or learn more about RSS in this guide to Reddit RSS subscriptions . Written by a Reddit user of course.

That’s how I use Reddit for market research.

If you’re looking for other ways to use social data in your marketing plans, check out our free guide, The Social Media Data Cookbook . You’ll learn 11 simple recipes to help you put social data to work including a simple test you can run to see the exact ROI of social messages.

Read it for Free

Become a better social marketer.

Get expert social media advice delivered straight to your inbox.

James is a senior copywriter and content strategist on Hootsuite's brand team. Before Hootsuite, he worked at a few ad agencies creating B2B campaigns for Google, Intuit, Thomson Reuters, AppLovin (a mobile ad company acquired for 1.2 billion), and Wealthfront. James enjoys B2B content marketing, the refreshing taste of Wolf Cola, and writing music.

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Online Focus Groups: 27 Paid Research Companies that Pay Up to $250 an Hour for Your Opinion

I recently participated in a paid focus group in San Francisco. You know, the kind with the one-way mirror on the wall.

We talked about travel habits and preferences for an hour and half, and I got paid $150 for my time and opinions. Not bad!

The whole thing was pretty quick and painless—and actually kind of interesting—which got me thinking that this could be a great side hustle . Especially if I could do it from home!

So down the rabbit hole I went, trying to find other companies that conduct paid research studies online .

And I should note before we get started that these aren’t the typical companies that pop up when you search for “online surveys.” Those companies, like Swagbucks and  InboxDollars , are legit, but pay relatively little .

The companies I was after here were the ones that pay bigger sums to make it more worth your time. I earned $100 an hour for my little focus group adventure, and you can too.

Earn $50-150/hr, with thousands of new studies added each month.

Earn an average of $75 per project, and get notified of upcoming studies you may qualify for.

Patients and caregivers can earn $120/hour while helping advance medical research.

1. User Interviews

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User Interviews facilitates in-person and online consumer conversations about products, websites, and services. The pay rates vary, but the average seems to be around $50-100 an hour.

I’ve earned $105 through the site so far, in exchange for about an hour a half.

In one of my studies, I earned a $10 Amazon gift card for completing a short online survey for bald guys! It said it should take 15 minutes, but all the questions were straight yes/no, so it probably only took 5.

User Interviews is a legit facilitator of online (and in-person) consumer research studies. Participants can get paid (generally $50-150/hr) to share their opinion and shape future products and services. While this won’t replace your day job, it can be a nice supplemental income.

• One of the best-paying survey companies I've found.
• Easy to sign-up.
• Lots of new studies added every week.
• Can be difficult to get selected.

Click here to join User Interviews .

Or check out our full User Interviews review .

Respondent is a cool service that facilitates consumer research studies online—and often pays $100+ an hour !

Once you create your account, you’ll be able to browse all the open studies you might qualify for. The research brief shares the type of person the company is looking to connect with, the expected time commitment, and pay rate .

If it looks like a fit, answer the brief screener questionnaire to throw your hat in the ring. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get selected right away—I’ve been selected for 5 studies out of 50 screeners so far.

While there are some “general population” studies, the best-paying opportunities are for industry professionals— up to $750 an hour!

The company takes a 5% processing fee, but the rest of the funds you earn will hit your PayPal account within 8-10 days of your study. (I’ve earned $395 through Respondent so far! )

Click here to join Respondent .

Read our full Respondent.io review here .

(Since recording, I’ve done a couple more studies.)

A leading source for medical research, Rare Patient Voice pays patients and caregivers $120 an hour. You can browse a full list of available studies on their site—nearly all of which are phone or webcam interviews.

If you suffer from any sort of medical condition (even if it’s not super rare), this one is worth a look.

The site is open to residents of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand.

While most Survey Junkie earning opportunities don’t pay much, you’ll occasionally get emails for better-paying focus group and product testing studies.

These admittedly are pretty rare, but pay up to $75.

Still, power users of the regular Survey Junkie site/app report earning up to $40 a month. 

Super popular survey app that rewards you for sharing your opinion.

The site boasts more than 20 million members and pays out more than $1 million every month.

Click here to sign up for Survey Junkie .

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Another well-established market research company is Product Report Card . They offer paid surveys, product testing and review gigs, and online focus groups.

The best-paying work is for in-home product tests and remote interviews and focus groups — often in the $75-$150/hour range.

Product Report Card will also give you a $5 welcome bonus for completing a short survey after you join. There’s a $25 minimum to cash-out.

Lightster is a unique money making app , where you get matched with brands and researchers based on your profile.

To get started, you’ll add some demographic information about yourself and answer some questions about your experience and interests.

After that, you may see some questions pop up in the app. Answer those to qualify for paid research conversations that pay $1 per minute.

I got invited to my first half hour session within a couple weeks of downloading the app, and got paid (via Amazon gift card) right away.

I was excited to discover PingPong as a newcomer to the online market research field. The service specializes in user experience testing for apps and websites, with pay rates ranging between €10 and €100 an hour. (Roughly $11-110.)

You might be curious—with the rates in euros—if this one is open to non-Europeans. PingPong let me join as an American and says they welcome testers from all over the world.

Since joining, I’ve received invites to several studies but haven’t been able to book one just yet.

Fieldwork was the company that hosted the San Francisco focus group I participated in. They have locations throughout the US:

• Los Angeles (Orange County)
• Minneapolis
• San Francisco

Compensation starts at $75 for participating in focus groups, which usually last between 1-2 hours. The drawback was I got paid in Visa gift cards instead of cash, so I went to the grocery store and bought Amazon gift cards with them instead.

Maven is a unique on-demand consulting platform. You can set your own rates to participate in one-off expert interviews, paid market research studies, and online industry surveys.

(Experts can also get hired for longer-term consulting projects, as well.)

Maven has been around since 2008, and routinely has projects paying anywhere from $25-$500+. 

Experience Dynamics specializes in user experience and user interface testing (UX and UI). Corporate clients pay Experience Dynamics to help “make their users smile,” and they turn around and pay people like you for honest feedback on website designs and software applications.

According to the site, they recruit testers worldwide with all levels of technology experience. Most studies pay between $50-$150 dollars.

Experience Dynamics also facilitates:

• Field Studies, 1-2 hour interviews at your home or work
• Diary Studies, where you record your thoughts over 1-2 weeks
• Phone Interviews
• Online Focus Groups
• Online Surveys

American Consumer Opinion is another market research company where you can qualify for several surveys a year.

Annoyingly, they insist on using their own “virtual currency” point system. Still, you can earn up to $50 worth of points for longer market research surveys.

There’s a $10 minimum to cash out and you can deposit your earnings directly into PayPal. To give you an incentive to complete the low-paying screener surveys, American Consumer Opinion will add your name to a monthly $50 drawing .

On L&E Opinions , I found nationwide studies paying $125-250.  The company has been in business over 30 years and pays out millions of dollars in research incentives every year.

FocusGroups.org is an aggregator service that lists focus groups and paid research opportunities around the country. When I registered, I saw online focus group options that paid anywhere from $75 to $625!

Topics included pets, hygiene, cooking, luxury cars, and lots more. There are some handy filters you can use to select only online or “National” studies.

Another site that pulls in lots of different paid studies, FindFocusGroups.com was a great find. 

At press time, they had the best-looking interface of most of these sites, but hadn’t been updated in several months.

When I checked, the compensation for these ranged from $50 to $200.

Through “compensated interviews” and focus groups, SIS helps brands figure out direction for their products. You’ll have to register for their database to get notified about upcoming paid studies.

I found rates from $25-200, depending on the time required and complexity of the topic. SIS recruits participants from all around the world, not just the US.

Similar to FindFocusGroups above, SurveyFeeds isn’t a market research company itself, but instead a promising “feed” of paid survey opportunities.

I found their Facebook page updated more frequently than their website, so it might be worthwhile to check there and see what you might qualify for.

The online studies I saw ranged from $75 to $300 .

Recruit and Field is one of the longest-running national market research companies. Since 1977, they’ve built up a participant database of over 300,000 consumers, business leaders, and medical professionals.

The company works with lots of name-brand clients and typically pays $100-275 for in-person and online surveys.

I recently earned $250 for a 1-hour call about business banking!

FocusGroup.com offers nationwide paid research opportunities. (The site is powered by Sago, a leading market research company.)

Be on the lookout for the “National” studies that pay between $75 and $200 . These are scheduled over the phone or webcam so you can take the calls from anywhere at times that are convenient to you.

It took a while, but I eventually earned $115 for an online study related to a well-known Seattle-area company.

The next one I did was an hour-long online focus group on credit cards that paid $100.

Other studies I saw were  related to cars, technology, and banking.

I receive a few email notifications every month with studies. Those range from around $2 for 20-minute surveys, up to $150 for 90-minute in-person or online focus groups.

Check out my full FocusGroup.com review to learn more.

When I checked out Field Voices , I found a couple available studies to apply for. One was a neighborhood improvement interview that paid $150 for one hour, and the other was a group workshop on snacking habits that paid $300!

This firm works directly with companies as well, which means they’re not just pulling together lists of other research projects.

Consumers, medical professionals, and executives are in demand for Probe Market Research’s panels. Focus groups pay between $50 and $400, and you can often participate online or over the phone.

Major brands enlist Probe to conduct online surveys, mystery shopping gigs , mock juries, product trials, and more .

The popular and well-rated dscout app connects you with “engaging research missions.” Through those, you can get paid to share your feedback on a product or service.

Typical studies pay anywhere from $2 to $100 , paid out via PayPal. The biggest complaints from users are that the often in-depth screener surveys are unpaid.

Less of a market research firm and more of a consulting marketplace, GLG Insights aims to match you up with their clients looking for industry-specific expertise. Request to become a “Council Member” to get notified when relevant paid studies are available.

On GLG, you’ll be asked to connect your LinkedIn profile and upload a resume (or link to an online resume) to verify your career credentials. You can also name your own consulting rate — usually $100-150 and up .

After that, I answered a series of ethics questions based on GLG’s terms and conditions.

Since 2007, Zintro has been connecting researchers with industry experts. According to the site, the vast majority Zintro’s consulting and online focus groups pay between $150 and $300 per hour.

Popular industries include:

• Software and tech
• Banking and finance
• Healthcare and insurance
• E-commerce and retail
• Travel and hospitality
• and lots more

It’s free to set up your expert profile and start to get invited for calls.

WatchLab has an obnoxiously inadequate website, but they claim to facilitate all sorts of focus groups, usability tests, interviews, mock juries, and more.

The pay varies depending on the research, and may be in the form of gift cards or cash. I saw ranges from $100 to $175 for 1-2 hour focus groups. WatchLab has locations in San Francisco and Chicago, as well as online options.

For in-person focus groups, you get paid on the spot — online may take 4-6 weeks.

Mindswarms is a unique video consumer research platform. They’ll pay you $50 via PayPal to answer 10 questions about a product or service.

These studies normally take around 10 minutes and can be recorded via your webcam or smartphone, but competition to get selected can be fierce.

To create your account you’ll need to record a 60-second video about one of your passions. Or you can do this through the Mindswarms app on iOS or Android .

Earn $50-150 for online focus groups and studies. While the website doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence, 20|20 Panel has been around for over 30 years.

I found several online focus groups paying $50-200 on Focus Insite . The company popped up in my Instagram feed, a signal they’re actively recruiting new participants.

You can join their panel database as a medical, technical, or business professional, or just as a general consumer. Alternatively, you can apply directly to the available market research studies listed.

The companies listed above certainly aren’t the only research companies around, and for this side hustle, it makes sense to join as many firms as you’re comfortable with.

That way, you’re presented with all the opportunities available, not just the projects managed by one company.

Here are a few more to consider:

• Prolific  — When academic and research institutions need opinions from the general population, they turn to Prolific. The pay is a bit lower — often in the $8-15/hr range — but in my Prolific review , I found plenty of quick and easy surveys available, and you can cash out to PayPal.
• Ascendency Research — On average, studies pay $60-350. Many are local to the Twin Cities, MN, but they have some national studies, too.
• Elliott Benson — Conducting paid market research since 1995.
• PRC Market Research — You can browse upcoming projects (and their pay rate) before registering. Most studies pay $100-300/hour.
• NewtonX — Strictly for industry professionals to share their insight and get paid.
• UserTesting – Earn $10 for completing 20-minute online user tests of websites, apps, shopping portals, and more. This is pretty fun but you have to be fast because these tests get snatched up quickly.
• Pulse Labs – Earn up to $100 a week providing video feedback on products.
• Intellizoom – Get paid an average of $10 testing and reviewing websites.
• UserBrain – Receive new websites to test every week, and earn $5 for each 5-15 minute test.
• Google User Experience – Google pays gift cards for feedback on their products.
• Nelson Recruiting — Nationwide market research company established in 1980.
• Marketade – Specializes in remote usability testing, market validation, navigation research, and more.
• Engage Studies – Earn as much as $100 per focus group through this research company.
• Tell Us Your Opinion – Mainly operating in Tulsa but may have online/phone opportunities as well.
• Adler Weiner Research – In-person studies in Chicagoland and Southern California, plus remote studies nationwide.
• Advanced Focus – Hosts market research panels and focus groups in New York City.
• Nichols Research – Get paid to participate in in-person focus groups, primarily in Northern California.
• Herron Associates — In-person studies in Indianapolis, IN and Tampa, FL.
• PrizeRebel – Earn $10-12 an hour doing surveys or completing other tasks. (Just avoid the low-paying ones.)

As with any side hustle, there’s an opportunity cost. As in, what else could you be doing with your time?

I encourage you to check out our monster list of side hustle ideas , but here are a few that are similarly flexible.

Become a Bookkeeper

One of the first jobs that many companies hire out is “someone to keep the books.” If you have experience in this field, or just love numbers, becoming a remote bookkeeper could way to make extra money.

Most businesses don’t need a full-time bookkeeper so they’re open to hiring someone part-time. Most virtual bookkeepers charge $100-300 per client per month.

Network with business owners locally or online and let them know about your service. It might make sense to check out this  free training on how to start a remote bookkeeping business .

Alternative Investments

If you’re after passive income , you might consider adding some alternative investments .

For example,  Fundrise  allows you to invest in professionally-vetted commercial real estate. This spreads your risk around with properties in multiple geographical locations–and minimums as low as $10 .

Disclosure: I’ve been a Fundrise investor since 2015, and earn a commission when you join through my referral link. Opinions are my own.

Resell Furniture Returns

Reselling furniture returns is a unique low-risk side hustle .

How it works is you join Sharetown as a local “reverse logistics” rep. Sharetown partners with direct-to-consumer mattress and furniture brands to handle their return requests.

When customers decide they don’t want to keep the item, you’ll get dispatched to go pick it up. After that, you’ll:

• clean it up
• photograph it
• list it for resale on sites like Facebook Marketplace

The Sharetown reps I’ve connected with target $150-250 per flip — and, importantly — you don’t have to pay Sharetown for the inventory until the item sells.

