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Job outlook for senior research consultants in the United States
Are senior research consultant jobs in demand?
Senior research consultant job and salary trends over time
Senior research consultant jobs over time
Senior research consultant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 278 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 264 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 259 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 244 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 228 | 0.00% |
Average senior research consultant salary over time
Senior research consultant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $99,069 | $47.63 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $96,028 | $46.17 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $95,020 | $45.68 | --0.2% |
| 2022 | $95,185 | $45.76 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $94,177 | $45.28 | +0.7% |
Senior research consultant jobs by state
Most common states for senior research consultants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 254 | 37% |
| 2 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 266 | 31% |
| 3 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 307 | 29% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 165 | 26% |
| 5 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 878 | 21% |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 288 | 21% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,023 | 18% |
| 8 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 572 | 18% |
| 9 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,525 | 17% |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 663 | 17% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 2,036 | 16% |
| 12 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,351 | 16% |
| 13 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 165 | 16% |
| 14 | California | 39,536,653 | 5,977 | 15% |
| 15 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 710 | 15% |
| 16 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,750 | 14% |
| 17 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 278 | 14% |
| 18 | Delaware | 961,939 | 132 | 14% |
| 19 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 703 | 13% |
| 20 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 382 | 13% |
Most common cities for senior research consultants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dover | 2 | 5% | $117,204 |
| 2 | Portland | 2 | 3% | $86,125 |
| 3 | Bentonville | 1 | 2% | $79,767 |
| 4 | Bethesda | 1 | 2% | $107,179 |
| 5 | Campbell | 1 | 2% | $139,358 |
| 6 | Saint Paul | 2 | 1% | $88,461 |
| 7 | Boca Raton | 1 | 1% | $75,799 |
| 8 | Bridgeport | 1 | 1% | $94,704 |
| 9 | Cambridge | 1 | 1% | $95,982 |
| 10 | Oakland | 2 | 0% | $140,147 |
| 11 | Anchorage | 1 | 0% | $81,785 |
| 12 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $91,484 |
| 13 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $107,831 |
| 14 | Baton Rouge | 1 | 0% | $82,903 |
| 15 | Birmingham | 1 | 0% | $74,151 |
| 16 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $96,071 |
| 17 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $90,516 |
Senior Research Consultant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of senior research consultant experts
College of New Jersey, The
North Dakota State University
University of Nebraska - Omaha
Middlebury College
Lafayette College
Furman University
Pepperdine University
Texas Tech University
Elizabethtown College
Creighton University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Grove City College
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey-Newark
East Tennessee State University
Sam Houston State University
Humboldt State University
University of the Incarnate Word
Chrissy Daeschner OTD, MS, OTR/L
Capstone CoordinatorWhat general advice would you give to a Senior Research Consultant?
Chrissy Daeschner OTD, MS, OTR/L: By saying "Yes". Most companies have standard salaries or small scale for adjusting salary. Per Diem jobs, research interventionist, additional weekend on call, adjunct jobs, and other opportunities gives you the ability to increase salary and opportunities.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Research Consultant?
Dr. Piper Williams PhD: Students who major in AAS bring additional expertise and qualifications to any application - so a clear articulation of these could help to maximize salary potential. They will have: skills that will enable them to contribute to innovation in the workplace, a demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems, demonstrate ethical judgment and integrity; intercultural skills; and the capacity for continued new learning, critical thinking, complex problem-solving, written and oral communication, and applied knowledge in real-world settings.
What Senior Research Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Piper Williams PhD: I would advise a graduate to reflect on what they've learned about the contributions, experiences, history and present reality of people of African descent in the New World. In addition, thinking about the skills they developed related to the major in African American Studies, including but not limited to: Research and Analysis, Writing, Public Speaking, Project Development and Completion, Ethical Reasoning, Listening, Teamwork and Collaboration, Perspective-Taking, Awareness of Context and what they call 'Cultural Competence. Use this education, to make the case that in addition to all the skills you can bring, the education offered by AAS will allow you to distinguish yourself as a candidate who can meet the needs the current moment demands. Black Americans encounter implicit racism in all walks of life: medicine and healthcare, law, politics and gov't, business and industry, performing arts and entertainment, sports, education, news media and social, community and humanitarian services. With this degree, you can enter almost any field and be more equitable to everyone you meet. (And by the way, in the list above, there are a number of people with a degree in African American Studies.)
