How To Become A Marketing Research Internship: What It Is and Career Path

What is a marketing research internship and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Andrew Gershoff Ph.D.,

Michelle R. Eubanks

The primary role of a marketing research intern is researching and collecting data that will support the marketing department in determining product design and specifications, prices, and promotions. They have to be adept at analyzing and reporting quantitative and qualitative data, trends, and strategies which will provide insight into the company's customers and competitors in the market.

A marketing research intern can work in various industries and apply to companies aligned to their marketing niche and background. They have to be knowledgeable about different statistical tools, survey administration methods, and data analysis processes.

Most employers will require a marketing research intern to be at least in their last year of college, while some will prefer an enrollment to an MBA. The skills needed of a marketing research intern are excellent research, communication, and interpersonal skills. No prior work experience is required but a strong willingness to learn will be valuable to the job.

What general advice would you give to a marketing research internship?

Andrew Gershoff Ph.D.

Department Chair, The University of Texas at Austin

First, graduates may find that they need to do more leg work to find jobs in this environment. Schools with career services often have long-term relationships with the same businesses, who tend to hire multiple students in any given year. If one sector falls apart, there may be fewer jobs available at the career center. But students should take advantage of any services that help them understand the jobs in the marketplace, develop their resumes, and practice interviewing.

Second, students should try to think more broadly about following their interests and still finding employment. So taking some time to learn about career paths that they hadn't considered is worth doing. Many jobs rely on similar skills and may offer similar fulfillment and happiness.

Third, students should be ready to explore possibilities at companies they may not have heard of. Now, is an excellent time to look at companies that may only have a few jobs to offer, but may be doing some of the most exciting things a student can be part of. Finding a good fit is essential to happiness in a career, which may not be at a "name brand" firm.

Finally, students should keep in mind that their journey is their own. It is easy to discourage if you are having a difficult time, and your peers find success. But it can be freeing to focus on developing new knowledge and skills that interest you. Your success will come, and it doesn't have to be defined by someone else.

ScoreMarketing Research InternshipUS Average

Salary

2.7

Avg. Salary $34,196

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.9

Growth rate 19%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.13%

Asian 14.17%

Black or African American 4.72%

Hispanic or Latino 11.22%

Unknown 4.88%

White 64.87%

Gender

female 56.81%

male 43.19%

Age - 34

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34

Stress level

4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a marketing research internship

Explore marketing research internship education requirements

Most common marketing research internship degrees

Bachelor's

81.9 %

Master's

11.5 %

Associate

3.1 %

Start to develop specific marketing research internship skills

Skills	Percentages
Instagram	6.99%
Facebook	6.79%
Statistical Analysis	5.80%
Email Campaigns	5.31%
Research Projects	5.20%

Complete relevant marketing research internship training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New marketing research interns learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a marketing research internship based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real marketing research internship resumes.

Research marketing research internship duties and responsibilities

Lead and manage transition to SalesForce and SalesLoft program to new hires.
Lead the establishment of QA lab and product support organization.
Used LinkedIn and other social media sites to source new sales representatives.
Audit account, contact, and cut-off information for groups in Delphi.

Prepare your marketing research internship resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your marketing research internship resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a marketing research internship resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable marketing research internship resume templates

Build a professional marketing research internship resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your marketing research internship resume.