Check out my full Sharetown review to learn more.

Sharetown reps make money by reselling gently-used furniture and bed-in-a-box mattresses. Top reps earn $4000+ per month.

• Low startup costs
• Great earning power
• No hunting for inventory
• Requires a truck or SUV
• Bulky items to store
• Not available in all areas

Mobile Notary Service

Becoming a mobile notary loan signing agent is one of the most popular gigs among the Side Hustle Nation community. The flexible, part-time side hustle involves walking new homeowners through their stack of mortgage documents.

Appointments typically take around an hour and pay $75-150.

One big drawback to focus groups or online surveys is you’re limited in how much you can earn. It’s a great side hustle, but it’ll never be a full-time income.

Focus groups or paid research studies won’t pay your mortgage, but one or two a month will definitely help build your side hustle snowball .

Have you had any success in landing paid focus group studies? What do you think of this little supplemental side hustle?

Let me know in the comments below!

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Is there such thing as an online focus group?

Yes! Several companies facilitate online consumer research focus groups, which is great because that means you can earn money from the comfort of your home or office. Check out our full list to learn more.

How much do focus groups pay?

The pay for focus groups depends on how long the session lasts. Most commonly, you’ll find rates average around $100 an hour.

Where can I find legit paid focus groups?

Companies like Respondent, Fieldwork, and FocusGroup.com are all legit facilitators of paid focus groups. Or, for the best results, you might try an aggregator service like FindFocusGroups.com, which pools together focus group opportunities from several sources. Be sure to check the list of providers on Side Hustle Nation as well.

How do online focus groups work?

Online focus groups work either via conference call or more commonly, through a group video chat to more closely mimic the in-person experience. A moderator will lead the group discussion and participants can chime in through their webcam and computer microphone or phone line.

********* Stock photo  by Akhenaton Images via Shutterstock

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About the Author

Nick Loper is a side hustle expert who loves helping people earn more money and start businesses they care about. He hosts the award-winning Side Hustle Show, where he's interviewed over 500 successful entrepreneurs, and is the bestselling author of Buy Buttons , The Side Hustle , and $1,000 100 Ways .

His work has been featured in The New York Times, Entrepreneur, Forbes, TIME, Newsweek, Business Insider, MSN, Yahoo Finance, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Financial Times, Bankrate, Hubspot, Ahrefs, Shopify, Investopedia, VICE, Vox, Mashable, ChooseFI, Bigger Pockets, The Penny Hoarder, GoBankingRates, and more.

58 thoughts on “Online Focus Groups: 27 Paid Research Companies that Pay Up to $250 an Hour for Your Opinion”

Nice job, Nick! I have only ever been able to score low paying “mystery shopper” gigs. I get a free meal and $15 or $20 for my trouble. It usually takes about an hour, so am making $15 – $20 per hour. I have repeatedly mystery shopped a “Roy Rogers” restaurant that is on the NYS thruway. Almost every time I have had to travel to or from my daughter’s college campus I have been able to get a free meal, $10 or $15, and a portion of my tolls paid. I wouldn’t make the effort except that I am already driving by and there is a good chance that I would need a bathroom break anyway. Everybody wins. :>) I will be checking on a couple of the sites you provided to see if there is anything I qualify for.

Thanks Kevin. I’ve been half-heartedly attempting to find a mystery shopping expert to school me on how it really works :)

Hi Nick – If you are still reading these comments, I hope you will remove User Interviews from your list. After reading your article, I applied with them and was excited at first, but they have a serious flaw. They do not screen what the companies post for the surveys. First you have to take a questionnaire to see if you will be selected for the survey. Time after time you spend time answering the flawed questionnaire, and then not being selected, probably because of being forced to complete an answer that is not correct. Here’s an example that I just sent to Tabitha at User Interviews:

“I was applying for the Medical Injectibles survey, and the first several questions went well. Then there was the question “Do you care for a child with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis?” with the options of yes or no. I checked no, and I cannot imagine there are vast numbers of people who would have been able to check yes.

The next question was required, and it asked for the age of the person I care for, and had a box, also required, asking for the required medications.

Why was I prompted with that question when I had answered no?”

So that was yet another questionnaire that was flawed that completely wasted my time because I could not proceed. I have asked them to remove me from all further communication as I want nothing to do with them anymore, and I honestly don’t think you should be recommending them.

Hmm sorry for the trouble, Balinda. I agree, their conditional logic on the screener surveys could be better — or they could just advance to a “thanks but you’re not a fit” page. When those types of funky follow-up questions happen for me, I just back out and go back to the list since it’s clear I’m not going to qualify.

Nick, this list is AWESOME! I’ve been using User Interviews for about a month and a half and it seems like I hardly ever get selected for any of the surveys. In fact, I’ve only been selected for 1 so far (which literally took 10 minutes and I got a $30 Amazon gift card) and the second one I got approved for, by the time I got around to actually confirming my spot that evening, it was already fully booked up! I’m wondering with all the different options available if it would be feasible to make some decent side money – assuming the time commitment doesn’t get overwhelming. I’m gonna dig into this a little I think and see what I can come up with.

Hey Kyle, I hope you found some good “side jobs.” You mentioned that you used user interviews and only got 1 job. I’m so surprised by that. I have been using them for a few months and I have made a good bit of money. I had a 20 minute telephone survey and was paid $150! I had another that was in person. They came to my apt (they originally said to see my wardrobe in closet, but never did) they interviewed me on camera for about 10-15 minutes and then we went to a clothing store! They asked me if I liked the store, clothes, etc. In all I was with them about an hour. I got $350! I could have made another $100 for doing “homework,” but I was too busy. That’s just 2 of jobs I had from them. Anyway, I just wanted you to know, bcuz you should keep trying with them. I plan on hitting all these new ones, thanks to Nick! Good Luck!

It’s funny you bring this topic up. I LITERALLY started signing up for focus groups last Monday (going on two weeks) and I’ve already made $650. Most have came from respondent. I also signed up for the Reddit r/paidstudy group as well as the cool work ideas.com FB which posts multiple studies a day. I’m loving it so far!

Hi Nick, I’ve been using ACOP for a few years now it does take a long time to gather up money. I usually wait till I get up around $50 or so to cash in. The problem I find is it takes two to three months for it to show up in my Pay Pal account, very slow turn around.

Nick, I’ve been doing these for several years. I probably average about $1,000 per year doing these. This a great comprehensive list!

I tried Mindswarms. I had no trouble creating a profile video (though it really does not flatter me, nor had I trouble applying for studies. However, I have been on there for over a month, and I have been rejected for every. Single. Study. Besides that, they do not ever bother telling me, or giving me helpful suggestions. Their FAQ section is so useless as to be counterproductive. And I suspect that my mind and my interests are not average enough to make Mindswarms (or online studies/surveys in general) worth my while.

Here is a good rule of thumb: if you prefer the musical works of Vasily Kalinnikov (or just know who Vasily Kalinnikov was) over “Lady” Gaga, do not bother with surveys. Only the most average individuals with the most average minds can succeed with this rubbish. Or so my experiences would indicate.

Actually, the opposite is true. just regular surveys do kind of suck. However, the focus groups and interviews and so forth, all the ones that I’ve actually gotten into have been because I’m weird or different. That’s why so many people get declined. They look for people who don’t conform, mostly because they’re looking for new and innovative ideas. Why would you research the monotonous and mundane?

Thanks so much for the information. I signed up on Respondent today and have a 71% match on 1 survey. We’ll see how it goes.

I just tried to sign up with Respondent, and probably I’m the only one in the world with this problem of not having any social media sites. They want to verify your work on LinkedIn or your FB profile. I don’t have a FB account nor do I have a LinkedIn account. I know, I must be living in a cave, but the work I do does not allow me to use social media. What to do? I guess Respondent is out. Bummer.

This is pretty much the same for me too, Shari. Even if I had an account on social media I would only have my family and close friends on it. I wouldn’t want to give some site access. I also ran into one (can’t remember the name) where they wanted you to upload a video of yourself in order to get the surveys. I am also not comfortable with that. I’ve signed up with all that was listed above. We’ll see how it goes. Good luck to you!

Since I haven’t seen it noted in the comments or main blog anywhere I just wanted to put it out there that technically if you make over $600 with any single company like this they are supposed to issue a 1099 for your payouts. Normally if you accumulate that much over a year they may not bother BUT I was lucky enough to get into a study that paid $875 which immediately put me over that threshold. So then they issued a 1099 for all my earnings from them in that year. That hurt at tax time. This year I’m going to spread it out over as many companies as I can to hopefull get a lot but no single one over $600. And if you are lucky enough to get into a single high paying study, keep the tax implication in mind.

Very nice blog post. Thanks for sharing. On respondent I made $30 today. Not bad!

Thanks Nick, this list is AWESOME! I’ve been doing surveys and focus groups for about a year. I’ve had some great paying, easy jobs. I’ve also spent, what felt like like forever, time trying to qualify for them to no avail. However, from my experience, I can definitely say not to give up! Surveys are time consuming with little pay, for the most part. Focus groups, interviews, etc., is where the money is! I have been looking for more sites and you just gave me a bunch! I am gonna try them all! Keep the info coming! Thanks again!

I’m wondering if the earning need to be claimed on our taxes? Is there a record that we are being paid? Do these companies ask for any personal information? Thanks

Try Jackson/Adept in Los Angeles. They have a Beverly Hills and Encino location.

Here are Metro Detroit Focus Groups and my reviews of them

Morpace Inc. 31700 Middlebelt Road Suite 200 Farmington Hills, MI 48334 Phone: (248) 737-5300 http://www.morpace.com Pays $80-$250 Focus Group Surveys (In Person). If they over fill the group which happened to me on one occassion then you get paid instantly without doing the survey. They pay by check or cash after the 1-2 hour in person survey. They offer surveys 1-2 times a year.

Shifrin Hayworth 26400 Lahser Rd #430, Southfield, MI 48033 Phone: (248) 223-0020 https://www.shifrin-hayworth.com/ Pays $50-$300 Focus Group Surveys (In Person). They pay by check or cash in person after the 1-2 hour survey. They offer surveys about 1-2 times a year.

I recently learned that you can only participate in 1 survey every 6 months which is why after being asked if you’ve done one recently you get disqualified.

I just did a study for them last week. They promised a $200 virtual gift card within 48 hours but it’s been a week and still nothing. They’ve stopped answering my emails and I can’t find a phone number for them, which seems pretty shady.

Did they ever get back to you/pay you?

So I have had really good luck with a lot of these companies you listed. I am a stay at home mom have been looking into all this and actively participating for about 6 weeks and made over 3000 dollars I have made 630 dollars on users interviews, 585 on respondents, 310 on user testing, 270 on validately usability studies , 250 on 20/20 panel, about 140 on intellizoom/ what users do Usability studies, 90 dollars on TrymyUI, and 50 on ping pong research. I have also made 375 dolars from focus point global. plus more companies that i got under 20 each from so there is money to be made here if you invest the time. I have done one on one studies with a web cam, phone interviews, product testing (shampoos, and even new cereal), online diary studies (usually about things you eat), and lots of usability studies. the key is knowing how to answer the screener questions. Thank you so much for your list I am going to check out the companies I have not uses yet

Whoa that’s awesome Casondra – thanks for sharing!

Hi Nick-I just found this post and thank you for “heads up”… I’m writing to share with you two top performers here in Seattle for in-person focus groups. In-Sight Space and Fieldwork / Seattle.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have had a few gigs with each of these company’s who conduct only focus groups. Most of the time the pay is cash on the spot and the groups range from 45 minutes to 2 hours. These two company’s have frequent remarkably high-paying gigs. It’s fairly common to attend a 90 minute focus group that pays anywhere from 150.00 – 350.00. On occasion I’ve landed one of their mock jury groups, sometimes held at one of Seattle’s finest hotels and lasts close to 8 hours. These mock jury groups have paid me between 300.00 to 550.00 for the gig and always provide a catered breakfast and lunch. Again, thanks for sharing your information and I hope you’re able to use my information and experience to help others.

Sincerely, Jason B.

Nice, Jason — thanks for sharing!

I’m registered with two companies for focus group and mock jury participation. I’ve done both and found them enjoyable and worthwhile. Usually payment was cash. One time it was a VISA gift card. The mock juries required more hours than the focus groups. One was Friday evening, all day Saturday, and Saturday evening. My experience has been food and beverages were provided when the event was more than 3 hours.

Participants were usually limited to one event in 6 months.

I’ve seen a large dropoff in opportunities since I reached a certain age. Sigh.

Very occasionally the local newspaper has a classified ad for focus group participants.

I need the mock jury site

Ok…I see several people are interested in Mystery Shopping so I thought I’d share a little info. I have done a lot of mystery shopping in the past and love it. Not amazing money but interesting and I enjoyed it. So…here are a few sites to start with…I hope this is OK…I see a few people said they would send information, but a lot of others requested info and I don’t know if they got what they needed. I hope this helps. So…first… this is the official website of the Mystery Shopping Professionals Association…it has a ton of good info and resources https://www.mspa-global.org/index.html Work available always depends on the type of job you are interested in and where you are located so the best companies to work with will vary for different people. Here are some other resources that may help… https://www.mysteryshopperjobfinder.com/members/resources/mspa-interview/ https://www.mysteryshopforum.com/ https://www.mysteryshoppermagazine.com/?source=forum-top-discussions and last but not least… https://www.shadowshopper.com Shadow Shopper…the first thing that pops up when you google Shadow Shopper will be scam alerts. I’m here to tell you it is not a scam. I have used them for years off and on. They do have a fee option, and to get anywhere, you probably will want to use it at least for a short time. But a lot of job boards charge a small fee. Basically it is where companies post work that they need to get done and shoppers go to find work. It’s a great way to see what is available in your area and skill set and interest and sign up with those companies offering that work. You can go out on your own and start just looking into shopping sites, but that sign up processing can be lengthy and if you pick one that doesn’t offer work in your area or jobs you want, you have wasted time and effort. Once you sign up with a few companies that you’ve found on Shadow Shopper, move on until you want to look for more. No need to keep your subscription if you have the work your want. Just my suggestion, but it has landed me several really good opportunities. One lasted years and was around made me around $2000/yr. Oh…and if you are wanting a list of companies…go here… it’s a tedious process to choose, but it’s an option… https://www.mysteryshopforum.com/companies/ Good luck and enjoy :)

Thank you Anna!

I’ve used Focus Pointe Global and Schlesinger in the Boston area for years. I’ve made really good money with them ($75-200 per session). People seem to over-estimate how difficult this all is. Sign up in the database, fill out a survey if you get an e-mail, if you pre-qualify for a study they call you to screen you again, you either qualify or you don’t on that phone call. If you’re picked, you go to their office and sit with the other people picked and just give your opinion for about 90 minutes. The hardest part for me is fighting traffic to get to the office in the city. These focus groups have been a lifesaver for me in periods of unemployment.

