A past client of mine, who worked in talent management for a Fortune 1000 technology company, once commented to me that it was easier for her to recruit a mid-career engineering specialist than it was to find the millennials who would become her future workforce. The difficulty wasn't because of any negative stereotype attributed to the millennial generation but it was simply because there was so much competition for the large numbers that she needed to find, hire and onboard. Obviously, this comment was made during a time when the economy was better performing. If I recounted this story to a young person today, I might get a response like: "I'm a recent grad and I can't find work." Or, if working: "I'm worried that I'll be the first one laid off." In spite of diminished prospects, I'm often impressed with the initiative young people have to create opportunities for themselves to gain useful skills and experiences to ensure they stand out to potential employers. Earlier this year, Ramius had the opportunity to meet with students of Algonquin College's Marketing and Business Intelligence Research Program (MBIR). Graduates of this program receive education and training that often leads them to pursue careers in marketing research. Ramius was invited to introduce students studying qualitative research methods to Ramius' new Recollective software. Their professor wanted to expose them to new technologies and trends in online qualitative research and online communities. Ramius was pleased to have obliged.
Soon after our visit, two of the students developed an idea for a summer research project. They established their own consultancy and named it Blink Insight. With help from their college, they found funding and clients! Ramius became involved, providing the team with an instance of our Recollective software. Where appropriate to their end clients' research objectives, they made use of our software. We've enjoyed working with this team! They are an enthusiastic group that have many ideas about how to well-apply our online qualitative software tools to engage with study participants and distill actionable insights for their clients. They are blogging about their summer project and what they learned at http://blinkinsight.wordpress.com/ -- check it out! They are eager to hear and learn from their peers in the MR industry.
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