What general advice would you give to a Senior Research Consultant?
Christina Weber PhD: There are a number of skills that will be important. Soft skills such as creativity, adaptability, collaboration, emotional intelligence, and persuasion. In addition, there is a growing need for folks who have high cultural competence, especially with understanding the experiences of diverse groups. Finally, there is a need for folks to have skills in social science research—understanding how to develop research projects, conduct surveys, focus groups, as well as experience with programs such as GIS, SPSS, and r-studio.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Research Consultant?
John Lyden: Research skills (ability to find and interpret information), oral and written communication skills (ability to present information clearly), data analysis and interpretation, language interpretation and translation. Computer facility will be highly valued. Employers will include those in higher education, government, non-profits, research institutes, and museums.
What Senior Research Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
John Lyden: You should realize that your degree can lead to many careers, and that you can even change your career direction easily. Your degree has given you important skills in communication, critical thinking, analysis, and problem solving. Employers will see that you are good at adapting to new tasks and learning new skills that go well beyond the content you have studied.
What will help Senior Research Consultants increase their earning potential?
John Lyden: Convey to potential employers the range of skills you possess and the ways you have used them. If you had an internship, describe the skills you used and explain how they can apply to various jobs. Emphasize and demonstrate your communication and research skills. Give examples from the courses you took and explain the connections between them that have allowed you to utilize higher order thinking of analysis and synthesis. Your degree in Religion can also be combined with a complementary minor or double major and may lead you to graduate school in almost any field you choose to pursue.
What Senior Research Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jeffrey Knopf: Getting your foot in the door is still the most important first step. For example, if you can get a government job, even if it's not your preferred position, it becomes easier to learn about other openings and to move lateral to something better. Doing a good job also helps. If you prove your worth to employers, they will want to keep you and promote you, or your bosses may want to bring you with them if they move elsewhere. Finally, it is good to have specific skills or training you can highlight. These might include being fluent in other languages or having data analytics skills, among others.
What will help Senior Research Consultants increase their earning potential?
Jeffrey Knopf: It's a good idea to be open to different possibilities. If a graduate is willing to say yes to an opportunity, even if it is not ideally what they were looking for, this can open the door to better opportunities down the road. Relationships with other people are also very important. The better you can get along with and work with other people, the more those people will become part of your network and maybe able to help you later on.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Research Consultant?
Brett Hendrickson PhD, MDiv (he/him): Remember that employers in many sectors want and need people with the skill set that Religious Studies teaches you. With a Religious Studies major, you have high levels of cultural competence and cultural empathy. Your critical thinking skills are matched by your ability to communicate your ideas in both oral and written formats. When it comes to problem-solving, you are highly skilled in studying and understanding the historical, political, and ethical contexts that guide people's decision making. You are an expert researcher, able to read and digest large amounts of text in a short amount of time.
What Senior Research Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Brett Hendrickson PhD, MDiv (he/him): Religious Studies majors who wish to maximize their salary potential should be bold in articulating the digital research tools that they learned as part of their education. Religious Studies graduates know how to use and assess historical and cultural data from multiple online data sources. They should also emphasize their excellent interpersonal skills and that they are well-versed in interacting with diverse people on highly sensitive topics.
What Senior Research Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Lori Bruce MA, MBE, HEC-C: If you only have a Bachelor’s degree in bioethics, your best bet is probably to get a position within research ethics. These positions are in academic institutions or private industry, and you can move up in management. You could work in Human Research Subject Protection, or for an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees. All these positions mean you would review research studies and suggest modifications to ensure they are in line with federal standards. This is important work to safeguard trust in medicine!
What will help Senior Research Consultants increase their earning potential?
Lori Bruce MA, MBE, HEC-C: Multidisciplinary partnership is critical, since bioethicists can be “gatekeepers;” their policies may influence which members of the public receive certain health services, and which do not receive them.
Knowledge, applied cautiously! It’s important to have a nuanced understanding of many bioethics principles and theories, and apply them with caution, so that the most relevant values are influencing your work.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Research Consultant?
Dr. Claire Gilliland PhD: The skills we prioritize in sociology (generating research questions, thinking critically, examining social systems, analyzing multiple types of data) are all skills that are well-suited to multiple different careers, but it may require some translation to match the priorities of a particular field.