Will you get called every week about a survey? No, you definitely won’t, maybe not every month either. But if you sign up with 5-10 companies your chances of getting picked go up. And I agree that sites like Swagbucks are more or less a waste of time. It’s very small money.

Everyone is asking: How do I join? You have to go to the companies website and sign up for the panel (“Join the Panel”) and then wait. Also, the bigger companies post surveys on their Facebook pages so sign up for their notifications.

I do the best with Respondent, User Interviews and UTest.com. Also check out Affectiva’s job listings if you’re in the Boston area. I’ve made a lot helping to test out their automotive AI.

I have been doing focus groups online for prob 3 years or so. I have done a lot of them with watchlab and user interviews. Also accelerant research is a good one. Field work is another I’ve done them with. I’m sure there is more that I’ve used but i gotta tell u that these have been a life saver for me at times. I most recently did one that paid $400 which is the most I’ve made. I am signed up and in the databases of all that u listed plus a few others like accelerant research. Oh yeah another great place is Elliot Benson research.

Thanks for sharing Shelley!

you might try Mturk if you money to pay…

Great job on this article! I’ve been doing focus groups for many years. Probably made about $2,000 or so altogether.

I’d also recommend instapanel. I’ve been using them for several years to complete video surveys. They pay $20 for about 5-10 minutes of work. Here’s a link: https://instapanel.com/ .

I work for one of the market research companies that hire these focus group facilities/recruiters to get us the research we need. For in person focus groups (in facility) you can expect to get paid around $100 per hour, and more expensive if you’re in a specialty group (certain ailments, professionals such as tech). For online focus groups they run around $75 per hour.

If you want to know the panels to join around your area to join focus groups, I’d recommend going on Green Book (for research) and search on recruiters or facility around your neighborhood. This is where researchers go to find panels to do research with and you’ll get more opportunities with the facilities/recruiters there.

I don’t recommend online surveys bc you might terminate out of many surveys before you complete one and they won’t pay you more than $5 for one, and that’s on the rare end. Hope this helps!

Appreciate the insight — thanks Michelle!

I love love love all the great information I just obtained by reading your blog. OMG ! If anyone has any leads for Indiana specifically please let me know. I know of Herron Associates does a lot of research focus groups. Just go to their website and sign up. Ive done a few for them in the past and made anywhere from $50-150 for about an hour or so in person focus group. I think those are great and very interesting. If anyone wants to contact me to give me some tips on the mystery shopping I’d greatly appreciate it. TIA ( Thanks in Advance) Carrie

Thanks a bunch for the informative post! I signed up for several of the ones you have on this list and already got selected for a study. Just curious – most of the prescreen questions ask if you’ve recently participated in a study. If you have (I’ll fall into this bucket once I complete the study I just got picked for), does that greatly reduce your chances of being selected for another one?

Hi, are any of these open to people under 18?

All clinical trials are for ages 18-99.

Amalia, I apologize. I read your question to quickly & transposed the numbers. I thought you said 81.I’m rarely asked to prove my age, but they may have some way of checking. Product reviews are open to 16+, I believe. I’ve never had to show my ID online, only when I do things in person. Obviously medical care you’d show your ID.

Withpower.com is a great website to checkout medical trials. There are all sorts & bonus if you need medical care & don’t have the money to pay for it. Some just monitor or interview you…all the way up to getting medicated treatment for your condition. I even saw dental work on there.

Every clinical research compensated me for my time & travel. It’s always paid out very well for me & it’s definitely worth the time. I got $365 for downloading an app on my phone that I recorded how long I slept the night before.They sent a little survey with 4 questions every day to the app & I told them what time I went to bed, did I wake up during the night, how long did it take me to get back to sleep, and what time I woke up. I got paid in intervals at week 2, 6, 10, & 14. Super easy money.

I’m on #4 of this list now. User interviews has been fair to me. I’ve seen product reviews, online, and focus groups on there. If they let you know that you are qualified, act quickly!

Clinical research & focus groups are my favorite. I used to like doing product reviews & I still do. But once you really start getting into it, the rewards get better & better. Thank you so much, Nick. Yes, I referred you when signing up. You deserve it.

Hi Nick, this is a great job.

Many of these websites do not authorize participants from Nigeria and Africa. They have country-based restrictions. It sucks.

I have a master’s degree in business administration. I have a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. I have a postgraduate diploma in economics, a postgraduate diploma in education and a professional diploma in early childhood education. I have a CEFR Level C1 in IELTS exam. I have done some surveys in my country, Nigeria and I performed well.

What survey sites do you recommend that do not have country-based restrictions? I am really curious Nick.

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How to Use Reddit for Better Market Research [Step By Step Guide]

Written by Erica Pollock

Published Sep. 26 2023

Table of Contents

Reddit, the platform known as the “front page of the Internet,” has become an invaluable platform for conducting market research. With its diverse user base and extensive range of discussions, Reddit offers a wealth of insights for businesses looking to gain a deeper understanding of their target audience. In this article, we’ll explore how you can effectively use Reddit for fast and accurate market research, and walk you through all of the steps to get started. 

What Exactly Is Reddit and How Does It Work?

Reddit is considered a social media platform, although it resembles more of a traditional internet forum where users can post, discuss, and vote on content. There are a number of terms that may be unfamiliar to you if you haven’t ever used Reddit before, so let’s go through the ones you need to know real quick. (Feel free to skip this section if you already know the basics of using Reddit.)

Redditor: A member or user of the Reddit community.

Subreddit: A subreddit is a space on Reddit dedicated to a specific topic, theme, or interest. Subreddits serve as mini-communities within the site and serve as virtual gathering places for like-minded individuals.They are denoted by “r/” followed by the name of the subreddit, i.e.  r/marketing.

Reddit has hundreds of subreddits, and there is one for just about anything you can think of. There’s also plenty of subreddits for things you wouldn’t ever think of (r/BreadStapledToTrees, I am looking at you. And in case you are wondering, yes, this subreddit is exactly what it sounds like.)

Bread… stapled to trees. I don’t know why. The internet is weird sometimes.

Upvote/Downvote: A system used to approve or disapprove of content or comments. Upvoting indicates approval or liking, while downvoting signals disapproval. When content is upvoted, it moves up in the feed. The content and comments with the most upvotes is seen the most, as it appears at the top of the page.

Karma: A point system that reflects the value of a user’s contributions based on the number of upvotes and downvotes they receive. You receive karma by posting comments or posting a new thread. Each comment you make will give you +1 karma to begin with, and then other users can upvote or downvote your comment, changing the amount of karma. So for each additional upvote on a comment, you receive +1 karma. And the opposite is true for downvotes, meaning that you receive -1 karma for each downvote.

Comments that receive lots of downvotes are considered to be low value or not contributing positively to the discussion at hand, and will eventually be hidden in the comments section entirely.

You can see how much karma a user has by clicking on their profile. (You can also see your own karma at any time in the top right corner of the page.)

Mainly just showing off my internet karma here and the fact my Reddit account is over 12 years old. But anyways…

Now that you’ve got the basic terminology nailed down, let’s take a look at why Reddit is so valuable for conducting market research.

Why Use Reddit for Market Research?

One of the key advantages of using Reddit for market research is the platform’s vast user base.

With over 430 million monthly active users as of 2023, Reddit offers a diverse range of perspectives and opinions. This allows businesses to tap into a wealth of information and gather insights from a wide range of demographics.

Unlike traditional market research methods where you are limited to observing from a distance, Reddit allows you to engage directly with your audience and gather feedback in real-time.

When used correctly, Reddit can provide invaluable insights into consumer preferences, opinions, and behaviors. By analyzing the discussions and interactions within relevant subreddits, businesses can gain a deep understanding of their target audience’s needs and preferences.

Another advantage of using Reddit for market research is the platform’s anonymity. Users can create anonymous accounts, allowing them to share their honest opinions and experiences without fear of judgment or repercussions. This anonymity fosters a more open and candid environment, leading to more authentic and valuable insights for businesses.

Lastly, Reddit offers a wide range of features that can aid in market research. You can analyze user engagement metrics, such as upvotes, comments, and awards, to gauge the popularity around a particular topic, or use Reddit’s advanced search function to find specific keywords or topics related to your industry. (I’ll show you how to do this later on.)

How to Find the Right Subreddits

The key to effective market research on Reddit is finding the subreddits where your target audience is most active.

Now, there are two ways of doing this, and I’ll give you both of them just because, hey, I am feeling generous.

Here’s the first method to find the subreddit(s) where your audience hangs out.

• Start with a broad search: Begin by heading over to Reddit , and searching for keywords related to your industry or target market in the search bar at the top of the page. This will help you find subreddits that are directly aligned with your area of interest.

When conducting a search, it’s important to consider various terms and phrases that are commonly associated with your industry. This will ensure that you cast a wide net and capture all potential subreddits that may be relevant to your research. Take the time to brainstorm and compile a list of keywords that accurately represent your niche.

So for example, if I type ‘marketing’ in the search bar, it gives me multiple different subreddits to choose from. In this case, I am going to start out my research by going to the r/marketing subreddit, as it is the first one that popped up.

2. Explore the subreddit sidebar: Once you’ve identified a potential subreddit, the first thing to do is take a look at the sidebar. The subreddit sidebar is often a great source for valuable information. It provides insights into the community’s expectations, preferred content types, and any specific rules that need to be followed.

It also will often have a list of additional related subreddits or other related communities that are on other platforms (like Discord). By thoroughly exploring the sidebar, you can gain a deeper understanding of the subreddit’s culture and get a better idea of whether or not the community fits with your target audience.

You’ll see here that the r/marketing subreddit lists many other marketing-related subreddits that might be worth checking out, like r/socialmediamarketing and r/digitalmarketing.

3. Assess the subreddit’s activity: Activity levels within a subreddit can vary significantly. Some communities may have a constant stream of posts and comments, while others may be more sporadic. An active community suggests a higher likelihood of receiving valuable feedback and insights for your market research.

Look at the frequency of posts and comments within the subreddit to help determine if it is an active and engaged community.

You can also see how many users are currently online in the community in the sidebar, as well as how many users are subscribed to the subreddit in total. This will help you determine the size of the community, and the size of your potential audience to engage with.

Keep in mind, a larger community isn’t necessarily better. In fact, it often can be more useful to find a smaller, more niche subreddit of the topic you are searching for. So perhaps instead of looking at just r/marketing, I could get even more specific and look at r/socialmediamarketing, because that subreddit more accurately describes my target audience. You might find that the smaller subreddits have a higher engagement level. I gauge this by looking at the number of current users that are online.

For example, in the image below, the r/marketing subreddit has 274 users online, which really isn’t a lot, considering there are 595,000 members of the subreddit.

Whereas the r/socialmediamarketing subreddit has 62 users online, but the overall size of the subreddit is 8x smaller, with just 74,800 users. So despite the r/marketing subreddit having more users online, the r/socialmediamarketing subreddit actually has a higher percentage of its users that are active and online, possibly indicating it might be a more engaged community.

4. Analyze the subreddit’s demographics: Understanding the demographics of a subreddit is crucial in ensuring that your market research efforts are focused on the right audience. Look for any available info regarding the age range, gender distribution, geographic location, and interests of the subreddit’s users.

If you are confident after going through these steps that your chosen subreddit is where your target audience lives and engages, then you can start your market research!

But what if you aren’t totally confident you’ve found the best subreddit?

Well, then you can use method number-two to identify the right subreddit. (This method doesn’t actually involve using Reddit at all.)

Here’s what you need to do.

• Create an account on Sparktoro.

If you aren’t familiar with Sparktoro, prepare for your mind to be blown by how useful it is when it comes to audience research. Head over to sparktoro.com and create an account if you don’t have one already. This will give you 20 free searches per month, which is more than enough for the purpose of this exercise. (If it’s in your budget, I highly recommend paying for Sparktoro, because it is incredibly useful and can help you understand your audience on a new level.)

2. Search for your topic on SparkToro

Once you have an account set up, click on the Audience Research tab. Then, you will need to conduct your search. You may notice that there are a couple of options to choose from in the search bar. That’s because there are a number of different ways you search for something using Sparktoro.

The types of searches include:

• Search by a topic that your audience frequently talks about (i.e. marketing)
• Search by keyword or phrase that your audience uses in their profile (i.e. director of marketing)
• Search by a social media account that your audience follows (i.e. @hubspot)
• Search by a website your audience visits (i.e. contentmarketinginstitute.com)

I am going to just continue with the marketing example I used previously, and search by the topic ‘marketing’.

3. Analyze the results

When you get your search results, you’ll notice that on the left hand side of the page, there are a number of different headings you can click on.

Choose the one that says ‘Reddit’. (There’s also TONS of other information that you might find useful in the other tabs, but for this article, I am just going to focus on the Reddit section).

And just like that, you’ll be presented with the most popular subreddits for that particular audience. It can be quite interesting, because sometimes the results are not a subreddit you would have considered looking at.

In this search, my results include the more obvious subreddits like r/marketing, but also some unexpected ones like r/cryptocurrency and r/stocks. You’ll notice the percentage of my total audience that is on these subreddits isn’t very big, so this might be an indication I need to get more granular with my search term.

If I try again, and this time I search the term ‘email marketing’, the results are slightly different. The top three subreddits for this audience include r/marketing, r/emailmarketing and r/entrepreneur.

And as you’ll see, the percentage of the audience for each of these subreddits is much higher than the ones in the last search, so these subreddits are probably more representative of the audience I am looking for.

Using this method with Sparktoro to find your audience on Reddit can be much faster than going through individual subreddits manually to find the right one for your market research.

That being said, really the most effective method is to use both of these together. Doing so will ensure that you have chosen the right subreddit that most accurately represents your target audience.

You’ve Chosen a Subreddit. Now What?

You basically have two choices now. You can choose to gather information from the subreddit simply by looking at the content, or you can create a Reddit account and join in the conversation! Both research methods can be useful, but the latter option is much more fun if you ask me.

By actively participating in discussions, providing valuable insights, and engaging with other members, you can position yourself as a trusted authority and gain the community’s respect. This will not only enhance the quality of the feedback you receive but also increase the likelihood of others being willing to share their experiences and opinions with you.

However, it is important to approach Reddit with caution and respect. Redditors are known for their skepticism towards marketers and dislike blatant self-promotion. So before you get all excited and start creating posts nonsensically, take some time to understand the “vibe” of the subreddit first.

Each subreddit has different rules in place for posting and commenting, so be sure to actually read them or you may find yourself banned from that particular subreddit. In fact, some subreddits may not even let you create a new post unless your account is of a certain age, or has a certain amount of comment karma.

If this sounds intimidating, and you’d prefer to observe from a distance, that’s okay too. There are still plenty of ways you can conduct market research on Reddit without actually posting or commenting at all.

Passive Market Research Methods With Reddit

Monitoring discussions and trends.