What Senior Research Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Anna Penner: Market yourself strategically. Think about what you learned by getting a sociology degree--the ability to do original research and analyze data, the ability to understand how institutions shape society and individuals, the ability to think critically about problems you see in the world around you. Make sure to highlight the assets that you bring to the table as a possible outsider to the industry you are applying for. Also be aware that you may need to spend some time making less than you'd like, but know what you're worth, and after some time proving yourself at your organization make sure you're properly compensated for what you add to the team.
What will help Senior Research Consultants increase their earning potential?
Anna Penner: Methodological skills are important. Knowing how to construct a good survey or conduct an interview to get rich data is critical. But I think just as important as being able to analyze qualitative or statistical data, is finding ways to communicate results in clear and compelling ways so that stakeholders know what action to take is equally important. Some of the gaps we are seeing between science and the general public today could be ameliorated by someone explaining findings in concise and applicable ways that show why we should care about this information. You could be the bridge from expertise to the general public.
Giovanna Percontino
Communication Career Coach, M.Ed.What Senior Research Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Giovanna Percontino: The soft skills are really important now: Communication, Adaptability, Reliability, Leadership, Writing, Rigor
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Research Consultant job market given the pandemic?
Sean Cunningham Ph.D.: Schools have been incorporating online/virtual components into the learning experience for several years now, but the pandemic has accelerated that process by quite a bit. Graduates entering the market in 2021 and beyond will need to be able to speak to these technological realities. Whether it's in the classroom as a teacher or in some other field, the ability to foster effective communication through non-traditional means will be important.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Senior Research Consultants?
Sean Cunningham Ph.D.: Graduates in any field should be looking to supplement their degree with additional certifications, though I haven't seen any evidence of a single "most important" certificate or license for history majors. The one possible exception would be for those who want to translate their history degree into a career in national security or public service of some other sort. In those cases, a certificate in Strategic Studies, such as the one we offer at Texas Tech, has been shown to help.
How have salaries changed over time for Senior Research Consultants?
Sean Cunningham Ph.D.: Salaries have grown slowly in our field, but that's to be expected since so much of what we do is publicly funded through state and local governments. The concern for history majors would likely be about declining opportunities, not declining wages.
David Brown
Professor of HistoryElizabethtown College
History Department
What soft skills should all Senior Research Consultants possess?
David Brown: It's critical to be able to work as a team. Empathy, understanding, a bit of diplomacy, and integrity - aside from the obvious need of technical competency - are highly valued. As always, motivation is terribly important and this can be conjoined with flexibility. If energy and attitude remain positive this will rub off on others and create an attractive dynamic that draws people in. Finally, the ability to make a decision and follow through with it is perhaps too little appreciated.
What will help Senior Research Consultants increase their earning potential?
David Brown: Salaries have generally kept up with inflation, though with the decline of funding in the Humanities disciplines, the number of jobs has not been robust. There is a wide variance in compensation within a highly stratified university system that includes adjuncts, lecturers, visiting faculty and full-time faculty in the ranks of assistant, associate, and full professor. There is an increasing interest in pubic history - in museums, archives, and historical societies - that provide opportunities for those seeking opportunities outside of the academy.
Richard Witmer Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor of Government and PoliticsCreighton University
Department of Political Science
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Research Consultant job market given the pandemic?
Richard Witmer Ph.D.: Students interested in preparing for life after the pandemic, and/or graduation will need to start online with internships. In-person opportunities will be harder to come by.
In addition, I expect the job market to continue to reward skilled applicants. This includes liberal arts students with evidence of research and presentation skills. Students with more advanced skills in quantitative research and statistical analysis should find the job search less daunting as well. Having the ability to show this on a resume is even more important now as new and recent grads compete for the same jobs.
What will help Senior Research Consultants increase their earning potential?
Heidi Jo Newberg: Students who have a strong command of programming are in heavy demand whether they stay in astronomy or decide to pursue employment in the private sector. Taking programming classes and getting computational experience in research settings will put students in a good position to earn higher salaries.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Senior Research Consultants?
Heidi Jo Newberg: The pandemic has certainly had an impact on me that will be hard to forget, as I'm sure it has everyone. I suspect that we will have much more remote interaction in the workplace since everyone is now very familiar with video conferencing! Also, it will be more common to work part of the time from home. But remote working is not a good substitute for visiting observatories, face-to-face meetings, in person classes, or working in the laboratory. Most of astronomy will continue as usual after vaccinations.