In addition to actively participating in discussions, you can use Reddit as a listening tool to monitor conversations and gather insights passively. This can help you identify emerging trends and stay up-to-date with your target audience’s preferences. For example, if you are in the tech industry, subscribing to subreddits like r/technology or r/gadgets can give you a firsthand look at what consumers are excited about, what features they desire in a product, and what issues they are currently facing.

Additionally, Reddit’s upvoting and downvoting system allows you to gauge the popularity and credibility of different opinions. By paying attention to highly upvoted comments or posts, you can identify the popular topics within a community and use that knowledge to inform your decision-making process.

Keep in mind that when analyzing the user engagement, you need to go beyond just the number of upvotes and comments. It is essential to consider the quality and depth of the interactions.

For instance, a post with a high number of comments may indicate high engagement, but if the comments are short and lack substance, it may not provide as much valuable information as a post with fewer but more detailed comments. Analyzing the content of the individual comments can give you a better understanding of user sentiment and preferences.

By examining the comments associated with a highly upvoted post, you can uncover the specific aspects that resonated with the community. These comments may highlight additional insights, suggestions, or personal experiences related to the topic at hand.

Using advanced search methods

Another way to conduct passive market research on Reddit is by using the advanced search functionality. The advanced search allows you to find highly specific information by narrowing down your search using manual filters. This can be particularly useful when looking for very specific topics related to your target audience, industry, or even your company. Here’s how it works.

Search filtering

If you want to limit your search to a specific set of criteria, you can use special manual filtering words to do so.

You can filter your search by any of the following:

• author The person who created the post.

For instance, author:MarketingWhiz

• flair The descriptor or label attached to the post.

For instance, flair:SEO

• self Filter by self posts. Use true to limit the search to text posts, false to exclude them.

For instance, self:true

• selftext The main text or body of the post.

For instance, selftext:engagement

• site The domain linked within the post.

For instance, site:marketingblog.com

• subreddit The community where the post was submitted.

For instance, subreddit:DigitalMarketing

• title The headline or title of the post.

For instance, title:Lead Generation

Example: If I am looking to find posts regarding ‘content strategies’ created by the user u/MarketingGuru in the specific subreddit r/MarketingInsights, I would type the following in the search bar:

author:MarketingGuru subreddit:MarketingInsights content strategies

Make sure you don’t have whitespace between the manual filter name(e.g. ‘author’) and the word you want to search for:

✅ author:cats ❌ author: cats

PRO TIP: When making a multi-word field search, wrap the query in double or single quotes. For example, title:“kitten gif”. This will ensure that it searches for an exact match of the entire phrase, rather than instances where the words appear separately.

Boolean operators

Another valuable search tool at your disposal is the use of boolean operators. Reddit’s search supports operators such as AND, OR, and NOT. These operators can help you refine your search and find more accurate results.

For instance, if you’re interested in finding discussions about both “technology” and “artificial intelligence,” you can use the AND operator to narrow down your search to threads that mention both terms. On the other hand, if you want to broaden your search and find threads that mention either “technology” or “artificial intelligence,” you can use the OR operator.

With Reddit’s advanced search functionality, you can effectively search the large amount of content available and quickly find the most relevant and accurate information for your market research.

Using Reddit’s API for Automated Market Research

For businesses looking to scale their market research efforts, Reddit’s Application Programming Interface (API) offers a powerful solution. By leveraging the Reddit API , you can automate the data collection, analysis, and reporting, allowing you to gather insights at scale and make data-driven decisions more efficiently.

Best Practices for Reddit Market Research

When conducting market research on Reddit, it’s essential to follow best practices to ensure accurate and insightful results:

Be transparent: When engaging with the community, make it clear that you’re conducting market research. This helps build trust and encourages users to provide honest and valuable feedback.

Respect subreddit rules: Each subreddit has its own set of rules and guidelines. Make sure to familiarize yourself with them and abide by them to avoid any negative consequences.

Engage authentically: When participating in discussions, be authentic and genuinely interested in the topic. Users are more likely to provide valuable insights if they perceive you as a genuine participant.

Mistakes to Avoid When Using Reddit for Market Research

While Reddit is a valuable platform for market research, there are a few common mistakes that you’ll want to avoid in order to get the best results.

Confirmation bias: Be mindful of your own biases when analyzing the data. Avoid cherry-picking information that confirms pre-existing beliefs and instead strive for an objective analysis.

Sample bias: Keep in mind that Reddit users may not represent your entire target audience. Be cautious when extrapolating insights from Reddit data to make broader conclusions about your market.

Data overload: With the abundance of information on Reddit, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Stay focused on your research objectives and prioritize the most relevant insights to avoid getting lost and looking at irrelevant data points.

Overall, Reddit presents a unique and powerful platform for conducting market research. By finding the right subreddits, utilizing advanced search functionality, and analyzing user behaviors and trends, you can gain valuable insights about your target audience. These insights can be used to inform your marketing strategy and give you a competitive edge that will drive business success.

More from the blog

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Is the job market really this bad or is it me? Job searching ( self.jobs )

submitted 11 months ago by [deleted]

I was laid off from a cushy corporate postion in the IT sector about 2 months ago. I’ve been on multiple interviews with various companies but can never seem to get an actual offer. The answer is always the same, “you are great fit but we found someone with more experience”. This has happened about 7-8 times now with IT related roles. Since then, I’ve been applying to literally anything and everything with no luck. I even got rejected from a fast food chain. I have a masters degree and a steady work history.

Are companies just getting boat loads of applicants or is it something I am doing wrong? Anyone else having a similar experience?

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[–] Exotic-Bar1197 466 points 467 points 468 points 11 months ago   (85 children)

At least with the fast food job, its pretty common to reject people with masters, doctoral, even bachelor degrees from STEM backgrounds because they think (probably correctly) that you’re just going to leave as soon as you get a job you REALLY want. They’d rather have a young college student they can take advantage of

[–] Trevski 140 points 141 points 142 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Yep. And its not like you have to disclose that you've a degree. Just apply with a pared-back resume, work for six weeks and ditch em.

[–] human743 23 points 24 points 25 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

For fast food don't submit a resume. Just fill out an application.

[–] Movement-Repose 62 points 63 points 64 points 11 months ago *   (46 children)

Is this why I've been bent over and fucked the past three months? I have been almost-homeless every time I've moved (three times within the last 3 months, with no warning besides "you can't pay rent? you're out").

i'm moving back to Colorado this week (from Arizona, which I ALSO didn't plan on moving to), and giving up my dog I raised from puppyhood because my parents can't have her on the lease.

I've probably applied for 100+ FAST FOOD, CASHIER jobs. Or retail jobs. I follow up every time, and I'm willing to work overnight even.

I got a single response, after three months, this week. And it's too late, since I'm getting the boot and giving up my dog.

I have been a wreck emotionally for two days. I'm struggling to even get out of bed, but it's time to pants up and move my shit.

it's insane how someone like me, who is willing to work 50+ hours a week and has transportation, almost has a bachelor's in COMPUTER SCIENCE, and is generally personable and friendly, is getting rejected by Wendy's. I would love to say that it isn't draining to get rejected for very simple jobs, but I know I'm plenty capable of working at these places.

Am I really just stuck in an over-qualified loop? I worked software dev for 3 years at established companies, but since the tech burst, and since I didn't finish my LAST semester of college, I can't even get basic CS jobs. I tried that for much longer than 3 months, and it's worse.

Sorry for the novel. I've had quite the week, and need to figure out who will take my (doggy) daughter from me. It all happened because I couldn't find any work.

[–] SurferGurl 55 points 56 points 57 points 11 months ago   (11 children)

Just fyi…there’s a shelter in Denver that will take your doggo until you get back on your feet.

[–] Movement-Repose 47 points 48 points 49 points 11 months ago   (6 children)

Would you mind DMing me? I would seriously prefer to not lose her. Since I've made it through all of these precarious living situations with her at my side, it would suck to lose her on my last stretch to independence.

I am a much stronger and harder worker since almost being homeless so much. I've also recognized that acts of kindness exist on a spectrum, and sometimes, poor acts of kindness are worse than nothing at all.

[–] SurferGurl 26 points 27 points 28 points 11 months ago *   (0 children)

Here are three resources:

https://www.harleys-hopefoundation.org/

https://www.denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Animal-Shelter/Programs/Safe-Haven-Program

https://www.findhelp.org/respet-colorado--castle-rock-co--short-term-pet-fostering/6217453036240896?postal=81601

The vet school at CSU in Fort Collins also may have a list of resources. This is their hospital’s number: (970)297-5000.

Edited to add: there’s also this list for Maricopa County, AZ if your impending move gets delayed: https://www.maricopa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/84243/Resources--Temporary-Foster-and-Housing-Resources--English

[–] DropsTheMic 10 points 11 points 12 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

As long as you are open minded and don't have a criminal record you could try what I did, they are always hiring.

I have worked with adults with developmental disabilities for 10+ years and I started working graveyard at a residential facility. The work environment and pay depend entirely on the state you are in and what kind of social net they have in place for the permanently disabled.

Pros- The work was almost always 90% supervision and some light cleaning. The rest of the time I could work on my laptop in peace and generally have the run of a regular residential home all night. Morning would come and I'd make everyone coffee and breakfast and bounce.

Cons - The pay is never stellar. The 10% of the time it is not chill it is really not chill, so get ready to make some stories that would fill an ama.

[–] Movement-Repose 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

This is a great suggestion! I don't care about pay, I just want to survive out here.

At the same time, it seems like another industry that would be hard to break into. Not sure if that's a genuine concern, or I'm misguided.

[–] DropsTheMic 6 points 7 points 8 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

It's absolutely not hard to break into. The only hard requirements are a clean criminal background, HS diploma, and usually a drug test depending on where you are at. Those residential homes are not skilled nursing facilities with the elderly, it's grown adults living and working and going about their life with support. There are often behavior issues to deal with but training comes with the territory.

[–] soomeefuu 6 points 7 points 8 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I just went to an event for homelessness and resources in Denver. DM me I can send you some info as well so you don’t lose your pup and they can help you get on your feet regardless of how long you’ve been in the state.

My good friend works for a bank and her specialty is connecting people in the community.

[–] knockknock619 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Feel free to DM me... Sometimes it's just good to pause and reset with the job search and I do a lot of career counseling resume guidance etc recruitment did some sales to. Happy to try to help you out. Sad to hear what you're going through and I hope things pick up with this country.

[–] icare- 4 points 5 points 6 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Wait what? OMG! So needed!

[–] [deleted] 3 points 4 points 5 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

People like you are amazing and give me hope for this world. I was so concerned about OP losing their pup and being lost forever without their love. I hope this option works out.

[–] Birchgirlie 11 points 12 points 13 points 11 months ago   (4 children)

If you are applying online (i.e. through Workday applications) then there is a good chance the software will automatically filter you out if you don't have the minimum education requirements they are asking for. "Almost" a Bachelor's degree is not a Bachelor's degree. These companies receive so many applications a day and will gladly filter out people electronically even before a human looks at it.

I feel that even if it says an educational degree is not required, some companies will choose candidates with a degree over one without even though we all know that a degree often doesn't mean much. A lot of the people in my college courses legitimately sucked, but hey they still got a degree lol. >_<

[–] Movement-Repose 7 points 8 points 9 points 11 months ago   (3 children)

Nah, I'm right there with you. I'm applying for pizza maker, line cook, cashier, and host positions at the closest restaurants i can find on google maps. I check if they're hiring on their website, apply online, and then walk in the next day to meet with a manager (that's my only goal).

Still doesn't work.

"The manager isn't here right now."

"When is he in?"

"Not sure/[Random day where you come back, and they are not there]"

I'm not exaggerating with this shit. This has been my livelihood. I think minimum-wage cashiers are too overworked to honestly know when a manager would be there.

Maybe I'm the problem though, as I said.

EDIT: oh, you were talking about software jobs... yeah, i've given up landing one of those until i finish my degree LOL. the industry is insane right now.

[–] cugrad16 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Yeah ... same excuse

'please apply on the website'

I already did that. Got an autoreject. Now what?

*get a "don't know what to tell you" dumb look in response*

You're not the problem, they are

[–] whatupsilon 10 points 11 points 12 points 11 months ago   (7 children)

So sorry to hear about your situation. By chance have you tried any temp agencies? They aren't the best jobs, but you might be able to get something quick. Particularly since you seem responsive and organized. I'd also consider living in your car and getting a $10 gym membership as a backup plan if you lose your living arrangement.

If you have a decent phone plan you can consider gig work like Uber, Ubereats and Instacart. Substitute teaching is also in high demand in many states, and can pay about $150-$200 per day. You choose when to work and what grade levels. Lesson plans are usually prepared, you just need some professional attire.

If you have a college degree, you can try your school's career center and be overly nice and say you desperately need a job. They often get leads first and want to improve employment stats of their graduates.

[–] Movement-Repose 6 points 7 points 8 points 11 months ago   (5 children)

I've kind of fucked up to the point where I don't have another pay cycle to live in Arizona, unfortunately. I've searched for everything I could out here, but think I applied wrong, and since nobody I know can house me next month, I'm giving up my dog and moving back in with my parents.

I've sort of come to terms with giving up my dog, and will look at temp jobs when I'm in Fort Collins!

I've been thinking that I should immediately reach out to tech recruiters that live in FoCo, maybe even today, to see if I can get on their good sides and cover a wide breadth of opportunities?

[–] whatupsilon 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

Personally I'd recommend it after you move so you're available to interview in person or start immediately. That's also understandable to move especially with everything the past few years.

If you do reach out to recruiters, I would also look outside of tech as you have been. Tech seems to be in a bad place for many people.

It also helps recruiters to provide a short elevator pitch of your experience in email format along with your resume. They often won't spend much time on your resume itself. In the best scenario, that elevator pitch is something they can forward or use to sell you to internal teams/HR.

[–] beauvoir22 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Do you have any digital skills? Could you start a fiverr selling writing services or anything online while you’re looking for work?

[–] LesMiserblahblahs 13 points 14 points 15 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Could you register your pup as an emotional support dog? Is she friendly and well behaved? It might be a way to get around the lease restrictions. I'm very sorry you're going through all this.

[–] Movement-Repose 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Hey there! I appreciate you mentioning this.

I brought this idea up to my parents two months ago (the first month I moved out, right when I realized I couldn't make rent). They are stiff-arming me out of that opportunity.

As much as I hate them for making that choice, it's their house. They don't want a dog there, and when I lived there in the past, I was poor at taking care of her. That's changed since I've struggled, but I don't expect them to understand that.

[–] Floof_mom134 3 points 4 points 5 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

So sorry to hear about this. I would offer to take her until you are back on your feet but sadly I’m out of room. That said, can you find a temporary foster, or like someone else mentioned, a shelter that will give her back when you are able to take her???

[–] Movement-Repose 3 points 4 points 5 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Oh don't ever worry yourself over me!!! I appreciate you even thinking that way.

I will start looking out tomorrow for shelters. I've reached to 20+ friends to see if they know anyone looking for a dog. I'd prefer someone I can keep in contact with, even if I don't get her back later.

And seriously, I understand how emotionally taxing it can be to read posts like this. I whine a lot, but you seem like a super kind person, and I just want you to know that even if the worst-case scenario happens, I will manage totally fine :)

I'm in Arizona if anyone knows resources for shelters or opportunities for long-term housing (about a year). I would really prefer not to leave her at the pound. She's incredibly sweet and fairly well-trained (if I do say so myself), and I love her.

[–] iheartnjdevils 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

One thing I do to get around the applicant tracking systems… put that you do have a degree. When asked for the degree, write in either the degree you’ll be graduating with you intended graduation date or what I do since I’m not in school and don’t have a degree and put, “Equivalent Experience.”

For tech jobs, it’s common for recruiters to filter out those without a degree. By doing this, you’re resume has a much better time at least getting seen, then it’s up to them to decide whether a perfect fit with a future degree or equivalent experience is enough. It almost always is as most just use college as a way to filter the applicants to a manageable level.

[–] [deleted] 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I think you’re in the same position as me. I think companies are just looking for someone that’s cheap as opposed to someone that can do the job well. I have been struggling to find a job. My mental health has been taking serious mental blows for a little bit now. I’m on the verge of just giving up.

[–] SuddenYesterday4333 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (3 children)

what part of colorado are you moving to ? man you should finish that last semester and do some internships.

[–] Movement-Repose 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

i will be living in Fort Collins, and going to CSU out there.

if you know anyone in FoCo looking for able bodies, or even someone mildly smart, i will 100% go work there :)

But yes, college is my first intention. I just needed to focus on paying rent since moving back to Arizona, and failed pretty miserably.

[–] SuddenYesterday4333 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

i loved going to csu i also live in foco i can look around for people hiring i work construction through so it’s a completely different field i know for sure there are tons of people hiring here dude your going to be fine welcome to foco and enjoy CSU

[–] ihadtopickthisname 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I also got laid off a couple months ago and have had zero luck finding anything substantial. I was able to land a full time shipping position (making $20hr) by searching temp or seasonal jobs. Right now we're entering the holiday season so many major retailers are ramping up temporary work in their shipping warehouses.

[–] JDeFran203 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Check out the Dumb Friends League in Denver as a resource to help you with your dog.

[–] Apove44 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

[–] realvicandy 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

You might already be doing this but it’s worth mentioning.

Go on LinkedIn and Indeed, search for a job you want.

Set the filters to posted in the past week.

Turn on quick apply.

Apply to 100 jobs a day.

If you get a non CS/IT job, quit when you get that offer.

You may have to broaden your search radius to like 50 miles or something.

Bonus if you’re willing to relocate.

[–] Movement-Repose 4 points 5 points 6 points 11 months ago *   (1 child)

I did do this for the first 6ish months. Then the people I lived with were like, "apply for everything. you need to pay rent."

there needs to be a faster answer.

EDIT: I'm not saying that you're wrong. You are suggesting the exact same thing I did (ad nauseam) at first.

[–] Iggyhopper 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Your resume should match the skill level required for the job, not yours.

Somehow this tip works for both jobs you are trying to bs and jobs you overqualify for.

[–] Kishiloh 157 points 158 points 159 points 11 months ago   (27 children)

Yep it sucks. Thats why its good to have 2 or 3 resumes. I have a “retail” resume and just extended the dates i worked those jobs tbh. When i needed a job real fast a few months ago, it definitely came in handy.

[–] Master-Pie-5939 45 points 46 points 47 points 11 months ago   (5 children)

Actually so smart. Never occurred to me to have multiple resumes. Thank you!

[–] wobblydee 9 points 10 points 11 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I have 6 "master" resumes that i tailor as needed for job descriptiond

[–] Yousif_man 6 points 7 points 8 points 11 months ago   (3 children)

I suggest changing up your resume for every application. Hit the keywords that specific application uses in your resume

[–] OwnBee5788 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

What do you mean “hit the keywords that specific app uses in your resume”? How would you find that info out also.

[–] IcedCoffeeVoyager 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

The job listing. Look at the duties and responsibilities and then look at the requirements, and the nice to haves if there are any. Then incorporate those things into your resume

[–] OwnBee5788 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Nice thank you. In many cases they have a computer going through the resumes doing a quick filter for these keywords anyways! I appreciate it

[–] fizzycandy1 13 points 14 points 15 points 11 months ago   (3 children)

I have a non tech resume as well. The only issue is my retail/service experience is from years ago. Wouldn't they question me as to why I haven't been working in so long.

[–] Kishiloh 32 points 33 points 34 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

Just lie say you were taking care of family or ask to use a familys/friend small business to fill in, etc. anything really. You don’t rlly owe these ppl a detailed explanation, so they shouldn’t push it.

[–] pomnabo 36 points 37 points 38 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

I wish I had seen this advice 6 months ago hahaha Would have at least saved me 6 more months of debt X.x

[–] bugzaway 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I've definitely had 2-3 versions of my resume to target different types of positions but really they were all just variations of the same job in the same industry, just with somewhat different focuses.

Changing a resume completely to target completely different jobs is much hard for me because all my career is essentially in the same sector. That would require axing my last degree (a law degree invites a lot of questions) and the resume gap from its absence invites even more.

It's tough.

[–] MelonsandWitchs 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (13 children)

Won't they know it that you have a degree in background check?

[–] DevuSM 14 points 15 points 16 points 11 months ago   (5 children)

I don't think they will check for it if you don't reference having it in your resume.

[–] [deleted] 3 points 4 points 5 points 11 months ago   (4 children)

A background check will pull job history if they pay for a decent one

[–] GeauxGirl80 14 points 15 points 16 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

No retail job is paying for that level of background check. I’m not even sure how it would be accomplished in the US, short of them somehow pulling tax returns.

[–] Appropriate-Formal68 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I actually just had to agree to a background check for a $14.50/hr part time/seasonal retail job 💀

[–] Broad-Celebration- 9 points 10 points 11 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

There isn't some degree master database. If you omit your education they have no way of knowing.

[–] ColumbusMark 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (4 children)

I could be wrong, but in almost all cases, a “background check” is really just a copy of police records. Whether you do or don’t have a college degree doesn’t show up on that.

[–] colddruid808 11 points 12 points 13 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

Not just fast food, but any other service sector job or blue collar job. They may not get many applicants but when they see someone laid off from something like OP's old job, they know they are just hiring someone who is going to jump ship once something opens up.

[–] Movement-Repose 4 points 5 points 6 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Yep, I'm understanding now why my resume didn't go far. It just sucks to learn during such drastic times, after losing the person that mattered to me most (my Dog).

And it's so dehumanizing that, it isn't that there's anything wrong with me, it's that I "presented" myself wrong (by being HONEST, nonetheless).

If there's one thing I would takeaway from all of this struggle and sadness, it's that your career is different from your life/morality. Do what you need to do for money, even if it includes lying. The corporations don't give a fuck if you're going hungry and eating white rice ALONE for months straight. And you can 100% do most jobs you get hired for (please not doctors though LOL).

[–] Past_Perception_2949 6 points 7 points 8 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Flexjobs and Snagajob tout day job listings. I haven't tried them, but I might soon. You just need one solid chance to get back on your feet. Just one chance. Don't forget that it's a numbers game.

[–] UhOhPoopyStinky 3 points 4 points 5 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I applied to McDonalds and got rejected (I've only worked 3 jobs, 2 of which are fast food because I'm 19) and they rejected me. It's so ridiculous.

[–] morphotomy 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I helped empty the trucks at a fast food place during the pandemic. They didn't give SINGLE SOLITARY FUCK that I'd leave when I got the job I wanted. They only cared that they had someone to help empty their truck that week.

The other guy who would help out was the local mail man. We had to do it because none of the teenagers who worked there would do it right and stuff would start thawing.

For context, fast food places receive multiple tons of food and packaging a week. Its a whole day thing to get this stuff put away. If you want some hard work that doesn't involve wearing an apron. just go to a fast food place and ask the manager "What day does the truck show up?"

[+] [deleted] 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

The problem is what if the job you REALLY want never comes, or doesn't come for a long time, you still need to make a buck don't you?

[–] [deleted] 126 points 127 points 128 points 11 months ago *   (7 children)

Oh its horrible. I've been applying for 3-4 months now. I'm not in IT but in Tech..every day I get the same responses as you. Today is the first that is actually giving me an interview.

So at least, you are getting interviews!

Edit: Andd, they said not a match, they wanted more direct manager experience... sigh back to the job boards!

[–] jivex5k 19 points 20 points 21 points 11 months ago   (6 children)

What sector in tech? I'm a software developer and the recruiter emails are endless.

[–] [deleted] 16 points 17 points 18 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Design / Front end UI Engineer. I have my linkedin as "Looking for work" but I also hardly get any emails. I used to get tons a couple years ago, but now almost nothing :/

[–] imthegreat01 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

How are they getting your contact info?

[–] [deleted] 3 points 4 points 5 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Linkedin usually is where I would get messages from.

[–] imthegreat01 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I guess location is a key. Lately I haven’t gotten any messages since I’ve moved to another country

[–] jujumber 55 points 56 points 57 points 11 months ago   (3 children)

Even if you do land a job the expectations for workload are crazy. Most jobs now have the workload of 3 people just 10-15 years ago,

[–] TonytheNetworker 20 points 21 points 22 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

That's exactly how I feel. I'm doing the work of a few people and I have to excel in everything. Meanwhile, the company saves money in the process.

Same... I got hired during the pandemic to do a job of 5. Didn't know until I got in good and learned how the team was gutted before me. They didn't hire my teammate until I threatened to leave.

[–] Potato_Octopi 207 points 208 points 209 points 11 months ago   (26 children)

IT / tech is going to be rougher than average. Covid boom is now bust.

[–] eschatonx 41 points 42 points 43 points 11 months ago   (8 children)

Entry level IT is insanely competitive, I got some friends trying to get in who on the verge of giving up. Once you’re at the next level, it gets a lot easier (at least help desk tier 2).

Yeah, the Covid boom is definitely a thing of the past now.

[–] WaxonJaxon 17 points 18 points 19 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Same with trucking industry also. They dropped a lot of bonuses and discounts from two years ago.

[–] TopRamen713 16 points 17 points 18 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Eh, I've got 14 years experience (sdet) and I'm in the same position as op. A lot of places are laying people off or not hiring. It seems a bit better this month compared to the summer, though, so fingers crossed.

[–] OdeeSS 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

This is crazy. I started doing help desk about 6 or 7 years ago and all they wanted were warm bodies. It took a lot more effort to move up.

[–] DrGottagupta 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I really hope so because even advancing from lvl 1 help desk is currently challenging. Every application I’ve submitted I either get declined in a day or no response from the employer.

[–] STRMfrmXMN 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I was trying super hard for months to get an internship or job lined up before I graduated with my IT bachelor's. I got a call back from a recruiter for one of the helpdesk jobs I applied to who told me she had 15K applicants just for that position, and this was an on-site job for ~20/hr in a suburb of Portland, OR. I have zero clue how someone breaking into the market would even find relevant employment right now. I only got my IT job due to an internal transfer.

[–] [deleted] 31 points 32 points 33 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I second that

[–] Kevin-W 23 points 24 points 25 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

I'm in IT as well and am looking around the market. It's a very oversaturated market since tech hired like crazy during COVID and is now laying off and intentionally short staffing so they don't have to pay for extra employees.

There's also companies who are posting ghost jobs which are basically jobs that are listed but never filled in order to keep their PPP money that got duing COVID.

I've been getting a lot of "We love your resume, but we've decided to move on to other candidates".

[–] body_slam_poet 8 points 9 points 10 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

8 interviews in two months is not "rougher than average".

[–] RGV_KJ 14 points 15 points 16 points 11 months ago   (5 children)

It’s bad for non-tech roles as well. I’m a hiring manager. I can hire for only critical positions currently. There is a hiring freeze across most orgs internally. Every major company is bracing for a recession next year.

[–] Singhcr_94 4 points 5 points 6 points 11 months ago   (3 children)

Need to stop giving H1b and first give jobs to people who are already jobless in US. It’s ridiculous the whole purpose of H1b is to hire when you cannot find a person in US to do the job.

[–] RGV_KJ 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

Tech industry has the most dependency on H1B visas. My company hires only Permanent Residents and US citizens.

[–] Singhcr_94 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Honestly it’s a bigger loss for current H1B holders. There should be a hold at issuing new H1b visas. My close friend with H1b lost his job and now struggling to find another one. He needs to find it asap or else leave the country.

[–] willwriteforsex 4 points 5 points 6 points 11 months ago   (3 children)

Can you explain "Covid Boom is now Bust?"

I have an idea of what you mean but could you elaborate?

[–] Potato_Octopi 25 points 26 points 27 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Lots of tech saw a boom in the pandemic - new equipment for WFH, streaming for entertainment, etc. Thats the boom.

Tech in general has taken a backseat as the economy returned to normal. Thats the bust.

A lot of people here are talking about a "recession" or "terrible job market" and a lot of those posters are in IT / tech.

[–] traebucketsfor3 13 points 14 points 15 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Yeah sure. Money used to be free (very low interest rates so you can borrow more for lesss). Now money is not free and quite expensive (super high interest rates). More money = more budgets to spend on jobs

[–] OdeeSS 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Does the Covid bust push IT demand below the original starting point? Because I've worked IT for a few years before Covid and it was still a generous field to get into.

[–] OK_Opinions 84 points 85 points 86 points 11 months ago   (5 children)

even got rejected from a fast food chain

specifically because of

I have a masters degree and a steady work history.

[–] TonytheNetworker 25 points 26 points 27 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

I was looking for this comment. The fast food chain or any retail store really will think you'll only be there for 4 months and move on once something better comes along.

[–] MomsSpagetee 20 points 21 points 22 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

And they’re not wrong.

[–] mkuraja 14 points 15 points 16 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

Isn't that funny? You gotta convince them you're a loser if you want that loser gig. Hide and deny any evidence of worth.

[–] wobblydee 6 points 7 points 8 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Because otherwise its clear to them youre only gonna be there until another job works out

[–] Thesearchoftheshite 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Get tatted, act like an idiot, and drink behind the dumpster.

[–] [deleted] 128 points 129 points 130 points 11 months ago *   (32 children)

Honestly, I know I am going to get downvoted but it highly depends on which market you’re in. I was a construction manager and am now a director and the job market is great for anyone that works in a construction related field. I get a call at least once a week from a recruiter trying to get me to take a job. Based on what I am seeing on Reddit, it seems like the technology jobs are not in demand right now. I could be wrong because I do not work in that sector.

[–] OSRS_Rising 56 points 57 points 58 points 11 months ago   (8 children)

Blue collar as a whole has a lot of openings.

I manage a restaurant and we have about 100 employees but would like 120-130.