What's a day at work look like for a Senior Research Consultant?
Heidi Jo Newberg: A recent graduate will be expected to search through data (usually using Python), communicate results effectively through lectures and written reports, and carefully assess the significance of findings.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Research Consultant job market given the pandemic?
DJ Wagner Ph.D.: The long-term effects of the pandemic are still unknown and hard to forecast. The Statistical Research Center of the American Institute of Physics (AIP SRC) provides a lot of information about physics majors in the workforce (www.aip.org/statistics), but they are just starting to collect data for 2020 graduates, so I do not have hard data upon which to base an opinion. Certainly, more jobs are requiring at least some amount of remote collaboration, but that has always been the case for physicists. Multi-national research teams involving hundreds of scientists in both the private and public sectors has been common in physics for quite some time. Due to remote and hybrid learning, our current physics graduates will be more familiar than their predecessors with the various technologies and with the variety of ways in which they can be used to enhance collaboration. The Society of Physics Students (SPS), a national organization supporting undergraduate physics students, provides a host of resources for those seeking careers in physics (https://jobs.spsnational.org/jobseekers/resources/). According to Brad Conrad, the director of SPS, "I can tell you that people are reporting to me that certain sectors are avoiding hiring people while new job opportunities have arisen in surprising ways. The pandemic fundamentally changed how we interact with each other, what skills are valued by potential employers, and how people find employment. Luckily, physics majors are trained to solve problems and the job sector will never run out of those."
As many industries have been negatively impacted by the pandemic, the job market is undoubtedly more competitive than in the recent past. New graduates may have to seek for a first job outside of their preferred specialty. Fortunately, a physics degree equips the graduate with a host of transferrable skills: modeling of complex situations, data analysis, computer programming, problem solving and analysis, and working both collaboratively and independently as needed. Physics majors typically pursue, and succeed in, a host of diverse career paths, so our graduates should be able to adapt to the changing job market and find meaningful employment.
What's a good job out of college for Senior Research Consultants?
DJ Wagner Ph.D.: What constitutes "a good job" will vary by the individual. Every graduate has their own set of priorities. Some need to feel they are helping to address societal issues. Others want to earn a certain minimum salary to support a desired lifestyle. Still others want to be on the cutting edge of research, addressing the unanswered questions of physics. The AIP SRC provides data on different aspects of physics majors' job satisfaction, such as job security, level of responsibility, and intellectual challenge. (https://www.aip.org/statistics/reports/physics-bachelors-initial-employment2014.) But as their research manager Patrick Mulvey puts it, "a high satisfaction score does not necessarily mean it is a 'good job.'" In my personal opinion, a good job is one that you enjoy pursuing, that takes advantage of your unique abilities and knowledge, that provides opportunities for personal and intellectual/professional growth, and that pays you enough to support your household. The weight assigned to each of those characteristics will depend upon the individual graduate. The diverse career paths pursued by physics graduates reflect such diverse priorities.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Senior Research Consultants?
DJ Wagner Ph.D.: I would have to say that the biggest impact is due not to the courses a student takes but to what professional opportunities outside of the classroom the student pursues. The employers with which I've spoken suggest that evidence of independent research projects and of the ability to work collaboratively are very important considerations in the hiring process. Networking is also key. At Grove City College, we encourage our physics majors to get involved in research starting their freshman year, and we provide many opportunities for them to network with alumni in the field and by attending conferences. Research builds several critical skills of value to employers: the ability to take ownership of a project and follow it through over a period of time, the ability to work as a team toward a common goal, the ability to operate and trouble-shoot apparatus (for experimental research), the ability to extract meaning from data, etc. Interacting with professionals in the field gives students a wide perspective about possible career paths, connections within those careers, and an understanding of the current state of the field not typically obtained in college courses.
When I have heard professionals speak to students at conferences, they often recommend that physics majors take communication and management courses in addition to their required physics curriculum. The skills and knowledge gained in those courses can help graduates navigate the corporate world successfully.
Dr. Rachel Emas Ph.D.
Assistant Teaching Professor, MPA Program DirectorRutgers, The State University of New Jersey-Newark
School of Public Affairs and Administration
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Senior Research Consultants?