Factories, distribution centers, and poultry plants near me are non-stop hiring with decent pay and benefits.

[–] Trevski 24 points 25 points 26 points 11 months ago   (6 children)

Define "decent"

[–] OSRS_Rising 9 points 10 points 11 points 11 months ago   (4 children)

Per capita income in my city is $24,388, median household $49,117

My rent is $800 a month although we’re looking at what our area considers luxury apt’s which are around $1,800-$2,000.

Entry level food service starts at around $15, which is $31,000 a year. A nearby Target distribution center pays $22 an hour which is almost $46k a year. A local factory is a similar wage, I can’t find the exact number.

My position as manager of a chain restaurant pays $25, which puts me at $61,750 with an average of five hours of OT. The most senior manager makes 35 an hour and gets OT if she wants.

Tradespeople typically also make great money in the $30 an hour range.

[–] Trevski 10 points 11 points 12 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Ok I'd say that with $800 on a one bed (I assume) the high 20s-low 30s/hour is decent. Definitely not "great" for trades though IMO considering you need a level of education and experience to get the ticket

[–] HeeHawJew 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

It’s great considering that’s the STARTING pay range for a lot of trades jobs. Doesn’t apply if you’re an apprentice obviously.

[–] [deleted] 4 points 5 points 6 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Oh man.. where I live.. MCoL area on west coast.. 2K is a shack.. not even talking the main WC Cities either. Midland/inland.. rents are astronomical high. You need 60K or more JUST to rent and have some food here. Better hop you have a bike or car paid off.. cause gas, insurance and a car payment mean you looking at 80K+. It's just insane how expensive it is right now. The inflation shit along with Covid fucked everything up. Then you got the billionaire company's that are buying up blocks of homes and just sitting on them to sell them for high profit.. raising even smaller homes in lower cost areas up to ranges that upper blue collar workers cant even afford. From what I am seeing a LOT of people are rooming up even those with small families.. or renting out rooms because they cant afford it with two incomes in many locations. It's really bad.

[–] timid_soup 11 points 12 points 13 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

Completely agree. I'm in occupational safety, I had 4 job offers after a month of applying-- and I applied to less than 10 positions.

[–] saretta71 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I’m in risk management and we have a lot of openings as well

[–] kohin000r 11 points 12 points 13 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Yea same. I'm a designer and PM and I've been able to move around.

[–] colddruid808 9 points 10 points 11 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Not just construction, also utilities, healthcare, hospitality, agriculture. The job market is also going to be a lot tighter on the coasts and in popular places to live.

[–] leftnewdigg2 7 points 8 points 9 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Agree. I'm in construction management and was recently let go from a director level job. Had 3 offers making similar money within 2 weeks. Construction is a pretty bulletproof industry.

[–] HeadInvestigator1615 3 points 4 points 5 points 11 months ago   (9 children)

I’m a project manager for building permits, which is in the construction field, and I’ve been trying to find a new job since January. I’m striking out more than I ever thought possible, maybe I’m looking at the wrong positions? It’s been brutal.

[–] [deleted] 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (7 children)

I’m struggling understanding what a PM for building permits would do… you worked for the government? What exactly was your role?

If you’re applying to construction jobs it could be how you’re marketing yourself for the jobs because I’ve never heard of a PM for permits.

[–] mjk25741 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

No I think you're 100% correct. I work in the construction industry and it's BOOMING. Sometimes you have to pivot industries as much as it sounds like a nightmare. Right now all we care about is do you have a license and can you show up every day?

[–] Worthyness 6 points 7 points 8 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Tech is hiring, but they're just being far more picky than they have been in the past. So entry level is basically having to transition from your internship and hope you get brought on full time. Mid level career + is ultra competitive.

[–] icare- 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

No down votes for you :-)

[–] [deleted] 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Thanks buddy.

[–] Gtslmfao 25 points 26 points 27 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

I could’ve typed this verbatim. Masters degree, laid off in July, can’t even get a job at a restaurant or grocery store. Been in 5 or 6 final interviews only to be ghosted to turned down. Definitely not just you

I even took all of my college/professional experience off my resume for the fast food/grocery jobs and was still rejected

[–] Past_Perception_2949 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Wow. That's absurd.

[–] [deleted] 145 points 146 points 147 points 11 months ago   (13 children)

It is really bad. I don’t know how people are buying the “ great economy”nonsense that the media is trying to portray.

[–] redditnupe 82 points 83 points 84 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Seriously! It's enough to make you go crazy. Unemployment at record lows! Yeah, cause folks are door dashing/ubering.

[–] Iggyhopper 6 points 7 points 8 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

indpendent contractors dont count as employees!

[–] OlympicAnalEater 47 points 48 points 49 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

Great economy for the 2% rich, not for the other 98%.

[–] Pregnant_porcupine 12 points 13 points 14 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I feel gaslit by the media when I see the news that the economy is booming and unemployment is low

[–] saretta71 6 points 7 points 8 points 11 months ago   (4 children)

I don’t know what media you are consuming but I’ll I’ve been hearing about it recession, inflation, and higher gas prices. The Federal Reserve has continually increased interest rates to stop inflation with little impact. Please tell me what good news you’ve been hearing.

[–] [deleted] 12 points 13 points 14 points 11 months ago   (3 children)

All they keep touting is “lowest unemployment” in US history.

[–] iHateMyJob54 9 points 10 points 11 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

Of course, the unemployment numbers don't include people who have simply given up looking for a job, either.

There's just too much competition these days. My company recently put out a new position for a financial Advisor and we had well over 600 resumes in the span of 2 weeks. Even people with 10+ years of experience are going for entry level positions out of desperation.

[–] Emergency_Win_4284 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Yeah that is another issue as well. The typical entry level, the roles that generally/hopefully require little to no experience, when you have the laid off experienced people looking to get back into the field and are willing to take a pay cut then it is going to be kind of hard for the guy switching fields, the guy coming fresh out of college when he is competing against someone with experience for the same entry level role.

[–] [deleted] 113 points 114 points 115 points 11 months ago   (10 children)

It’s bad out here. I’m a chemist with over 5 years experience in environmental chemistry and I get rejected for the entry level chemist jobs. But when I apply for mid level they say I’m not experienced enough. It’s all games out here

[–] [deleted] 13 points 14 points 15 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Reminds me of the 2008-2014 job market.

[–] saretta71 7 points 8 points 9 points 11 months ago   (3 children)

Try insurance companies - Liberty Mutual Travelers Insurance, Hartford etc.

[–] Docmcfluhry 7 points 8 points 9 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Insurance is the same. I was laid off from the largest US brokerage in April with 10 years of experience. No luck since then.

[–] Redditforever12 35 points 36 points 37 points 11 months ago   (3 children)

tons of applicants, if even just a applicant look 5% better than you, they will take the best candidate. 1 job with 5000 applicants, you be lucky to get in.

[–] TonytheNetworker 12 points 13 points 14 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

Exactly I've seen it first hand. There's tons of resumes for one position and the person most likely to get it is someone who was recommended. All the other resumes pretty much just go in the garbage.

[–] Thesearchoftheshite 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Networking is honestly super important, I've landed more than one role by recommendations from people I know. These last few jobs I landed by applying.

[–] Trinamopsy 16 points 17 points 18 points 11 months ago   (4 children)

It’s really this bad. Everyone wants a unicorn, nothing less.

[–] charliequeue 16 points 17 points 18 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

It’s horrible. My family is resorting to joining the military since it’s the only option that’ll pull us out of this mess.

[–] Thesearchoftheshite 4 points 5 points 6 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Not a horrible plan tbh. Once out and back in civilian life you will get preferential treatment in many industries... especially the government jobs.

[–] charliequeue 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

That’s essentially what his recruiter said, he’s taking the fast track into HR with the military, so it works out.

It just sucks because I worry about his mental health.

[–] Tiff-Taff-Toff-Fany 31 points 32 points 33 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Coming up on the end of the third quarter and starting the fourth quarter of financial periods most places start hiring freezes. Its going to be more about who you know at this point than what is on a resume. You are going to have to network and try to find people you know (alumni from your school, past coworkers who are elsewhere etc) and see if they know any positions you may be a fit for in the companies they work for.

[+] M4DM4NNN 10 points 11 points 12 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

it is hard to get into the IT job market. People are still getting laid off

[–] onlinethrowaway2020 11 points 12 points 13 points 11 months ago *   (0 children)

Nah it's not you. The job market is horrendous. Just browse r/csMajors ; so many tears there. It's quite disheartening :/

[–] Content-Charge1504 11 points 12 points 13 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

they are also outsourcing jobs in India and other asian countries

[–] redditnupe 27 points 28 points 29 points 11 months ago   (4 children)

Despite the fake news from media (lol), it's definitely a good jobs recession. I just got declined from a company that said they loved me, and even completed my background check and references, but ended up going with another candidate who was a better fit.

[–] charliequeue 18 points 19 points 20 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

Same here. This has happened several times over, and I’m getting ghosted by recruiters now.

My resume is great, interviews are great and then…. Silence.

I work in HR and payroll.

[–] Chill_Charro 9 points 10 points 11 points 11 months ago *   (1 child)

Engineer here in the exact same boat. Good interviews making it to the 2nd or 3rd round and then I get ghosted by recruiters.

The jobs get unlisted on workday portals but show that they are still open on the application. I'm guessing hiring freezes are ramping up.

[–] charliequeue 8 points 9 points 10 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

They are, and the biggest reason that companies do the hiring freezes? Taxes.

They get huge tax returns based on the work vs worker ratio. So some companies will have seasonal lay offs and hiring freezes to fudge numbers for when tax season comes around. And when it does, they go boohoo to the government and get bank back for their “profit losses”.

It’s all rigged.

[–] MissCordayMD 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

This happened to me twice too. Checked references (all of which are positive and people willing to help me; one hiring manager even said she had positive conversations with them) even did an assessment in one case, and no offer.

[–] [deleted] 18 points 19 points 20 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

It depends on when the rejection is happening.

If it's before you even get a call for an interview, then it may have something to do with your resume.

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if fast food would reject you. In their mind, you're overqualified and will simply being using their employment so you can continue looking for a different job. And since turn over is expensive, they're less likely to hire someone they know will leave sooner than later.

[–] jaximointhecut 12 points 13 points 14 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

I think they’re just loaded with applicants and looking for the cream of the crop for the wages they’re offering. I’ve been auto rejected dozens of times, then get interviews with Ivy League schools and good companies (that pay even more). Same exact resume.

It’s just a weird time. It sucks.

[–] [deleted] 7 points 8 points 9 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I can only use my own experience, but as someone who interviews people, we often have a hard time finding good applicants. But we are flooded with applicants.

Because of the number of apps we do need to weed out hundreds at a time.

Which is why a good resume is, in my opinion, one of the best things to invest time into. It's your hello. And when 100s of people are saying hello, your hello needs to stand out.

So if you aren't ever getting that initial call, my first suggestion is to always take another look at your application.

[–] TrailofDead 16 points 17 points 18 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

White collar jobs, yes. It is the worst I've ever witnessed in my almost 40 year career in tech.

And, it makes me very nervous for the state of the economy in general. I fear a collapse.

[–] kinganti 56 points 57 points 58 points 11 months ago   (4 children)

Competition is high for these roles....

Sounds like you have a great resume, and do not struggle to GET interviews. So thats great.

But to get passed over that many times... there's some type of improvement possible in your interviewing. How would you rate yourself in the interview on a scale of 1 to 10?

[–] Technical_Lab_747 14 points 15 points 16 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Get ready for a long period of UE

[–] DDraike 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

It's that bad.

[–] ShlomiRex 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

i have 3 yoe, worked in FAANG, with master of science, looking for a job for 10 months dude.

yes the market is that bad.

[–] StealthPieThief 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Big shake ups with these layoffs. Lots of companies took the opportunity to down size for profit and now there’s thousands of people competing for a handful of jobs. IT is bad this right now, but you want to see people really hurting look at the controller role. I did a spot check last week 2100 candidates actively applying with only 19 roles coming on the market in the last 30 days in LA. Over half of the pool has 10 years plus experience.

[–] PipeDistinct9419 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Job market is real bad.

[–] Primary-Inevitable93 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

It’s very very very bad. It’s not you. Almost a full 12 months unemployed. New job is out of tech, in to luxury good sales.

[–] body_slam_poet 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Have you looked at the news once this year? Tech had massive layoffs. You're competing with more experienced folks from FAANG companies. Start oiling-up your burger-flipping arm.

[–] Justliketoeatfood 10 points 11 points 12 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Health care is dying they are literally just putting body’s in positions can’t talk for the rest

[–] kamekukushi 11 points 12 points 13 points 11 months ago   (2 children)

I got laid off from a cushy Fortune 500 healthcare company two months ago myself. I've been applying for jobs ever since then, and I either get no responses, get to the second interview and get ghosted by recruiters, or never hear anything back. Market seems like they are only hiring internally imo.

[–] Fuzzy-Peace2608 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

When you say cushy, do you mean like no work? Were you worried?

[–] kamekukushi 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Nah it was easy work is what I meant but I knew something was wrong due to lack of work.

[–] pomnabo 9 points 10 points 11 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

It’s not you; it’s not any of us. It’s just objectively bad. Many job openings are either a scam or are a ghost position, where the company just wants to boast “growth” by “actively hiring”

Meanwhile any legit jobs are getting bombarded with hundreds of applications.

I know it’s daunting; but as someone who spent 9+ months job hunting, my advice is to just keep applying until you get something. And then keep applying until you find a better job you’ll enjoy more.

[–] Slandible 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

As someone who has job hopped often in their life and doesn't really have a career/field, this has been the hardest time finding anything. Lots of interviews that all felt great, but silence afterwards despite a few saying they would let me know either way and not ghost, lies. Applied to stuff I've felt over and under qualified on and they all feel random with call backs.

Id love to know what the hell is happening, because I've never seen it this bad before to land literally anything.

[–] Amerlis 3 points 4 points 5 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Bad timing I’m guessing. With all these layoffs, cost cuttings, etc., there’s a lot of now unemployed experienced people all looking for a job at the same time. Whereas your cv might get snatched up any other time, there’s a lot of talent beating the pavement right now.

[–] CityofBlueVial 23 points 24 points 25 points 11 months ago   (9 children)

People are copying and pasting these post titles at this point. I thought this was the same post from yesterday but this one is from an hour ago.

[–] rgj123890 18 points 19 points 20 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

Its because this market is a huge problem and people are seeking validation that they are not alone.

[–] body_slam_poet 4 points 5 points 6 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

It's because tech workers have never known a time where they didn't have 40 recruiters in their inbox daily. I'm finding the schadenfreude delicious

[–] Electronic-Try5645 3 points 4 points 5 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

I was out of it for 1 month shy of a year and my industry is not hiring at all (and likely won’t be until after 2025 sometime), so I had to find something outside of it.

[–] ColdInfluence2820 3 points 4 points 5 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I’m having the same issue in the IT field. Had an offer for a position, moved across the country, and was told the position is still mine but wouldn’t start for 4 months. I had already been given a start date that was about a month ago now.

So now I’ve been applying non stop to other positions and I’ve gotten nowhere. I’ve probably put 250 applications in and have had two interviews so far lol.

I’m thinking the IT field must be over saturated with candidates because nearly all the positions I apply to I receive an email about the company wanting to focus their attention on other candidates.

I know I’m not the most experienced, but I have a 8 years experience in the field and 5 of those are in a senior role. I guess we just keep looking. It’ll work out eventually.

[–] want-to-say-this 4 points 5 points 6 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I feel any job I’m qualified for or like is where my career is I get rejected outright. I had a job moved on amicable. Lived abroad worked for more certifications. Came back was having a hard time finding work so I looked up my old job. It was open. I applied but someone beat me out for the job I used to have. Half the paperwork still has my name on it. But I’m rejected. But once I apply for like four promotions ago at 1/3 the pay I get like 40% reply. Go back to minimum wage and they still want phone interview then in person then group

[–] john510runner 4 points 5 points 6 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

They’re getting a lot of resumes.

You’re getting interviews so that means from a strictly numerical odds perspective you have a 1 in 6 or 7 chance of getting a job offer.

[–] Popularpenguin12 4 points 5 points 6 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Yup, everyone is getting hit with this bs right now. Even when I had way less work experience I was able to land a job but it’s been so difficult. I’ve been laid off since June and I got some offers (I’m gonna accept and work multiple jobs) but I wasn’t able to land the specific roles I wanted despite of positive feedback. It all feels like a waste of time.

[–] [deleted] 6 points 7 points 8 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

[–] high_roller_dude 6 points 7 points 8 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

super high inflation -> rapid rise in interest rates. and this is the result in job market.

lots of layoffs and insane competition for few roles open.

That was their plan. Raise unemployment to combat inflation.

[–] possum-willow 10 points 11 points 12 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

yeah they definitely aren't hiring for cushy it roles right now but there's plenty of entry level grunt work jobs right now

[–] [deleted] 20 points 21 points 22 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Which you can’t get if you have “too much” experience

It's the economy/market. I'm getting the same. Everyone I know is getting the same.

I just want a clerical job that pays 40k and that doesn't exist in my city

[–] TrustMelmsingle 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

It not just you, it’s happening to me too, I had a great job as a project manager, got laid off and now I’ve been ghosted and rejected from everything I’ve applied too.

[–] Clear_Reporter1549 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I am having the same experience, I have been for 5 interviews with the 6th lined up. Luckily I am not out of employment. It's super competitive out there, and one of the roles I applied for had 25+ applicants.

I think since COVID the job market has been shuffled and all the cards are slowly falling. It will settle down after a year or two.

Try not to take it personally, especially if you are getting good feedback!

[–] csharpwpfsql 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I went through an experience like this in 2017. I lived in Austin from 2008 to 2016, picking off jobs one after the other (1099 contract work), sometimes on my own and sometimes through contracting firms. I walked out on a goofy employer at the end of 2016 and started rooting around for work, and got essentially nothing until I left town (August 2017).

A lot of the work I was getting at the time had something to do with legacy, either 'old' flat file applications, 'classic' ASP, VB6, .NET Framework 2.0/3.5, and so forth. A lot of this was 'street fighter' stuff where I was working on short term contracts - these were not jobs with any kind of longevity.

The jobs that have that longevity are either government contractors (Lockheed Martin, L3Harris, CSC) or government agencies, whether federal, state, or local. You will get miserable pay from government agencies, however the bennies (health care, vacation) are pretty nice. Federal stuff means no 'checkered past' and you are tested for drugs and stuff. State and local agencies are careful about the drugs, but aren't necessarily as concerned about overdue student debt. Some, in fact, will help you pay it off.

Some of the contract work that I was offered was 'in the middle of nowhere', or at least in economically challenged areas: Mississippi, Alabama, Jacksonville, FL, Baltimore, etc. Some of these places are OK unless you have family - you don't want your kids in some of these schools. Some government assignments are in Fairbanks (AK), Warner Robins (GA), Guam - you get the idea.

Solid state memory (shift register) becomes available in 1969, and DRAM in 1971. This is the point where CRT terminals replace card punches and teletypes. "Interactive' 'console' applications written in 1971 could still work if there is a compiler that will compile them to current machine architectures. Thus a lot of companies and government agencies are running 20, 30, or 40 year old code. You will need to learn how to maintain systems that were written before you were born (unless you are more than 50 years old).

This includes embedded control. The Intel 8080 arrived in 1974. The Z80 was developed a couple of years later. One common legacy processor architecture still under maintenance is the 8051. Some of this stuff is in avionics and military hardware.

You may find that you will have to learn some legacy platform, perhaps as a contractor initially, to pick up something to do. It's worthwhile to look at the entire range of systems that might be in use today, including many that are 'ancient'.

[–] CommercialMeet1593 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

So when LinkedIn says “386 people have applied” LinkedIn isn’t lying?! I really thought the app just inflated the number.

The job market is bad for folks that cannot find a job. It is not widespread like people say, but bad in some areas, regular in others, while not much in some. I live in an area where someone can quit their factory job, go to the building next door, and start work there. These things are also role dependent. Meaning some roles have less openings while others have a ton of them. The higher you are in an organization ladder, the harder it is to find work too. Meaning an IT tech can find more openings than an IT Director.

[–] tomorrowinc 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I'm starting to think that the white collar economy (and in this case, I'll include IT) is in a recession. Maybe a pretty bad recession.

At the same time, the blue collar economy may be doing pretty well.

Side note: I feel like the "IT industry" or "tech industry" is SO diverse and includes so many different types of positions with such vastly different requirements, it's hard to discuss as a monolith.

[–] raged-cashew 5 points 6 points 7 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I’ve never had a problem getting another job until this round. Since Monday, not a single potential employer has even viewed my resume on indeed. I am qualified for most jobs I apply for, so this is a first and really scary.

[–] Crypto_Navy_013 3 points 4 points 5 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

It's a much worse market - think 2008 and how bad things were then, especially in the IT market. I think it's worse this go round personally (but then I was at ADP back then and I was working on more implementations than I should have.

Remember to tweak your resume - hopefully you took off your Masters for the fast food chain job.

[–] Content-Charge1504 9 points 10 points 11 points 11 months ago   (1 child)

same. it also doesn’t help that I am a POC so it makes it 10x harder to get an offer, always get to the final interview then get passed on, 5 times this has happened to me

[–] Empty_Geologist9645 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

With enough experience for less pay.

[–] starlithunter 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Look outside of the conventional areas - speaking from personal experience, school districts and municipalities and other smaller government orgs are frequently desperate for people. They also tend to have outdated application systems and don't advertise positions well, so they take a bit more digging and have less competition.

[–] SovereignRaver 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

"It's great you've found someone with more experience,but are they ready to start tomorrow? I am."

[–] peeaches 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Personally I get loads of inquiries for prospective jobs, but the pay for almost all of them is dogshit. Everyone's hiring but not offering enough compensation to make the jobs worth it.

I started my current position over two years ago at over 30/hr and since then CPI has gone up 12%. Most of the jobs I'm being shown are offering like, 25/hr.

I have ten years experience and this is a STEM field, 25/hr is insulting. But it's like, all of them. Absurd.

Sticking with my current position until I can find something worthwhile but damn does it seem dire out there, everyone's hiring but nobody's willing to pay.

[–] uptokesforall 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

At this point, everyone's just hiring the oldest tech person they can.

[–] FuturePerformance 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Yeah it’s the market. I found a new job in May 2022 and was laid off this September. The difference between my job search now and 17 months ago is beyond drastic.

[–] Walter_Whiteknuckles 2 points 3 points 4 points 11 months ago   (3 children)

it is the sheer volume of applicants. after the pandemic, people are re-evaluating their lives and looking around.

remote jobs you are competing against the entire nation also.

[–] Tall-Barracuda-438 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

Yep, just got an early career technology internship rescinded from Wells Fargo.

[–] Reverse-Recruiterman 1 point 2 points 3 points 11 months ago   (0 children)

I just want to let you know that there's no such thing as a job market being bad, as each industry has its own conditions.

It's very easy to look at something like us news and World Report and take these big numbers and say that because there are lots of problems in a few industries that impact a lot of jobs then the entire job market must be bad.

Job markets are typically bad based on industry, location, activity in that Market within that location, and market growth.

It would be best to look up the current status of your job market in your industry within your city.

And 2019 I kind of realized that I was a little too old to find jobs in tech companies within New York City even though I worked in Silicon alley for about 5 years. So I went to another silicon City called silicon slopes to look for work and I found the job market was much kinder to people of my experience and age.

Long story short: when the gold dries up in your area it's time to find a new mine

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Money blog: House prices hit two-year high - see the average cost in your region

House prices have hit a two-year high after jumping 0.3% in August, the latest data from Halifax has shown. Scroll through the Money blog for this plus more personal finance and consumer posts - and leave your comments below.

Saturday 7 September 2024 08:31, UK

• Liam Gallagher jokes about Oasis ticket prices
• Reality star tells Sky News she didn't have pension in her 40s 
• Sharp rise in price of first class stamp
• House prices hit two-year high - see how they vary by region
• Supermarket's tea beats more expensive brands in taste test  

Essential reads

• Who's to blame for concert prices going through roof - and who gets money?
• Fake voucher trend sees supermarket call in police
• How data roaming charges compare by network
• How your pension could be taxed

Tips and advice

• Weekly mortgage guide
• Free school meals guide
• Cheapest holidays dates before Xmas
• Money Problem : 'My dog died but insurance still wants a year's payment'

Ask a question or make a comment

Instead of our regular Saturday long read, we've published our first ever Money blog spin off - a student finance special.

In it you'll find:

• All the best student discounts - food, clothes, beer and more
• Top 10 budgeting tips for starting uni 
• What are the highest-paying jobs in the UK?
• The best bank accounts for students
• Eight things you need to know about renting as a student
• Student loans: How do they work and is it too late to apply? 
• The towns and cities where it's cheapest to be a student 

Check it out here - and we'll be back with live updates on Monday...

By Jimmy Rice , Money blog editor

Away from Oasis ticket prices, the news agenda in Money this week was dominated by pensions.

We learned on Wednesday that the state pension looks set to rise by just below 4% next April - equalling around £400 extra per year for those on the full state pension.

Pre-2016 retirees who may be eligible for the secondary state pension could see a £300 per year increase.

Because of the triple lock, each year the state pension rises by whatever is highest from inflation, average wage growth or 2.5%.

Officials did nothing to downplay a BBC report, apparently based on internal Treasury figures, that average wage growth would be the highest of these this year.

The figures that would be used to set next April's rise are released next week but the OBR forecast is for 3.7% - which would take the full state pension to around £12,000.

Whether or not pensioners would view this as good news is up for debate (see our last post), but there was definite bad news for older Britons earlier in the week, as Chancellor Rachel Reeves refused to rule out heavier taxation on pensions in the October budget.

How could pensions be taxed further? We had a look here...

Ms Reeves also confirmed on Tuesday that she'd impose a cap on corporation tax.

She said the tax would be capped at its current level of 25% to "give business the confidence to grow".

A final piece of news from Money this week that could have consequences for your bank balance was confirmation that the Household Support Fund would be extended until April.

Councils decide how to dish out their share of the fund but it's often via cash grants or vouchers. Many councils also use the cash to work with local charities and community groups to provide residents with key appliances, school uniforms, cookery classes and items to improve energy efficiency in the home.

People should contact their local council for details on how to apply for the Household Support Fund - they can find their council here .

On the Oasis ticket price story, which continued to make headlines through the week including today, a post in Money appeared to help prompt a U-turn from official reseller Twickets.

The company told us it would be lowering its fees after criticism online...

Unofficial resellers were also in the spotlight and, on an episode of the Daily podcast, Niall Paterson spoke to Viagogo - eliciting an admission that things need to change...

Here in Money, we published a few explainers that are well worth checking out...

We'll be back with live updates on Monday - but do check out our Money blog spin-off tomorrow, a student finance special.

Have a good weekend.

We start this week's round up of your comments with Virgin Media O2's decision to axe its weekly free Greggs perk...

Customers on social media claimed they'd review whether they remained with O2 - while one Money blog reader asked what his rights were if he wanted to cancel...

I signed a new O2 contract on 16 August based largely on the advertised promise of the Greggs priority offer. I'm angry that I have been mis-sold my new contract and I will not be able to enjoy the benefit that I signed it for. I want to end it early, what are my rights? Phil

We looked at O2 Priority's T&Cs - and they clearly set out that they can make any change to the terms of the agreement and service without giving you a right to cancel.

Therefore, if you want to cancel you'll have to pay an early termination charge.

There is one exception - but only if you're in the first two weeks of your contract.

Consumer champion Scott Dixon says: "When you enter into a phone contract with a mobile phone provider online, it is classed as a distance sale and is covered by legislation.

"This legislation binds traders to provide key information at the point of sale including right to cancel information. This gives you a 14-day cooling-off period to leave without paying any termination fees, although you would have to pay for what you have used such as calls, texts and data.

"If you entered into the contract in-store, this would not apply." 

This probably isn't what Phil wants to hear - but we did look at other ways he and others might be able to get free or discount Greggs...

This post, which we hoped would be helpful, didn't go down well with everyone...

How to eat Greggs on the cheap?! Give me strength... Pork Pie Percy

Another topic that elicited a strong response from readers was a campaign group's call for the chancellor to impose a pay-per-mile tax on electric vehicles.

EV drivers obviously don't pay fuel duty - and the pay-per-mile proposal would make up for lost revenue to the Treasury as more people ditch petrol and diesel cars.

The Campaign for Better Transport group proposing the tax says the public would be on board - but our LinkedIn poll suggests this isn't the case...

Readers said...

I wonder how many people realise that an introduction of pay per mile, I guess by means of a tracker type of device, will actually allow big brother to watch your every move when travelling in your car, your speed on any given road, accident data etc... our freedom is diminishing. Big Ian

EVs need electricity to work, the cost of electricity in the UK is mad. I pay higher electricity bills because I don't have a diesel anymore. Why should I be charged pence per mile just by having an EV? It's money and NOT pollution targets the government are looking at. A Grant

The proposed introduction of pay per mile for ZEV will clearly by necessary to compensate for the taxes lost from the sale of petroleum based fuels. This was always going to happen. EU4ME

Only a matter of time before they came for the electric clan. I wonder if sales of electric will now suffer?  Chappers2013

Read more on this story here...

Pension stories always attract a lot of feedback - and this week's suggestion that the state pension will rise in line with average earnings growth next year was no different.

A rise of 3.7% would equal another £400 a year...