Dr. Rachel Emas Ph.D.: The courses or certifications that have the greatest impact on a person's public service job prospects are highly dependent on that person's career goals. Some of the courses that are helpful for nearly all public servants include topics like grant writing, administrative ethics, leadership of organizations, equity and diversity, and evidence-based decision making.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Research Consultant job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Rachel Emas Ph.D.: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of good governance and effective public services. I believe that career opportunities in the public sector will grow as we better support our local and state governments. Public service careers in the nonprofit sector will also advance, as we have witnessed the significance of these organizations in supporting and uplifting people in times of crisis. Within the field of public administration, I believe that the healthcare, technology, infrastructure, and emergency management fields will be a critical focus. It is also important that public servants understand and address issues of inequity, injustice, and systemic oppression throughout all social systems and public institutions.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Senior Research Consultants?
Paul Trogen Ph.D.: Some surveys suggest that as many as half of local government jobs may be filled by business graduates. One should take courses similar to what those business students study. One of our graduate students surveyed local governments, and found the skills most in demand included accounting, human resource management, budgeting, public relations, and risk management. The ability to use spreadsheets and communicate clearly with tables and graphs helps. Quantitative skills like linear programming, PERT/CPM, inventory models, and queuing theory will make you an indispensable problem solver. Some high demand niches that are unique to the public sector include geographic information systems (GIS), city planning, and economic development. Hard skills will increase your chances of landing an interview.
Zachary Doleshal Ph.D.
Clinical Assistant ProfessorSam Houston State University
History Department
What soft skills should all Senior Research Consultants possess?
Zachary Doleshal Ph.D.: In both remote and face-to-face careers, the soft skills that a liberal arts education provides will remain crucial. The ability to locate, organize, and synthesize material will remain important.
Moreover, as global warming becomes more disruptive, the shift in energy production and consumption will require individuals trained to think critically, as well as historically. For being able to consider the ways in which people have dealt with past crises certainly allows for a more reasoned approach to ones we face in the future.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Research Consultant job market given the pandemic?
Zachary Doleshal Ph.D.: Pandemics tend to accelerate existing technologies and encourage new ones. For example, the aftermath of the bubonic plague witnessed new agricultural techniques. The influenza of 1918/1919 accelerated the use of wireless telegraphy.
Several large trends have been in the making that the current pandemic certainly will accelerate. The first of these is the use of telecommunications technology. What we are witnessing with the Zoom revolution is a new phase in the history of globalization where place matters less than at any other point in human history. Students can expect this continue. What this means to the job market is a much higher potential for remote work.
However, there will most certainly be a backlash to the overuse of telecommunications. It is hard to imagine that we will not see a significant counter-movement that will encourage face to face interactions and demand a pullback from video conferencing. This is most likely to occur in the public service sectors, such as education and health care.
What soft skills should all Senior Research Consultants possess?
Dr. Anne Paulet Ph.D.: In terms of soft skills, those probably won't change much, they will simply be practiced differently. Being flexible is important since jobs may switch between home and office and since one may be dealing with someone else working from home and the challenges that can present-what cat owner hasn't had their cat walk in front of the camera or step on the wrong computer key? The ability to work in groups will continue to have importance as well as the ability to manage your own time and meet deadlines. At the same time, the nature of computer camera interaction means that people will have to learn to "read" others differently than they would in an in-person environment. Many recent articles have talked about how it is harder to read facial cues or detect emotional responses on the computer. Again, those presently taking synchronous classes have the opportunity to practice these skills--providing students turn on their cameras rather than relying only on audio. If the past year has demonstrated anything, it is that people need to be more culturally aware and sensitive and also be able to work with people of diverse backgrounds. History classes are a great way for students to better understand what others have gone through and how that might impact interaction today. Additionally, history classes-as well as college in general-should provide students with the skills to help create the kind of changes in institutions and companies that need to be made to make them more inclusive. Perhaps the greatest skill college students have is the ability to learn. I never intended to teach online, yet here I am doing just that. It required learning new ways to approach teaching, reconsideration of the ways students learned in the new environment, and figuring out new online programs to make all this happen. I was forced to do this as a result of the pandemic but most students will find that this sort of adjustment-whether foreseen or not-will be a regular part of their career path. The ability to learn these new skills, to apply new methods and to approach issues in new and innovative ways will help them stand out when it comes to looking for a job.