Wow how generous, suggested £400 rise to state pension would equate to a rise of £7.69 a week to a pensioner. But in reality, take away winter fuel and the rise is £100, that's £1.92 a week - will be rolling in the money. SueP

Without raising the personal allowance any pension increases will be eaten up with tax. This country is unbelievable in the way it treats its old folk. Monkee knows best

A potential £400 rise in state pension is hardly a headline, it's still a long way off from the minimum living wage. Prendy

An Oasis fan who spent more than £350 on a single ticket says she was left "fuming" after extra show dates were announced. 

Diane Green, from Middlesbrough, was close to buying a ticket costing £158 but said she was kicked out of an online queue. 

She then had to wait four hours to pay £357.95 for one ticket.

The 60-year-old wanted to buy a total of four tickets to take herself, her son and two friends to see the band at Heaton Park in Manchester, but said "there's just no way I could have got more".

"I would never have done it (purchased the ticket)," she said.

"If I had known they were putting more dates on, I would have just thought 'no, I'll chance it again', but it was really frustrating."

"I paid double. I could have got two tickets when I paid and now only one person can go. In our household, it's like, who goes?"

Ms Green said she bought the ticket thinking it was her only chance to see the band and was "absolutely fuming" when they announced more dates.

"It's disgraceful," she added. "For me to purchase a ticket for £358, it's a lot of money. I regret doing it in a way."

Oasis announced two new Wembley Stadium dates due to "phenomenal public demand" earlier this week.

It comes after controversy over the sale of tickets for their reunion tour, with 17 shows across Cardiff, Manchester, Wembley, Edinburgh and Dublin selling out.

Fans were beset with problems getting on to ticket websites, from being labelled bots and being kicked out of queuing to some ending up paying more than the advertised price of £148 as costs surged past £355. 

Liam Gallagher appeared to brush off the controversy earlier as he joked about ticket prices on social media, telling one person to "shut up" after Oasis were accused of ripping off fans.

Nationwide's £2.9bn takeover of rival Virgin Money is expected to complete next month after the deal was approved by the UK's financial regulators.

The deal will still need to be sanctioned in court, with a hearing set to take place on 27 September, but it is due to be formally complete on 1 October. 

It comes after Nationwide agreed to the takeover of its London-listed rival in March.

The building society struck the deal with a 220p-a-share offer for Virgin Money, including a planned 2p-per-share dividend payout.

It will bring together Britain's fifth and sixth-largest retail lenders, creating a combined group with around 24.5 million customers and more than 25,000 staff. 

The new owners of The Body Shop are lining up tens of millions of pounds in new financing as they finalise a deal to buy the chain out of administration.

Sky News has learnt that Aurea, an investment company led by cosmetics entrepreneur Mike Jatania, is in advanced talks to secure more than £30m in working capital from Hilco Capital, a prolific investor in and lender to the retail industry.

Banking sources said that the deal between Aurea and FRP Advisory, The Body Shop's administrators, was likely to be finalised within days.

If confirmed, the new debt from Hilco would be used to help place the cosmetics chain back on a growth footing, the bankers said.

The UK economy would need investment of £1trn over a decade for an annual growth rate of 3% to be achieved, according to a business lobby group.

The Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT), which represents leaders in the financial services sphere, said £100bn a year must be found to help the country catch up after trailing its peers for many years.

It urged a focus on energy, housing and venture capital, arguing the money could be unlocked from the £6trn in long-term capital within the pensions and insurance sector.

The government has made growing the economy its top priority.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer let it be known during the election campaign that he was seeking to achieve a growth rate of 2.5% - a level the economy has struggled to reach since the financial crisis of 2008.

You've waved your magic wand, and your "happily ever after" home appears... 

It sounds like a buyer's dream - and one property has come to market that could be a dream come true for a Disney fan. 

A semi-detached house in Rhyl, Wales, looks ordinary from the outside, but its interior has been decorated as an homage to Disney and other cartoon characters. 

The cast of Aladdin, Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty and Tinkerbell from Peter Pan are just some of the characters displayed around this three-bed house. 

It's been put on the market for £179,950 - more than £44,400 less than the average price of a property in Wales (you can read more about this in our 8.54 post). 

On Zoopla, it is listed as being close to public transport and within walking distance to the town centre. 

It also has two reception areas, a shed and a garden. 

According to the online estate agent, it is "ideal for first time buyers". 

Daniel Copley, consumer expert at Zoopla, told the Money blog: "It goes without saying that this property would make the perfect home for a Disney fan with its spectacular murals showcasing a whole new world.

"Aside from this, the property is conveniently located near the local leisure centre and schools, while Rhyl’s beautiful beaches are also within walking distance." 

Visa says it is planning a new service which offers more control and better protection to people paying bills by bank transfer.

The dedicated service for account-to-account (A2A) payments will launch early in the UK next year, it said - with an "easy to use" resolution service that could make it easier for customers to claw their money back if something goes wrong.

Visa said consumers using the service will be able to monitor their payments more easily and raise any issues by clicking a button in their banking app, giving them a similar level of protection to when they use their cards.

Biometrics will also be incorporated to offer a new level of security, it added.

Royal Mail is hiking the price of first class stamps again - this time by 30p. 

From 7 October, they will increase to £1.65, while second class stamps will remain at 85p.

In April, first class stamp prices increased by 10p to £1.35, and by 10p to 85p for second class.

Royal Mail said it had sought to keep price increases as low as possible in the face of declining letter volumes, inflationary pressures and the costs of maintaining the Universal Service Obligation, under which deliveries have to be made six days a week.

It added that letter volumes have fallen from 20 billion in 2004/5 to around 6.7 billion a year in 2023/4. 

This means the average household now receives four letters a week, compared to 14 a decade ago.

In the same period, the number of addresses Royal Mail must deliver to has risen by four million, meaning the cost of each delivery has also risen. 

Nick Landon, Royal Mail's chief commercial officer, said: "We always consider price increases very carefully. 

"However, when letter volumes have declined by two-thirds since their peak, the cost of delivering each letter inevitably increases."

He called for the universal service to be adapted to reflect changing customer preferences, saying the financial cost to meet the current demands are "significant". 

"The universal service must adapt to reflect changing customer preferences and increasing costs so that we can protect the one-price-goes anywhere service, now and in the future," he added. 

Postal regulator Ofcom said this week that Royal Mail could be allowed to drop Saturday deliveries for second class letters under an overhaul of the service.

Up to 60 new Wagamama restaurants could be coming to the UK. 

The Asian food chain's owner, The Restaurant Group (TRG), said it wanted to operate between 200 and 220 premises across the country as part of a long-term plan. 

It's currently on track to open 10 new sites this year, which would create around 500 jobs, according to The Caterer. 

It comes as TRG posted its financial results for the year ending December 2023. 

It said Wagamama saw its dine-in like-for-like sales increase by 11%. 

It's other brand, Brunning and Price Pubs, saw sales go up by 10%. 

TRG's chief executive Andy Hornby said 2023 was a "genuinely transformational" year for the company. 

"We traded strongly throughout the year thanks to the phenomenal efforts of our restaurant and pub teams," he said. 

"We are on track to open 10 more Wagamama sites in the UK during 2024 and we have acquired 100% ownership of our Wagamama business in the USA." 

He added that he was "confident" that the company would continue to grow in the years ahead, despite the "challenging" consumer backdrop. 

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Russia after Kemerovo fire: Tuleyev’s 'brawlers', Putin's expectations and spontaneous support campaigns

Political experts established fiasco of existing local government in Kemerovo Oblast

Almost all news flow on 27 March was concentrated on the consequences of the tragedy in Kemerovo. While a crowd of thousands demanded the authorities to resign and its separate participants heard the vice-governor's accusations of PR out, the head of Kemerovo Oblast finally apologised for what had happened. But not in front of the vengeful crowd but in front of President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Residents of the region, in turn, have finally heard only the label 'brawlers'. Realnoe Vremya tells the details with political experts' forecasts about further development of the situation.

''Young man, do you want to hype on the grief?''

The morning in Kemerovo started with a spontaneous demonstration of thousands of locals who demanded to investigate the causes of the fire in Winter Cherry Trade and Leisure Centre, resignation of the regional government together with Governor of Kemerovo Oblast Aman Tuleyev. In brief, the people's demands came to two slogans: ''Truth!'' and ''Away!'' Vice-Governor of Kuzbass Sergey Tsivilyov and First Deputy Governor Vladimir Chernov appeared to reply in front of the deads' relatives, the victims and people simply interested in the misfortune.

People who gathered there spoke about what concerned them into the microphone and ''talked'' with Tsivilyov. So the vice-governor who was expected to occupy the post of the governor of Kemerovo Oblast tried to take the microphone away from a man with a broken heart by accompanying his actions with a question: ''Young man, do you want to hype on the grief?'' Here it became known that young man Igor Vostrikov's sister, wife and three little kids – aged seven, five and two – died in the fire. Later Tsivilyov apologised to the people.

''I apologise once again to those who are in this complicated situation. And I kneel in front of these people,'' the vice-governor addressed the people and really kneeled. The crowd immediately shouted: ''Shame!'' and ''No Need!'', but at the end, some part of people welcomed Tsivilyov's actions with applause.

Vice-Governor of Kuzbass Sergey Tsivilyov appeared to reply in front of the dead's relatives, the victims and people simply interested in the misfortune. Photo: Aleksandra Kryazheva (sputniknews.kz)

Inappropriate prank and morgue raid

People in the demonstration from time to time asked to announce real data on the dead – on 26 March, information that about 300-400 people died in the fire and authorities diligently hid it started to spread in social networks. In answer to it, Sergey Tsivilyov told that relatives said 64 people were missing. Earlier the Investigative Committee denied the information about hundreds of victims. During the demonstration, the very residents made a list which all people could include the names of missing relatives and acquaintances in.

Mayor of Kemerovo Ilya Seredyuk, in turn, gathered ambitious residents who were ready to go through local morgues and go to the fire scene to personally make sure that the information about hundreds of dead people didn't correspond to reality.

In the end, the media claimed Ukrainian phone prank Evgeny Volnov was responsible for distributing the fake information who had posted a recording of the call to Kemerovo's morgue on behalf of an emergency ministry employee on his YouTube channel. It's heard in the recording how he asks how many seats left in the morgue and was indignant that, actually, 300 people died in the fire. According to newspapers, he not only played the ''trick'' but also sent unfamiliar people to collect the flowers and toys the mourners had left on behalf of the presidential administration.

Aman Tuleyev hasn't appeared in front of the residents but was present at the meeting with President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Photo: kremlin.ru

Accusations instead of apologies

Very Governor of the region Aman Tuleyev hasn't appeared in front of the residents but was present at the meeting with President of Russia Vladimir Putin who landed in Kemerovo on 27 March morning. Laying flowers to the memorial to the dead in the fire near the shopping centre, the president visited a hospital with victims and gathered Minister of Emergency Vladimir Puchkov, Minister of Health Veronika Skvortsova, Chairman of the Investigative Committee Aleksandr Bastrykin, Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Russia to Siberian Federal District Sergey Menyailo and very Aman Tuleyev.

At the meeting, the governor apologised for the first time for what had happened. But not to the people but the president.

''Mr Putin, you personally called me. Many thanks again. I personally apologise for what had happened on our territory. But when I reported you, I said 27 people were missing. Then it started to snowball,'' Tuleyev addressed the president of the country.

We need to notice that the word ''brawlers'' was deleted in the version of the transcript that was published on the site of the government – it is how the governor characterised the mourners who were in the demonstration.

''There are about 200 people there today. It's not relatives of the dead, it's those who brawl,'' it's how Tuleyev explained the president the people's discontent by announcing them oppositional force.

By the way, meanwhile, residents were demanding to meet with Vladimir Putin in person in the Freedom Square.

Putin met with citizens in the building of the forensic laboratory, and here he had not the easiest talk with residents of Kemerovo. Citizens demanded the resignation of Governor Tuleyev and thanked for support.

Worldwide mourning

Meanwhile, mourning for the dead in the fire started to be both officially and inofficially declared in other cities across Russia. Later Vladimir Putin signed an official decree declaring 28 March all-Russian mourning day.

Russians also have begun to hold spontaneous memorial services since 26 March. According to Meduza, the school in Beslan, at which 186 kids died in 2004, wrote ''Kemerovo. We Grieve'' the next day after the fire. Memorial services also appeared in other Russian cities and abroad on 27 March. People brought flowers and toys in Magadan, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Khabarovsk, Ekaterinburg, Belogorsk, Yakutsk, Irkutsk, Kursk… the list is constantly updated. Kazan paid tribute to the memory of the dead near the fountain in Lenin Garden and in the city centre, near Trust sculpture consisting of the figures of a girl, boy and dog. Two pieces of paper were placed there. One of them says: ''Kids, forgive us!'', the other: ''Kemerovo, we're with you!''

Now citizens of Kazan spontaneously gather on Baumana street. People kindle candles, brought flowers.

Sympathising people bring flowers to Russian embassies and consulates abroad. Prague, Erevan, Odessa, Tel Aviv and other are among them.

Channel One employees ran a solidarity campaign and shot a video with a poster #Kemerovowearewithyou.

''Tsivilyov has thrown himself onto a pillbox today. But he didn't hit the pillbox''

Realnoe Vremya asked political experts to assess the current situation in the region and forecast further development of events. Director of Political Expert Group Konstantin Kalachev thinks the existing system of the power vertical under Tuleyev ''turned out to be rotten inside''.

Vice-Governor of Kuzbass Sergey Tsivilyov has been repeatedly called to be one of the main candidates to substitute Aman Tuleyev. Konstantin Kalachev notices that today he has ''buried'' himself as a public politician during the demonstration.

''Director General of Kolmar Trivilyov was supposed to substitute Tuleyev. This is why he has thrown himself onto a pillbox today. But he didn't hit the pillbox. Figuratively speaking, even standing on the knees with a candle won't probably cross out the fact that he didn't learn to speak the same language with the people. And, in fact, he wasn't welcomed with affection,'' says the expert.

He says Tsivilyov's accusation that Igor Vostrikov hyped is a serious mistake.

''It's a serious mistake. In general, if he had handled today's situation, he would have been the next governor. Now it's not so clear,'' supposes Kalachev. In the political expert's opinion, the mayor of Kemerovo also expects resignation after the tragedy.

Director of the Regional Politics Development Centre Ilya Graschenkov also forecasts Ilya Serdyuk's departure. But he adds that the mayor of Kemerovo is the only functionary who speaks the same language with the residents. However, the population's loyalty may not save him from the departure, the newspaper's interlocutor supposes.

From the expert's point of view, the story of Tuleyev's resignation was solved but has been lasting for too long because the current governor promoted his heir, while Moscow – did its own one. Now, after the tragedy, when the fact that Tuleyev doesn't fulfil his obligations became obvious, the political expert believes a new governor will be appointed in several months only – to show the decision was made under public pressure.

Current Time In Kemerovo, Kemerovo Oblast–Kuzbass, Russia