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Research Consultant job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Anne Paulet Ph.D.: I believe that a number of companies will keep some of their employees working from home or at least be more flexible about it. This obviously gives an advantage to anyone with computer skills, which most college students should have these days. Additionally, graduates will have to be both articulate in written correspondence-including emails-as that will become an increasing part of work and will also have to be comfortable and professional in front of a computer camera. For students who will be graduating soon and are presently taking online classes which involve discussion-as many history classes do-this is a great time to practice those on camera communication skills before hitting the job market. Students should also be practicing their group work skills. Increasingly companies tend to use groups of people with differing skills to achieve their project goals. The ability to work well with a group can be hard to master and anyone with experience successfully doing so-say in a class assignment-would have an advantage. At the same time, with the increased likelihood of working from home, those seeking employment will also want to demonstrate their ability to manage their time, be self-motivated, stay organized and meet deadlines with very limited supervision. The ability to do well in your classes while juggling other issues during the pandemic can be a good example of this ability. Moreover, the mix of synchronous and asynchronous classes many students are taking will provide a really good opportunity to establish a system for managing the workflow and meeting deadlines even before entering the job market. While some sectors of the economy will take longer to recover-restaurants for instance-areas where history students might shine, such as museum work, should rebound relatively well. Additionally, museums, along with other institutions, will be seeking to increase their online presence so any ability to envision interactive and engaging ways for these institutions to reach a broader audience would be a sought after quality. Finally, there will be a growing number of jobs that may not even exist now-jobs that foster environmental awareness or sustainability, jobs that seek to bring people together across distances and dividing lines whether racial, ethnic, gender-based, political or religious, and jobs that use technology in new and innovative ways. I know that I have had to rethink the way I teach and the methods I use (as well as learn some new computer programs) to better meet the needs of teaching online. As companies continue to increase their online presence, students will need these skills as well.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Senior Research Consultant job market given the pandemic?
Lopita Nath Ph.D.: Everything has changed due to the pandemic; life has changed, education and work has changed. Remote learning and working from home have become the new normal. All jobs related to technology and online have grown and are going to grow. The ability to work remotely regardless of career field will be the new demand. This has brought new expectations for education and educators, and students and faculty are going to be asked to adapt and change at the slightest notice. The notions of career have changed, for example telehealth, telemedicine, etc. And we are producing for a market that is changing so fast that it is hard to keep up.
One of the biggest trends in this new changing world is that broad skills are going to be important. Students will have to focus on a variety of skills and acquisition of those skills. A growing trend will be: One Skill vs. Skills. Skill acquisition beyond your traditional discipline will be the new norm. For a student graduating with a History degree, the skills that they learn, critical thinking, reading and writing, research, analyzing data, presentation skills will and always remain the biggest trends in the job market. Especially with remote work, Zoom, and the online work culture, these skills will always remain in high demand. People will have to think broadly about the skills they have and how these skills can be translated to marketable skills for the changing workforce.
Adaptability will be the main trend, as students will change careers often. This will also lead to continuing education and more certificate programs in schools. The job market is going to shift from routine to non-routine, cognitive and manual jobs. The key piece in career transformation in the post pandemic world will be skill acquisition and development.
What Senior Research Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Lopita Nath Ph.D.: If graduates need to take a gap year, I recommend that they focus on broad, transferable skills that will never go away however automated their workplace becomes. Graduates will need to focus on reading and writing, critical thinking, analysis, research, and presentation and communication skills. Reading improves the vocabulary, and will make a person a better writer and confident presenter. Learning a language, other than your own, is always valuable and time well spent. There are so many online options like Babbel and Duolingo that can help. Graduates need to learn how to think outside the box. These are skills that liberal arts degrees like a History or an English will teach them better when they are ready for college. Transferable skills are always valuable at any workplace.
What general advice would you give to a Senior Research Consultant?
Lopita Nath Ph.D.: A general advice to a graduate is to understand that demand for soft skills: Communication, Creativity and Collaboration is likely to increase as automation becomes more widespread. These skills are impossible to automate, and people with such skills are going to be valuable to their organizations in the future. The young graduates have to realize that it is not about a career or a job, it is about a vocation. I would recommend that students not pursue their passions only for success but think hard at what makes them happy. Students have to get their priorities straight. Realities are going to shift and change in the post-pandemic world, especially with the advancements in technology. Historical Consciousness is important to understand shifts. In the post-pandemic world when we have become more global, knowledge about the world, historical knowledge and understanding of trends will always be a valuable tool to have when making decisions in the workplace.